Anyone Use @School Website

[Lupins71]

Am deffo going to h/e but feeling bit daunted starting out, I will get in touch with some other h/e people but just wondered if anyone has used the @school website and what you tink.

Seems like an ideal place to start for us - I am not totally into a fully structured or fully autonomous way of doing things but this looked like it would give me a teaching backup - especially when i am dealing with ds who is only 1, then I could spend the time adding to the subject which she found interesting, am probably going to get a maths and english tutor as well this is dp's only thing about doing h/e altho he is fully supportive and would pull her from school tomorrow whereas i want to wait until half term, also it is very reasonable ay only £9.99 for 3 months

[blinkingthreetimes]

Hi lupins I am pulling my dd at half term too and am feeling daunted aswell lol.

Do you want to hand hold together on here ?

[blinkingthreetimes]

Just @schoolwebsite and am going to subscribe it looks quite useful.

[Lupins71]

Hi that sounds great, I have been trying to talk to her school but as its sats the receptionist said its unlikely the head will call you back - oh well they will just ave to make do with thier letter on monday, how old is your dd, why are you going to he - my main reason is i dont want er to be under undue stress and i feel they dont learn for life just exams,

[blinkingthreetimes]

Hiya ,she has mild sn and is just getting shoved in a corner and ignored she is 8 and can only count to 5 and read a few basic words ,she can only just write her name.

I have 3 other dc who are in school but they are quite happy and doing really well and I don't think I could HE all of them on my own.

The stress thing has had a big impact she is so unhappy and is getting bullied school are awful at communication too and I think it is a sort of now or never thing with us .

Good luck for Monday , it makes me feel a bit better and braver knowing someone else is doing it aswell.

[Runnerbean]

Yes I subscribed to @school when we first started HE and education city, they're both ok, but to be honest there are so many free resources out there and I pick a lot of stuff up from charity shops and boot fairs for pennies.
The only site I would recommend subscribing to is www.enchantedlearning.com it is only about £10 per year and my dd (8) loves it.
Lupins71 and blinkingthreetimes have you joined EO?
Have you contacted any of your local groups?
Where in the country are you?

Don't forget to de-school!

[Runnerbean]

And just remembered a fab free site, www.starfall.com

[Lupins71]

Runnerbean thanks I will take a look at those, I am writing to head today to de reg, thats all i need to do right?

BTT how awful for your dd, that must be so hard for her sounds like you are defiantly making the right decision, hopefully she will thrive at home

Cant believe only 4 days of school left - yipeeeee

[mumtoo3]

hi
i dereg my dd1 from school in march and have found an excellent forum which have really helped me and given me support, answered all my questions and put me on the right track for finding materials to use. dont know if you have found it or if it would be any help if so let me know.
sam

[blinkingthreetimes]

Hi that would be great mumtoo3 can you link us please?

I Know I can't wait to dereg her I am a bit apprehensive about the HT but she can do her worst .I did have a wobble today when my dd had a really bad day constant temper tantrums and lashing out but I know that that is mainly down to it been Sunday and the thought of school tomorrow .

Runnerbean I am in Sheffield I have had a look at EO and will take a better look when I have a minute weekends are very hectic here plus my son is ill atm.
I have also been on a thread at my local forum and it seems like a lot of people near me HE and have meet up's so I am planning on contacting them.
Thanks for the enchanted link ,I found rainforest maths too yeaterday and dd had a go and seemed to like it .

Have agreat week Lupins I am going to go out this week and get some bits and bobs in preparation for our new adventure lol!

[Lupins71]

mumtoo3 thanks would love a link please

BTT have a good week, we had a go on enchanted reading and dd loved it, if you dont mind me asking what is sn?

[julienoshoes]

Sheffield? blinkingthreetimes there is definately a cracking home ed community in Sheffield!
Some of my closest home ed mates are in Sheffield and I know they get up to all sorts of things up there!

This was written about the Sheffield group earlier this year;
"As well as the weekly social meet, there are quite a few other regular activities such as climbing, drama, swimming, skating and various special interest groups such as computing, Japanese classes, singing etc"

sounds great!

[blinkingthreetimes]

Oh brilliant julie thanks I was surprised how many there seemed to be when I did look on the forum ,

Lupins SN is special needs , she has yet to have an in writing diagnosis iyswim ? but the dr's and us think she has dyspraxia which is very hard to spot and why school (and us sometimes ) thought she was justa difficult dc .
The way a Dr described my dd to me is that she knows what to do and can do it but her brain has a 3 second delay in doing in. She has no attention span and very low self esteem and does lash out sometimes and hurt herself .
I would say that although she is almost 9 she is in theory at a level of about a 4.5 year old.

