BB chose to do some art out of First Book of Art she started with the fingerprint dragon - which looked really fab when she had finished, and then moved onto the paper elephant. this was incredibly over the top, with glued jewels and feathers. she had a great time. when sb finished her maths, she moved onto this art book Art Treasury and chose the project to emulate the great wave at kanagawa by hokusai, which i think worked really well. she drew waves onto polystyrene, then when happy with design, she the dug out channels in the polystyrene. she mixed up some blues, and then used the polystyrene like relief printing woodcut. obviously it worked so well that BB did it too, so we discussed related ideas of prints/engravings and got messy!! had a great time doing this.

After lunch we went out to an event organised by Michelle, and met some old and new HE people, and the children ran about having great - and noisy - fun! this was the cloth place, and a revisit for the girls, although new to me. i had my map on me in case we got lost, and on the park and ride in, sb was charged with following its route to make sure we got off at the right place [tho the get off is v obvious!!] she really enjoyed following the road names, roundabouts etc and did it v well. training her up as next mapreader in the family. we were early so they got to have an icecream treat. as well as a park and ride treat - which they always like! was a lovely, and v noisy, session!! got to do a bit of chatting, but for quite a while played with bb. loved the sarcophagus and snakes [not maggots]. SB suggested to them an ice exploratory would be fun - ice sculpture, melting and freezing etc! needless to say, bb fell asleep on the way home. we got sb late to brownies, but they were mostly messing about in the sun or sticking pictures - as she was hot and bothered she went for sticking pics. and i collared brown owl who accepted the list of 10 brownie badges, but doesn’t have most of them.

bb came home and bounced and messed about in the paddling pool. i was allowed to stick my feet in and read book, but then my feet took up too much space - !! - and i had to just watch [read book] and then we started to make a fimo copy of a henry moore family group bronze - all bb’s idea, and only in the starting bit - will be v interested to see how it turns out. SB had judo, and we all went along at the end for the certification, as she now has the yellow/white.

so, phew, that is our hot day!

Books!!
oh, i am reading these, on load from merry. i am really enjoying them.

in return i have sent The Other Queen which is ok, tho not the best of her work [nor the worst, i actually threw one of her books away], and this Azincourt , which i really enjoyed and would recommend, i enjoyed his arthur series The Winter King a lot as well. oh and also book 2!The Valley of Horses (Earth’s Children)

anyhoo, i had a lie in/peace to reflect whilst chris and girls went to the library. bb did the craft thing making suns, and loads of new books. on return i was ready to interact. so we cuddled, bb watched her new vid, sb and i did some french and piano practice. after lunch they both got out their brainbox kits. sb ecstatic to make a mw radio and listen to tennis. also made a microphone. out to bb’s footie. her coach is v gentle with her. however after about 1/3 of lesson she was too hot and bothered and came out. sb did some nvr and read about alexander graham bell -one of her favs. the she taught bb to play duck duck goose, involving her shrieking ‘goose me bb, goose me’!!! giggle . another soon to be ex-homeducator was there. she home-edded for a temp purpose and it clearly was ace for her daughter, so congrats in order. she did point out there seemed to be huge amounts of fluff and waffle in the taster days! sb swimming - she is v good at backstroke. back home to icecream, ken hom and bed!

the next day was more of the same for bb and cousin e, but sb and m were taken to the golf driving range by my dad, and sb got a driver ‘golf stick’ and will have a few lessons. she was really enthusiastic about it. he then took them to a junior jazz concert, which she also really enjoyed. i love seeing dad and sb doing things together.

dreadful drive home - listening to scientists! and then phew a relax. bb still resolutely awake- well they both are unfortunately!

obviously spending the evening listening to possible hymns increased the grieving again. i wonder if we can do 4 verses of abide with me? nanny wanted the lord is my shepherd - not sure which version music, and think 1 more should be ok. other thought is lord of all hopefullness

anyway, the girls were lovely and well behaved, and made us laugh. i need to be better with SB tomorrow though, as being so sensitive, she really hasn’t had any of my attention, and yet she has given me loads of lovely hugs. bless her. bb has too, they are lovely girls. i have had my grieving time, and now must show them the life moves on with your loved one in your heart bit. you know, i was absolutely awful at goodbyes all my life. nanny used to make up games for when she and grandad left so that i wouldn’t cry so much.

