IMG_3060, originally uploaded by Scrumbledelicious.
so we are having a fimo fest. the girls want decorations that will hang on string with luminous beads, or from a ‘halloween christmas tree’. SO all these [apart from the bird and its nest] have holes to allow them to be threaded.
Posted in art and crafts, daubing and making, General, photos
well, i am trying hard not to be, but i really do think migraines are a blight on my life. in the last 7 days, only in 2have in not had a migraine – but i had a sort of lurky head. these were obviously the days at work! So instead of the planned outing to little nanny – who i really do have to see – i felt crap at home. so i went to the doctor, who was a new one, asked me if i had tried simpler analgesics. i explained that i had had migraines since 12, yes i did know the triggers, the initial for this one was prob gloss paint, and the yesterday i worked from 8am to 8pm without a drop of food or drink. and yes, if i had a hip flask i could have slurped something, but i was doing 2 jobs in 1 time slot for the whole day, and thought i had done well to survive it. she suggested i saw occy health!!!! and then said my migraines might be due to high BP [i have had them since 12!!!] i told her i knew my BP ok, but i guess i am at the age to measure it for a QAF point, so she did, and was surprised to find it so low. hurrumph. at my look of raised eyebrows she rapidly qualified, tried to teach me to suck eggs and suggested amitryptiline might help [antidepressant - bad one - but also chronic pain med, you have to take it every day] i politely told her that i preferred the treatment to be less bad than the thing it aimed to treat, and could i have MY REPEAT PRESCRIPTION since i was here as 5 days migraine used up ALL the tablets i was given. AT LEAST I persuaded her to give me 6 more tablets- like blood from stones!! grrrr. feel a bit better now.
Ah yes, rantlet over. yesterday chris took the girls to the library for book exchanging and crafts, and then went round to another HE family in the village, where they looked at the chickens with desire, BB scootered and nearly rode C-J’s stabiliser free pedal bike – garden not long enough to really get going. BB is too small for the bike that SB had as a present from BB at her birth [she is significantly shorter! - still in 2-3 clothes], so we are contemplating getting her a bike for birthday or xmas – it seems birthday a better timing! SB has done maths and spelling- she likes the 6-7 whimstaff book both yesterday and today. She also swam.
SO to today [minus wittering on about migraines] the girls were self sorting for most of the morning, lego-ing, colouring and reading. SB is reading some really REALLY scary books called goosebumps. they are a bit too scary for me, but if she can read these, i think she is ready for harry potter!! i have to say that I have a 0 tolerance for horror – it is a genre i just can’t do in book or film, so i am quite surprised by SB! She did more spelling and maths, and BB did some before the code with me, as chris had found it, and we read lots of red nose readers together as well. i was slightly more perked and did piano practice with SB, which she did beautifully [couldn't quite face the violin!] can’t find our minimus AGAIN! i am not buying a third one though, as am sure it will turn up.
luckilly, what did turn up after lunch was our fimo order. I really should have ordered more than one black though. didn’t think of spiders!! Anyway, we all spent most of the afternoon twiddling fimo into pumpkins and pumpkin snowmen [BB!]. We did a bit of french conversation as well, but mostly chattered and followed the flow of conversation. the girls lead it all over the place – i need a computer implant into my head though scifi like, so that i can google in real time! i have often forgotten what i should be googling for when back near a puter.
SB had a brownies trip roller skating, and took along her roller blades. chris says the practice has really improved her previous straight leg look. and then judo – where they have started throws. bb and i read books, cut her fringe and went to bed.
but at least i actually did it. has to be done by friday.
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/conRespond.cfm1 Based on your experience of local authorities implementing this duty since it was introduced in 2007, does the guidance make clear the actions which local authorities are expected to take to help them comply with the duty?
