About me, founder and editor of The Home Ed Daily.

I’m Sasha Jackson, welcome to The Home Ed Daily.

This platform isn’t a business—it’s a labour of love. As a passionate, unpaid home-educating parent, I’m deeply committed to giving our community a positive voice in the media. Let me be upfront:

Any banner ads on the site, which could theoretically earn me a tiny commission, have brought in exactly £0 so far (I need some tips on this I think!) 😆 In truth, maintaining this platform costs me money, but I do it because I believe in the importance of sharing resources and amplifying the voices of home-educating families.

This isn’t about self-promotion; it’s about citizen journalism. It’s about telling the real stories of home education—by those who live it every day.

Beyond the website, I organise meet-ups and admin multiple home-ed groups across Devon. My vision was to create an online hub where home educators could share knowledge, find useful links, and access resources to support their journeys.

Now, more than ever, we need to combat the misinformation surrounding home education, especially in light of negative media coverage and proposed legislation like the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Together, we can create a positive, pro-home-education narrative.

This platform isn’t just mine—it’s ours. A space where we can amplify the experiences and insights of home-educating families everywhere.

 

Who I Am

I wear many hats: photographer, digital artist, social media manager, content creator, author, editor, and mum to three sons. My family and I live in a small village on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon.

Before starting a family, I worked as a graphic designer, photographer, and photo retoucher at Ealing Film Studios in London. Now, I channel that creative energy into content creation, digital resources, and projects inspired by Devon’s stunning landscapes.

I design printable digital downloads for my shop, Dartmoor Kin. Many of these resources—like moon phase charts, wheel of the year calendars, phenology guides, and nature study wheels—are perfect for nature curricula or journaling.

I’ve also self-published a book about The Wheel of the Year and the fascinating origins of pagan festivals in Western European history.

In the home-ed world, I manage social media platforms and pages for Home Education Devon and other local groups, overseeing a community of over 5,000 members. I create content, logos, and designs, and host in-person social meet-ups while offering guidance and support to families new to home ed.

Our Home Ed Journey

Our home education journey began after a year of soul-searching and angst-filled deliberation. My then-six-year-old son was anxious, miserable, and overwhelmed by school life. Nothing dramatic had happened—our small rural primary school was lovely. But the system itself wasn’t working for him.

Mornings were heartbreaking: he’d sob and beg me not to leave him, and I’d end up crying in the car. It felt so wrong to see him stressed and unhappy, locked into a system that didn’t meet his needs. Life is too short for that. I made the decision to bring him home—not just for his happiness but for mine too.

 

The UK school system often lets our children down with its relentless focus on testing, assessment, and rigid expectations around literacy, numeracy, and behaviour (like sitting still and being quiet). Sadly, the direction seems to be worsening, with the government doubling down on literacy and numeracy targets while sidelining creative subjects.

This approach feels incredibly short-sighted in a world crying out for creative thinkers, problem solvers, and individuals equipped with essential life skills. Are we shaping children to fit a mould rather than nurturing their unique strengths and talents?

Do we really want to force all children to conform to one way of learning and living? Does it make sense to consider one path "right" simply because it works for the majority? And at what cost? Are we sacrificing their happiness, individuality, and potential just to meet arbitrary benchmarks?

These are questions we, as parents and educators, need to grapple with as we consider what kind of future we want for our children—and for society as a whole.

 

I came across a deeply concerning article about children’s mental health, revealing some alarming statistics:

• 1 in 5 children experience mental health challenges.
• ADHD diagnoses have surged by 43%.
• Teen depression has risen by 37%.
• The suicide rate among 10–14-year-olds has doubled.

These figures highlight the urgent need to address the mental health crisis affecting our children today.

Here’s a thought-provoking blog post with parenting tips: What are we doing to our children?

 

The UK education system could take valuable lessons from countries like Finland, where children learn through play and formal schooling doesn’t begin until the age of 7. Compare this to the UK, where children can start school as young as 4, even though the official compulsory school age (CSA) is 5. Interestingly, the English CSA system was introduced in 1870 not for educational benefits but to enable women to return to work more quickly.

