Selfsufficientish.com

I have to apply for soph's school place between monday next week and the end of Nov.

We have lots of primary schools in our local area. One is excellent, one is ok and the rest are downright pants and are feeder schools for the worst comprehensives too. all this thinking ahead malarky is really getting to me.

I have 3 spaces for school choices on Soph's upcoming forms. I'm putting down the excellent school as first choice (it's also very near our house and we're within the catchment), the ok but slightly further away (still in catchment area though) one as second choice but for third choice i'd rather home school her.

what kind of home school options are there for an active 4/5 year old and a mummy who can't drive? I'd like her to still have a social life as she'd miss that part of school terribly.

I'd be surprised if there wasn't a thriving HE community in your area.

When i was looking at secondary schools for my son, i did what you are doing, looked at all the options and treated He the same way.. so i visited the schools, and i went along to the local HE social group. It turned out this was in my village! but i had never noticed them beofre - you don't unless you start HE.

google for 'home education essex' and you will get a few hits to start with right away - follow some up - go along to the meetings - which will just be social get togethers for the kids etc, and get a feel for it. Remember, just because you all home educate does not mean you will be like everyone there - there will be different groups, so maybe try a few. The main thing is seeing if Soph enjoys the set up etc. There will be lots of groups - even here in the sticks i have lots of choices - there are just social groups, then there is natural history groups - they go out to look at nature etc.. photography group, swimming group.. etc etc.

There is quite an online community .. so you should be able to find people in your area if you wish.

Sorry Mrs F, I can't help with the HE side.

But you do not have to put down three options on the form. This time last year I was filling out Orin'. As there were only two schools that I was happy with, I just put these down and left number three blank.

Good Luck.

when we moved we are exactly 82 metres from the village school however the class year group we wanted was over subscribed but shouldnt have been a problem as our son is a very longterm foster(had hinm from a baby and hes nearly 11)and foster children are meant to get in, we were given options of 2 others the nearest being 7km away, however we appealed the opti number for his class was 24 there were 35 in it 11 over, however 16 of those were by imigrant parents not a single one of them was born(children) in the UK and 12 needed english lessons and 12 were from out of the catchment area but and were all bussed in , now this sounds racist maybe but how much is that impeding the british childrens education?As it happens the school Mikie goes to is an excellent one and the authorities pay for his transport also , but this shouldnt be so
There are now parents pulling their children from the school because they feel they are being held back, god knows what the rest of the school is like as I am only talking about one year.
We went to the appeal with a retiring teacher from the school but only to ask why?All 3 of us were called rascists especialy when I said I didnt want him to go there over subscription is bad enough but in those conditions I feel I would have let him down with his education