Written by and published here with the permission of Ross Mountney .
I sometimes think the government would like to devise an injection for all kids at birth that would make them all grow exactly the same! It would make it so much easier for them; if all kids learned the same, achieved the same, at the same time, in the same way, without having to pay attention to individual needs!...
Parents rally against the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Defending alternative education and parental rights #ChildrensWellbeingBill Parents are set to gather on 8th March 2025 in Bedford Street, Exeter (and major cities across England, including London, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham). This coordinated rally aims to protest the proposed bill. This deeply concerning piece of...
As we learn how to 'do school', do we forget how to learn?
School isn't the only way to get an education, and the school way isn't the only way to learn. In fact, some of the skills we need at school are quite different to the skills we need in order to direct our own learning.
The UK education system could learn a lot from countries like Finland where children learn through play, and 'formal' schooling doesn't begin until the age of 7 (unlike the UK, where they can start school at barely 4, even though the actual CSA (compulsory school age) is 5). The English CSA system was introduced in 1870 to get women back into work quicker (rather than based on any educational...
Did you know that autistic pupils are facing barriers to their fundamental right to education? A leading charity has sounded the alarm, revealing a shocking 166% increase in the number of autistic children persistently absent from school over the past four years.
Let’s delve into the numbers. In England alone, over a quarter of autistic children – that's roughly 51,000 out of...
In today’s evolving educational landscape, home education is an increasingly practical choice for parents seeking a flexible, personalised approach to their children’s learning.
Families embarking on this journey often discover the unique joys of bespoke education and self-directed learning. Freed from the rigid structures of traditional schooling—the daily grind of school...
It can be daunting to think you must get your children through their exams, which is understandable. The whole system is confusing and can fill us parents with dread. There's no need to cram in a shed load of GCSEs before the age of 16, and there are various options when it comes to qualifications; there is no rush. You don't have to take as many as a child in school would; you could start...
How Do Children Learn When They Don't Go to School? Won't they end up behind?
Most people have no idea what child development and education looks like outside school when young people have autonomy. I've been told that children will endlessly move from whim to whim, or that they'll never learn to set goals or work hard. Here's what...
