Croydon parents sign petition to stop home education regulations

By aworden

by Aline Nassif

aline.nassif@essnmedia.co.uk

Dozens of Croydon mums and dads who teach their children from home have signed a petition to stop the Government interfering with how they educate their kids.

This borough's petition is one of more than 150 compiled nationwide to stop home educators needing a licence.

A report by education expert Graham Badman, which could be made law in the new year, suggests anyone who home schools should provide a "statement of education", identifying study timetables and achievement targets, under the watch of inspectors.

Ann Newstead, a spokeswoman for home education support charity Education Otherwise, said: "Families take their children out of school to avoid the stress of exams, and to tailor education to suit that particular child's needs.

"GCSEs and SATs are not legally binding, and some parents feel they are a hindrance to their child's development.

"What is really concerning about the Badman report is that it is forcing parents to have a licence to teach their own children.

"If you fail to comply with any inspection then your right to teach is revoked.

Latest available figures show that there were 112 children being taught at home in Croydon in 2006/07 - compared to just 44 in 2001/02.

And this number is probably just a fraction of the true figure as parents are not required to register their children's home schooling with their local authority.

Reasons for teaching from home, Mrs Newstead explained, range from bullying and special education needs, to religious views and an aversion to exams for young children.

She added: "Home educated children account for less than half a per cent of the population of school kids.

"We believe the Government would be better placed to concentrate on the thousands of school leavers each year who can't read or write."

Croydon Central MP Andrew Pelling has given his backing to parents fighting the report and handed this borough's petition, signed by 32 parents, in to Parliament last week.

He said: "The Badman report is interventionalist and far too invasive.

"If we abide by it we will end up with a situation where parents can't educate their children without a licence.

"Parents cannot be put under the same regulatory regime as schools.

"It is a different type of education and should be recognised as such."

*To read the stories of two mums who teach their children from home see this week's Croydon Advertiser, in shops now