Historically, mass schooling in the UK was designed to turn spirited children from an agricultural society into compliant factory workers. This led to the development of formal classrooms, strict rules, uniforms, and systemic inequality, which still echoes today.

This excellent video illustrates the stark contrasts between UK and Finnish schools. In Finland, teachers are called by their first names, there are no uniforms, free lunches and school supplies are provided for every child, and students can use the loo without asking permission. The atmosphere is relaxed, engaging, and genuinely joyful—children seem happy and eager to be there 🥰.

School in Finland from 'The State We're In'

 

 

The thought of children not learning to read until the age of seven can be unsettling for some parents. However, research consistently shows that these children catch up quickly. In fact, those extra years of play provide benefits that formal academics cannot replicate.

A recent study by Stanford University found that children who started school at an older age exhibited significantly lower levels of inattention and hyperactivity. The developmental difference between ages five and eight is profound, and starting formal schooling later has been proven to enhance long-term academic success, happiness, and overall well-being.

For a deeper dive into the evidence, this article is a must-read: New Scientist - Too Much Too Young

 

It was truly eye-opening to see the books my son gravitated towards on his own—completely different from the ones he was given at school! I had massively underestimated his reading abilities, likely due to the school's reading ‘band’ system. Yet here he was, effortlessly reading complex words and sentences! He even got hooked on his older brothers' Greek mythology books and couldn’t put them down.

What I've come to realise is that, when children are given the freedom to choose, they will often learn independently, following their own passions. I simply provide the resources or information to fuel those interests. And I have to say, Google is an absolute game-changer—thank you, internet!

For example., when my son randomly asked, "What are Mantis Shrimps?" Instead of brushing it off like I might have in the stressful rush of school days, I looked it up for him. They are awesome by the way - read this.

In the past, I might have just said something vague like, "blinking huge," when he asked, "How big is the sun?"

If you're curious, here's the actual answer, according to Space.com:

"The mean radius of the sun is 432,450 miles (696,000 km), which makes its diameter about 864,938 miles (1.392 million km). You could line up 109 Earths across the face of the sun. The sun's circumference is about 2,713,406 miles (4,366,813 km)."

So, my answer wasn’t too far off after all!

 

In the UK, education is compulsory for children aged 5 to 16, but attending school is not. Many families choose to home-educate, and they have the legal right to do so. Home-educating families are not required to follow the National Curriculum, and there is no single "right" way to educate at home. Approaches vary widely, ranging from unschooling and child-led learning to more structured, curriculum-based methods—our own approach sits somewhere in between, and it evolves over time.

The home education community is vast, particularly in Devon, with an extensive support network and a wealth of resources available through home education Facebook groups and websites.

This Guardian article highlights just a few of the many advantages of home ed—though there are far more than just 10 reasons to consider it! 10 Good Reasons to Home Educate
 

A few weeks into our home education journey, my son transformed—he was a different, happier child. It felt like flicking a switch—truly amazing! A whole new world opened up to us, filling me with optimism and joy. That first year, we explored numerous home education groups and activities, mainly to find our footing and connect with other families.

I’ll admit, there are days when I worry that we’re not doing enough 'formal' learning. But then I remind myself that every experience is a learning opportunity, and that happiness and mental well-being should always come first—more important than grades, school targets, or test results.

And the best parts? Since leaving school, we’ve hardly been ill (touch wood). No more stressful, manic school-run mornings. We get to spend quality time together—though it’s a cliché, it’s true, they really do grow up fast (I can say this with experience, having two older sons). Plus, visiting places during term time is a dream: quiet, affordable, easy to park, and no queues—pure bliss!

 

Share Your Story

Every family’s home-ed journey is unique, and your story matters. Why not contribute by creating a profile and sharing your experiences here? Together, we can build a richer, more diverse picture of home education.