so, we met, hugged, and put some more happy scenes into little nanny’s home, which has been so full of happiness over many years. if houses have karma, then that house should be a happy one. i will go again with wine to do the last of the house clearance type stuff with mum just before the funeral, and to say a last goodbye to a house filled with loads of happy memories. seems perhaps a bit silly, but it helps.

anyway, this has been a somewhat meandering post.

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so having travelled all sat, i was welcomed home by a fantastic hug and cuddle from my girls. migrainous and travel sick on discussion with mum, i was encouraged [tho didn't need much] not to set straight out. so we snuggled, watched dr who, ate curry and made an early night.

not too quick off the mark to go out, and was rung to say i was too late after all. i feel dreadful that i didn’t re-prioritise things and see little nanny that last time to kiss her goodbye. prob silly, as she had slipped into a morphine sleep by saturday. but… so as no longer visiting, imposed on the manor borns to keep me sane.

we had a lovely, tho v lazy rspb walk, and have had to promise C i will do better next tine the kids appeared to have fun anyway, and bb was being particularly gorgeous really. all 3 played together without any major kerfuffles throughout the evening too, and after a lovely relaxed meal we went home to pop all of us straight to bed.

and so today, we were going to norfolk, and then not as it was a getting documents day [i have 2 days compassionate leave] and instead going tomorrow. [later and later]. so we decided to do fun things, like baking. we all got up v late, had brekkie v late, and then sb made brownies from *her* recipe book, and bb and i made a yummy choc sponge. the girls then played with silly string until it ran out. BB wanted to read a french book Lucy Cat at the Beach: Lucie Chat a La Plage (Lucy Cat) falls off perch in surprise, but agreed! SB did a verbal reasoning book and then read It’s Elementary: Putting the Crackle into Chemistry (Dk Reference) and wants to try and turn her urine into phosphorus now.

more playing, and we made pictures with light reactive paper, Sun Print Paper, which i remember enjoying as a child, and we did today. SB off to ballet, and BB and i did some pond dipping, and then retired to watch donald duck. on SB’s return, we made another cake from her recipe book Marie Claire Kitchen and had ken hom vietnames stew for dinner [SB's favourite dinner in fact]

SB and I then looked at some tiny pond bugs that i had captured with her digital microscope. slightly tricky as they kept whisking about, but she did manage to take some photos. No idea what they were. very speedy though!

anyway, tomorrow to norfolk. thanks everyone for your good wishes and thoughts, I have REALLY appreciated it.

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm?action=consultationDetails&consultationId=1643&external=no&menu=1

Consultation Questions
Do you agree that these proposals strike the right balance between the rights of parents to home educate and the rights of children to
receive a suitable education?
disagree
i think that the dcsf has entirely failed to grasp that home education aims to provide children with a personally tailored,
individual education aimed to stretch them at their age, ability and aptitude. that actually the dcsf is interfering with what is
already suitably legislated for already. my childrens rights and mine are not things that need to be balanced. as a parent i work for my child’s
best interest, they need no other advocate but me.

Do you agree that a register should be kept?
disagree
i think a register will be unnecessary with the arrival of contact point.

Do you agree with the information to be provided for registration?
disagree

Do you agree that home educating parents should be required to keep the register up to date?
disagree

Do you agree that it should be a criminal offence to fail to register or to provide inadequate or false information?
disagree
i strongly disagree with the need for this to be an offence, particularly a criminal offence.

Do you agree that home educated children should stay on the roll of their former school for 20 days after parents notify that they intend
to home educate?
disagree

Do you agree that the school should provide the local authority with achievement and future attainment data?

