Articles

How to Create a Home Education Portfolio with a Personalised Photo Book

If your phone is anything like most home-educating families’, it’s full of photos that tell the story of your child’s learning. The nature walk where they identified six different birds. The papier-mâché volcano that actually erupted. In the afternoon, they sat reading for two hours straight and didn’t notice the time. All of it, sitting in a camera roll that nobody scrolls back through.

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What is strewing? A simple way to spark curiosity in home education

What is strewing in home education?

One of the loveliest things about home education is that learning does not need to look formal to be meaningful. Some of the richest learning begins quietly, with something small left within reach and a child free to notice it in their own time.

That is where strewing comes in.

Strewing is a gentle, low-pressure way of inviting curiosity....

What is a morning basket? What they are and how families use them

How morning baskets work in home education

Morning baskets have become a popular part of home education for many families, but they can look very different from one home to another. That is partly why they can be hard to define neatly.

At heart, a morning basket is simply an intentional way to begin the day together. It gives families a chance to gather, slow down, and share a few...

What the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill means for home education in England | March 2026 update

A calm summary of what is changing and when for home educators under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. March 2026 update.

There has been a lot of anxiety around the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and what it could mean for home educating families in England. That concern is understandable. These proposals matter. But it is also important to stay rooted in what is actually...

Inspire to Learn IGCSE Biology Hub review

Inspire to Learn IGCSE Biology Hub | a home education journey

Our home education journey with the Sparking STEM Inspire to Learn IGCSE Biology Hub

For many home ed families, science at IGCSE level can feel like a crossroads. Children may love the subject, but the exam pathway can feel daunting. Parents often find themselves wondering how to keep curiosity alive while also keeping future options open. Structure can help. Pressure rarely does. This year...

What the government’s new education white paper means for SEND families and home educators

Every Child Achieving and Thriving: What the white paper means for SEND and home education

Government schools education white paper 2026 summary. The impact explained.

The government has published a new education white paper titled Every Child Achieving and Thriving

It sets out a long-term vision for education in England through the 2030s. On the surface, it speaks of inclusion, enrichment, belonging and high standards. But when read carefully, especially alongside the...

Keir Starmer speech on home education: why families are concerned

What Keir Starmer said about " homeschooling " and why it matters

I am genuinely outraged.

Listening to recent comments from Keir Starmer's speech in Hastings left me stunned. To hear home education spoken about in the same breath as extremism. To hear it framed as something that needs “tougher regulation” because schools are supposedly essential for integration. It felt deeply...

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill Update: How to contact your MP

Mass email to MPs as Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill reaches amendments stage

In response to the 3rd Reading of the Bill in the House of Lords, the Stop the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill group are coordinating a mass email to be sent to all MPs. The bill is now in the Consideration of amendments stage.

Feel free to use the template (link below), just edit your name,...

Are local authority visits compulsory for homeschooling families?

Local authority home visits and home education: what families need to know

Are local authority visits compulsory for home educators? Why many homeschooling families choose not to accept LA visits. From time to time, local authorities contact home ed families and ask for a home visit, a phone call, or samples of work. These requests are often presented as informal or supportive. Many families agree in good faith. It is important to understand why a large number of...

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and home education: 2026 summary of amendments

January 2026 update following the end of Report Stage. How it affects Children Not In School in England. What the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill proposes for home education

The bill includes a section called Children Not In School which covers home ed. Its intentions are about safeguarding and tracking children not in school. If it becomes law, it would require:

Mandatory...

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill Summary and Protest

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2026 Protest

What the January 17 rally reveals about opposition to the Bill. Yes to children’s wellbeing. No to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

On the 17th of January, families and campaigners gathered in central London to protest the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. They came from across the country. Home educating parents. Parents of children with special educational needs. Teachers,...