Yes
No
Not Sure
No Response
i think that it poorly differentiates on risk as it has an inherent presumption that if at school there is a suitable education, whilst if at home, they are missing out. the recently published list of schools where less than 30% achieve what seems to be a very minimal goal at GCSE shows that schooling is not necessarily OK.
however, if the schools are judged that this level of attainment is suitable to the age ability and aptitude of its pupil range, no higher goal should be set for home-educators.
i don’t believe that the more than 1 let alone 2 standard deviations from mean in the school system are probably having a suitable education. i know many teachers who say previous children who would have been at special schools and had better provision for SEN are now mixed with children and can be v disrupted, as can those that are gifted and talented, often through boredom. this suggests to me a personalised HE route is best for my children. i do not believe an inspector or LA is a better judge of my childs abilities than myself.
i think that parents and children opting for their right to maintain their responsibility for education, rather than devolve this to the LA, should have the responsibility of judging it and their provision. interference from EWO and sometimes SS and others on an every child matters without grounds for concern borders on harrassment.
i do, however, have no objection to informing in the broadest outline the LA of my philosphy and educational goals in writing.
2 Does the guidance make clear the role that implementation of this duty has in the wider programme of work led by local authorities to improve outcomes for children and young people, including promoting their safety and well-being?
Yes
No
Not Sure
No Response
i think this guidance is very confusing. it confuses education with wellbeing, and then assumes that school attendence is reassuring, whereas home education is not. The cast majority of children at risk are schooled. i am not saying that there is no risk in a home educated child, but i have seen no data to suggest the risk is higher.
3 Does the guidance accurately describe the range of circumstances that put children’s safety at risk and puts them at risk of not receiving a suitable education?
Yes
No
Not Sure
No Response
the issue of educational status at school or home is again being confused with child safety. I resent being considered high risk in this aspect, and would like to see a full open risk assessment rather than presumption. there are other more clear indicators of child risk – failure to attend for vaccination/ dentist and also increased hospital attendance that are far more indicative.
home education per se is not a risk
4 Does the guidance show effectively what steps local authorities should take when children are living in difficult circumstances that put them at more risk of not receiving a suitable education?
i am actually very amazed to find that home education is in a category of difficult circumstances! i think this automatically prejudices against home education and home educating families with no reasonable evidence behind it.
It is again confusing the choice of home education with child welfare
5 What are the key challenges local authorities could face to implementing these guidelines effectively?
parents have a right to home educate and provide an education suitable to the childs age ability and aptitudes and the community in which it will live. the previous consultation in light touch changes to monitoring HE concurred that HE investigations should only be saught if there is no evidence of education provision, and this can be given in written form, and no legal right to home visitation. this guidance appears to be in direct contrast to this. this will cause confusion as it seems that HE does not need a home visit to monitor the educational provision, but instead to monitor child welfare. this seems to be openly discrimnatory based on education choices.
6 Does the guidance make clear the duties and powers that local authorities have in relation to home educated children when parents are not providing them with a suitable education?
Yes
No
Not Sure
No Response
it complicates the issue. section 347 of the education act 1996 is already available to be used. this appears to be a prejudicial against home education guidance to try and increase LA powers through an alternative route.
7 Does the guidance contain all the ‘signposts’ to other relevant guidance; sources of support and advice for local authorities that will enable them to implement this duty effectively?
Yes
No
Not Sure
No Response
it appears to contradict the guidelines on elective home education even whilst pointing to them
8 Beyond the publication of the guidance, what would be the most effective means of communicating the importance of implementing the new duty, and the processes that will help its implementation, to professionals working with children?
I would hope this guidance is significantly revised prior to publication
9 Have you any details of good practice that would be useful to include in the final version of the ‘guidance’?
Yes
No
No Response
ongoing dialogue with LA’s in response to the guidelines on elective home education may well in the future lead to details of good practice, and CHEF and the cambridgeshire LA are working towards a jointly amicable working relationship. these new guidelines will cause significant muddying of waters that have only recently become clear.
10 Did you find the draft guidance clear, unambiguous and easy to follow?
Yes
No
Not Sure
No Response
it is tortuous and contradictory.
11 a) We have developed standard data definitions at Appendix 1 of the guidance. These were developed in consultation with several local authorities. Do you agree with these definitions?