Agree

Do you agree that DCSF should take powers to issue statutory guidance in relation to the registration and monitoring of home education?
disagree
i disagree most strongly. the badman report was biased in favour of his preliminary assumptions, and his ‘beliefs’, thus he
disregarded any published evidence of success of autonomous education, and the 2000+ submissions by home
educators and home educated children who very much disagreed with the style of monitoring success and achievement against promised
objectives he suggests.

Do you agree that children about whom there are substantial safeguarding concerns should not be home educated?
not sure
I think this decision should be made through a multiprofessional forum, where substantial safeguarding concerns are
shown to be actual, and interventions planned for the family.

Do you agree that the local authority should visit the premises where home education is taking place provided 2 weeks notice is given?
disagree
i do not believe there should be a right to enter the home. i believe current arrangements under current law are
satisfactory

Do you agree that the local authority should have the power to interview the child, alone if this is judged appropriate, or if not in the
presence of a trusted person who is not the parent/carer?
disagree
i absolutely disagree with this. i think that children, whether deemed to be vulnerable or not, should not be interviewed in
this manner unless there are already clearly significant safeguarding concerns, and this has been passed through to child
protection. i do not believe this should be through the local authority education arm at all, and feel that ‘mission creep’ will otherwise see more
chldren upset and traumatised by interogation by strangers without understanding the reason or process.

Do you agree that the local authority should visit the premises and interview the child within four weeks of home education starting, after
6 months has elapsed, at the anniversary of home education starting, and thereafter at least on an annual basis? This would not
preclude more frequent monitoring if the local authority thought that was necessary.
disagree
i do not agree that they should visit the premises, i specifically do not agree that 4 weeks gives long enough for a
deschooling period for traumatised children, and wonder why home educators should be assessed more frequently than
schools - even known ‘failing schools’. i believe that the more frequent monitoring sets a position for harrassment of home educators. a
maximum of yearly information gathering - by visit or by educational information seems reasonable to me, and especially in the primary years
frequent visits appear to be pointlessly expensive, and biennial may be more reasonable. again i strongly disagree that this needs to be
visiting the home. i note that you have not discussed in this at all whether the local authority should set up committees with home educators,
should be suitably trained in home education and the many methods that may be utilised, nor have you discussed any of the scarce few
positives from the badman review - ie provision of rooms/ resources and exams. this strikes me that you plan to implement a draconian
monitoring system to absolutely guarentee a poor working relationship between home educators and the LA, without implementing anything
that may involve expenditure with a benefit for home educators. i think this is shameful. in my opinion, current legislation is more than
sufficient, both for educational welfare and child safety.

Thankyou for all your correspondence whilst we awaited the review into
home education

I wish to seek your support in opposing the reforms to current practice
proposed by Graham Badman in his “Report to the Secretary of State on
the Review of Elective Home Education in England” for the following
reasons:

1. The Review fails to make a case for its recommendations. The
Secretary of State says it contains strong arguments, but there is, in
fact, little argument supported by evidence in the review. We would
have welcomed a well argued, evidence based review, as this would have
enabled an engagement. Instead there is assertion, but little analysis
and evidence – for instance, the review simply says ‘I believe …’ 16
times.

2. The review lacks intellectual rigour, independence or impartiality.
Where evidence is presented there is an absence of critical analysis,
together with highly selective use of quotations from respondents. Thus
it includes without comment a lengthy, and somewhat naïve, quotation
from the Education Division of the Church of England, but does include
a quote from a home educator which is less than complementary about
local authority staff. The use of quotations is not ‘neutral’, they
serve to highlight certain views merely by their inclusion. In the
review, he notes that he is not convinced by any of the positive
research into home education in this country or others, despite this by
well respected researchers. however, no other data being available, his
lack of conviction is without empirical reference.