You have a great week too I am going to look at enchanted sight later when it is quiet
I am thinkng about doing a sort of reading recovery lesson with her for 20 mins each day as my younger dd is doing it at school and it s really good ,just trying to find some suitable books.

Chat soon x

[julienoshoes]

btt
There is a HE-Special needs webpage and the associated HE-Special Needs email support list is THE very best place for help and support IMHO.
the advice and support you will get there on this subject is second to none.

There is also a A Month in the Life of.....blog where several different HE families have described the way home education works for their children who have SEN.
I think it makes interesting reading

[Lupins71]

BTT thanks for explanation, that must be very hard for her and you

I have sent de reg letter into school today am awaiting the phone call !

Going to make the most of just having me and baby at home for the next few days - as much as im looking forward to having dd out of school and at home - she can be a little madam

She is starting her swimming lessons today, and has gone on waiting list for Rainbows - also off to buy some exersize books today

[blinkingthreetimes]

Hi Lupins ,did you get the phonecall?
We still haven't sent the letter we think we need to take them by surprise iyswim?
Hope all is well anyway I know what you mean about the last few days of peace lol ,it kind of feels like the calm before the storm and it does feel a but daunting too!

I got a good book from the library you might want to look for Free range edcation it is really interesting.

Have agreat day .

[Lupins71]

Thanks - I am going to the library today as it happens

All I got was a phone call from the reception lady on a snotty voice saying the head had got our letter - and that we owed for school dinners, I tried to tell her that their was £10 in dd's purse last week, but apparently its vanished . So i will wait and see wat happens, it just reinforces my need to get her back home

Have a good day x

[julienoshoes]

There is a thread here about 'Books on home Education' it includes details on 'Free Range Education' and other books you might find interesting to read.

[blinkingthreetimes]

Hello ,well today is the day .We had a big chat with dd this morning and she is adamant that this is what she wants and I do know it's for the best I think I just have cold feet a little voice in my head keeps saying "you wont manage " ,I am under no illusions that it's going to be very hard but what else can I do? She needs one on one and it is impossible for it to happen at school . I am telling the little voice to bugger off anyway .

Dp & I are going into school this afternoon just before end of school to hand in letter I can't actually wait to see the SN teachers face who last term hugged my dd and said don't worry me and you are going to spend lots of time together and he hasn't been in contact with her for 6 weeks .

Sorry for waffling just a bit nervous anyway wish me luck and have a great day xxx

I thought aswell if you ever want to chat away from here my email is mrs b 2009 @hotmail.com without the spaces .

[Lupins71]

good luck xxx will be thinking of you - let me know how it goes, oh and i have that little voice too - it too gets told to bugger off, that and the one that goes are you mad

We have made a daily planner together - not for subjects, but so our day is slightly structured and it doesnt get to 2pm and I realise we are still in our pj's and the baby hasnt had a sleep lol he is quite into routine, not sure where he got that from I think it was from being in scbu when born as he never likes to stay awake past 7pm and im sure thats when they turned the lights down, hopefully this way (if it sticks) we will be able to ave lots of fun time, dd will get one on one with me and baby will get his nap should work in theory!

I got a letter saying the school would obviously miss dd and they have handed my letter to the home based learning team who may be in touch to see what educational provision i will be providing - i'm guessing thats the LEA, not sure what i will say as i have nothing arranged yet oh well we will see

Anyway hope today goes ok, keep strong and let me know

[Lupins71]

forgot to add my email lupins 71 @hotmail .com

[blinkingthreetimes]

Well it's over and done with we did get into a discussion about what support and resources we had which I think we handles quite well.
The sn teacher also said that dd had come on leaps and bounds in the past 5 weeks so I said maybe thats due to the fact we have already started a few simple lessons at home already .

They gave me a receipt for the letter but I think they were taken aback .

The ht also peed me off by asking if I had seen the news regarding the HE girl who had been starved to death .

She also said that the correct authorities would have to be informed so I said yes the LEA and whoever else you feel you need to inform all are quite welcome to visit .

Thats it really it was scary but not as scary as I first thought .

But thats it now no going back thanks for talking me through my wobble earliar Lupins, we also did a planner today I think it helps to write things out we are concentrating on her motor skills ,and doing reading recovery every morning for 20 mins among other things .

We are also going to get a diary and write down everything we have done that day just to keep things fresh in out minds .

We have already had the first neg comment too it wasn't meant but another Mum was determined we would be looking for another school for dd

We are celebrating tonight by having a takeaway LOL

Have a good evening x

[julienoshoes]

Well done btt
and welcome to the wonderful world of home ed.

[blinkingthreetimes]

Thankyou Julie x

[Runnerbean]

for your decision to go for it btt.
and at the HT for her comment about that poor girl in the news.
In fact when I think about it how DARE she say that !!!!!

I'm speechless..............

[Runnerbean]

*@£?!!!!!@**((())