Agree
Disagree
Not sure
No Response
if it is to include home education as its remit, this should have been developed with relevant stakeholders – ie Home educators and the various home educating groups that seek to campaign and inform
11 b) If not, what amendments would you suggest and why?
i think it should start again, using the stakeholder groups from the beginning
Posted in political, Ponderings
We were supposed to be heading off first thing to one of the National Schools Film Weekshowings, but my mum had rung up on Sunday to ask about coming over this week as my Niece (L), who is 19, is over staying at theirs and they wanted to come over. Arranged for them to come over today, and only realised late in the evening what we supposed to be doing (I was a bit vacant about this week as I wasn’t doing stuff with them last week and hadn’t yet checked whaqt was happening this week yet – everything being on Google Calendar – need an Internet linked fridge with a screen on the door…) . So we didn’t go to the film.
SB got out her Wizard Whimstaff spelling book and did some of that first thing, also a bit of maths IIRC, once they were dressed and stuff we launched into trying to tidy the playroom,which still hadn’t quite recovered from the Deependers visit on Saturday).
Well, it did get reasonably tidy, I could vacuum the floor anyway, but my grump levels were pretty high by the end and we had had much wailing and bemoaning from BB – ‘I can’t tidy anymore’, ‘I’m bored of tidying’ etc. etc. (it’d probably be easier not to ahve her doing it, but it’s the principle I guess. But it seemed to take a loooong time.
And then my parents and L arrived - to much excitement from the girls. We haven’t seen L since I think Christmas about 4 years ago. She has lived in Ireland but has decided to move over to UK. She is staying at my parents house before she moves into a house she is sharing with friends.
So spent the rest of the day, chatting, kids bouncing about, playing games etc. Helen managed to get home pretty early even though she had extra work to do. Unfortunately we missed SB’s ballet class as we forgot about it until midway through the lesson which was a rather annoying. One of those – why didn’t that pop into my brain half an our ago moment 
We always seem to end up missing a couple of sessions of classes becuasae of being away or whatever, so like to make all the others. Probably not helped by there being no Brownies this week as they are having a joint roller skating trip with the other pack on Wednesday. So chatting and playing continued until after dinner (a rather yummy, beany shepherds pie) and then children where chased into bed.
It was lovely to see L again (she’s the same age as H was when we met – seems very young now), I had a conversation with SB about what age you have to be to be a grown up, she seems to have decided on it being 20.
Parents then blobbed out and have stayed up to late for no good reason….
Posted in Butterbean, Stringbean
in honour of SB who has now played this both in her GBDF and ACE piano book, and tune a day violin book. i also played it in my GBDF book more years ago than i cared to remember! i have also played it ‘for real’ and like his named symphonies a lot. i chose this version as my sister was taught piano by richard hickox’ mother, and i like the collegium musicm and their period instruments. Although not credited, this sounds like modern instruments for comparison.
here is the clock bit of the clock – again much played and much loved, fantastic first violins bit!!
and i like the idea of the farewell as well. humour and politics in music!!
Posted in music to love
well, he prob wont, even though it is a ‘his’ family day! His niece has moved over from ireland, and is staying with his parents and they came to visit today. SB particularly happy as she has wanted to see her for ages. i haven’t seen her since she was 14. so lovely day for them, and eve for me. SB forgot ballet though. oops
cos I STILL have a migraine. just so not fair. had a lie in to try and shift it and meds ++. hmm!
well, BB did some more violin prac today, spurred on by yesterdays musicality, and is def v keen on this reading thing, bringing me book after book to practice on. wish i knew where we had stuffed before the code. you never know, she might be a whole word reader at this rate! though we are sounding out. SB did a piano practice and then had her head stuffed in a book – one about a roman fort, one about why castles have moats, and a storybook.
after lunch the girls went to have their photo taken with their pictures, and then can back to do loads of fimo-ing. we are making halloween ornaments [BB says to put on xmas tree] i am wondering about having a small season tree that we can decorate as the seasons go round at the moment. not entirely sure where we would put it though. had to buy LOADS more fimo from my favourite fimo supplier. Both girls did some general playing, and then we did a little bit of the french conversation book, and SB and I did some SOTW
we then snuggled, with both girls having a go at fantastic contraptions, and then watching merlin and robin hood. i think that might be it. back to work tomorrow.