3. Evidence on abuse by home educators – a key argument used to justify
action (see below) - is absent from the review report. Somewhat
surprisingly given the review’s terms of reference there is no analysis
of the actual number of suspected and found child abuse cases involving
home educators. Indeed, there are no robust figures or trends presented
(even at an aggregated level), instead there is a vague reference to
‘local authority evidence and case studies’. Thus it is impossible to
tell whether the concerns about possible child abuse are based in fact
or merely imagined. I requested, through the freedom of information
act, the information from [my local] LA about welfare concerns amongst
home educated families, and they knew of no cases.
[link to the response on what do they know]

The review rightly points out that the number of parents opting for
elective home education is unknown. Yet it also claims that ‘the number
of children known to children’s social care in some local authorities
is disproportionately high relative to their home educating
population’. But given that the size of the home education population
is unknown, it is impossible to calculate the proportion, unless these
councils have made up a base for the calculation; in effect the
statement is meaningless.

4. This lack of evidence and analysis is compounded by the absence of
expertise amongst the review panel. In the absence of evidence, some
degree of confidence in the review’s judgements might rest on the
expertise of those involved. They could perhaps be forgiven for simply
making assertions if they had expertise or relevant professional
knowledge of the subject matter. Unfortunately this is not the case. No
home educating parent was on the review team. This does not accord with
a Government that wishes to listen to the public and empower them.

Combined with the first point, this undermines the legitimacy of the
review – why should what appears to be no more that the prejudices of
this group of people be imposed upon the home education community?

5. Furthermore the recommendations are not logically consistent with
review’s limited evidence.
a. The review says that many LAs are not performing adequately, but
then recommends they have more powers. Without an analysis of why they
are failing it would seem inappropriate to give them more powers; this
would simply create problems and maladministration claims for the
future.
b. The review recognises the diversity of home educators, but fails to
take this in to account in its ‘one size fits all’ recommendations

6. A key statement from the review, informing its recommendations is:

“The question is simply a matter of balance and securing the right
regulatory regime within a framework of legislation that protects the
rights of all children, even if in transaction such regulation is only
necessary to protect a minority.”

This guiding ‘principle’ is presented with no provisos or limits. It is
highly risk adverse position, and assumes that all parents are capable
of abuse. This leads to recommendations that are disproportionate and
even the Secretary of State is wary of the cost implications.

Indeed, it logically follows from this that parents of all pre-school
children must be registered and inspected annually; even that visits
are required of children attending school during vacations.

7. I would like to draw your attention to one of the recommendations
being that authorised officers should have the right to speak to each
child alone, and only if the child is particularly vulnerable or
communication difficulties can they have a trusted adult. Personally, I
will refuse this right of access for strangers to interrogate my
children.

You also need to know that the review was poorly conducted – for
example:
• It was announced as a consultation on the consultation website then
when it was pointed out that it was not compliant with the Consultation
Code of Practice it suddenly became a review;
• The review outcome was partially pre-judged in advance, Graham
Badman, author of the review, publicly said as much when he asserted
the status quo could not remain long before the review was completed;
and
• The on-line questionnaire used to gather home educators and others’
views was badly designed involving leading and poorly constructed
questions.

In addition, the review process has angered and alienated many home
educators. The review report and the Secretary of State highlight the
importance of there being good relationships with home educators.
However, the review has undermined this objective; it has even been
counterproductive. Many home educators are now opting out of any
involvement with their local authorities after many years of effort to
improve relationships with them.

I realise that policy on home education is probably seen as part of the
‘backwater’ of political debate in Parliament, and that at present
other issues have higher media and public profile. However, the home
education community is a vocal and organised, if disparate, group, and
you might like to advise your colleagues to take an interest in this
issue as it has the potential to generate some very adverse publicity
for the party.

The review report can be found at:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/homeeducation/

If you or a member of your staff require more information or details of
sources, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. I believe that
from the outset this review has been prejudiced against home-education
and home-educators, using supposition and flights of fancy to justify
draconian monitoring, registration and interrogation permissions which
far exceed those expected by children at school, and ignoring or
belittling all of the research and evidence in favour of home-education
or maintaining the status quo.

I look forward to hearing from you, and would be happy to meet with you
to discuss this further.

Yours sincerely,

so, sorry for rampant plagiarism, but anyway, he has written back, suggesting this has been discussed in tory policy circles, and has forwarded my letter onto ed balls for further discussion.