And the winner is…, originally uploaded by Scrumbledelicious.
SB!!! How happy is she!! and we can have proud parent moments too!!
But a v gracious 3 year old, who was after all v happy that her picture also displayed.
Posted in art and crafts, General
and it is the end of my week of annual leave. how time flies. the problem with being on annual leave and home educating for a week is that it reminds me how much i enjoy it and how i would rather be at home doing the edding than working. but that bed is long made i guess, and a time of financial turbulence is definitely not the time to rock the boat.
anyway, pounding headache or not, i didn’t want to spoil the last weekend, so saturday i was contemplating doing a recreation of the bayeux tapestry [for fun] and decided to see if the deependers fancied it. they did, so came over. however, they played beautifully, and whenever i suggested paints [all-be-it a bit half heartedly due to the pounding of my head] no-one took up the offer. SB was keen to go to the church to see her picture, and persuaded the others to want to go too, so we walked round to the church and looked at all the pictures. SB was the last to notice a first prize sign on hers – woohoo!!! So we were all proud, and she go a how to draw animals crayola book, that she was v keen on. BB rather more grudging in her praise, as would have liked to have won, and got a book, but i thought she took it remarkably well, for a 3!!
snack and playing and then teaching J and K how to play rummy, which seemed to go well. then suggested SB get her violin out for K to have a go with, and a mini violin try out my most of the children. TBH it didn’t hurt my head half as much as one of BB’s dreadful fake miaowing piano toy did!! I am sorry for getting the deependers here under false pretences, and not doing the bayeux tapestry though. must do it another time.
we did chat about moving into art techniques for the children, and seeing what they make of it in an experimental way. one reason i think SB may have won is that her picture is entirely non-generic. she has not be told or instructed what or how to paint. so if we were going to do this, i think a how to investigate and use a medium might be a fun way to go. i have been tempted by elle into something along the lines of a sketch tuesday…
hey, I have remembered more of the week than i thought i would!! and i still haven’t done tax return – thanks for advice joyce. i have used a tax person before, and so am claiming already for enough! but it was doing this minimal bit of extra. and i have left it a bit last minute too. bugger!! I am also not convinced i am going to go back to work on monday relaxed and refreshed, but hey ho!
so, dad was doing some final touch up bits, and i was chivvying him to instead play with the girls. we did usual home ed things in the morning. a book order for BB’s birthday had arrived [and squirreled away] but in it was an usborne dictionary/thesaurus for SB, and she very much enjoyed looking for words in it, and asking us for words to find – kept her busy for ages. i think this and the spelling books are being so enthusiastically greeted at the moment, that she is obviously ready to begin this next phase! her reading is way ahead, and she was reading beautifully a barefoot mother and daughter story book to mum. she tries to put in the phrasing and voicing as well. maths by both, and we read some box books on castles, and she read also a book on forces. [i will at some point go back and link all books!] as well as countless library books. a final piano with mum. BB was playing wild games with her animals, and is v set on sylvanian family things for birthday – more little bits!! but she loves little bits.
we all went outside, and a prolonged play of football and then golf practice with grandad. sb enjoyed the golf instruction, and grandad was impressed with bb’s ball skills. i was glad they all did some playing together! it all fell apart a bit with the wails then and we went in and snuggled reading books [always a good fallback] and room tidying before playing games of ludo etc altogether. mum was amazed SB didn’t have a club to go to, and we finished off with a good home made chinese – thanks DH!
i had a migraine all day – presumably through gloss paint grrr. [and still have today]. i really really hate having migraines.
hmm!! nearly forgot, that SB and BB took their entries to the local painting comp to the church in the evening, and were v impressed with the grown up entries. SB decided that she wouldn’t be likely to win a prize, but both girls persuaded that having their work displayed in the church with all these others was rather fantastic anyway
Posted in Butterbean's HE, early maths skills, General, history, language, literacy, little languages, music, numeracy, photos, pre reading, SB-PE, writing