Home Education and benefits issue....

bestpud

sh1305 wrote: »

Some ask for relevant experience. IE, working in the field for several years and wanting to expand upon knowledge.

Yes and HE children often have the opportunity to gather vocational experience they would not have time for in school.

For example, a HE student who wanted to do vet science may have had varied experience of helping out on farms, in zoos, a dog shelter... It all shows commitment and knowledge of what the job entails.

bestpud

janninew wrote: »

That would be very interesting, thanks! I had a quick Google, but couldn't find anything, and I have a pile or marking so don't have time to look now.

Hmm, I can't find any authoritive links, having said that.

It's what I've picked up from HE'ers with older children but nothing I can link to.

In fact, when you google it, things look a little bleak for people without GCSEs.

I have to say I haven't even considered dd not doing GCSEs in English, Maths and Science (at the very least), because I know how difficult it is for mature students to get onto some HE courses without these certificates.

I guess it is possible if you have lots to offer and are persuasive but GCSEs are a good option for anyone seriously considering HE...? :cool:

missbunbury

Surely the OP's daughter is being told only that she must look for work that is suitable for her circumstances? I'm sure single parents are allowed to limit themselves to part-time work, so as many others have pointed out she could work two days a week in a shop and still have five days free to educate the kids, and she'd get a nice tax credits top-up to make up for being on a low wage. Others have wisely suggested exploring self-employment options that would easily give her 16 hours a week, and even if she made zero profit she would still get tax credits. This sounds fine to me. The only option she doesn't have is to say "no, I am not willing to work at all, I just want to stay home."

Following on from earlier posts, I would totally suggest she set up a family business which the kids could help with.

Indie_Kid

missbunbury wrote: »

Surely the OP's daughter is being told only that she must look for work that is suitable for her circumstances? I'm sure single parents are allowed to limit themselves to part-time work.

Until the child is 12, they can.

Oldernotwiser

pipkin71 wrote: »

The same applies to home educated children - they also mix with children from a wide range of backgrounds - those who have more than them, those who have less.

Surely the problem here is that the OP and her daughter want to restrict quite strictly the children that the grandchildren mix with?

pipkin71

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Surely the problem here is that the OP and her daughter want to restrict quite strictly the children that the grandchildren mix with?

I was talking in general rather than specifics, onw.

It would be a shame if access to other children was quite resricted because children do need to enjoy the company of others around them.

StrongWork

pipkin71 wrote: »

HE children have been accepted into colleges and university without having paper grades. Quite often they can demonstrate other skills.

Many do go down the route of sitting GCSEs though

Good luck with this for the more 'hardcore' courses such as medicine and law.

pipkin71

StrongWork wrote: »

Good luck with this for the more 'hardcore' courses such as medicine and law.

Children who want to follow those routes will know what they need to do in order to be accepted onto their chosen courses.

Universities have accepted children without paper qualifications - nothing to do with needing good luck, they have accepted them based on their own merits.

viktory

pipkin71 wrote: »

The same applies to home educated children - they also mix with children from a wide range of backgrounds - those who have more than them, those who have less. They also mix with children and adults of varying ages.

Home educated children are also given the tools to make the right decisions in life. They can still face peer pressure and bullying and have to learn to deal with it.

When home educated children make a mistake, as they will do, they have a supportive family to help them back on the right path.



So is home education - much, much more than the times tables

You and bestpud are missing my point. I have not cast any aspersions on HE (not on this thread anyway). I was defending state education which is apparently the worst possible way a child can be taught (according to the OP).

bestpud

viktory wrote: »

You, and bestpud, are missing my point. I have not cast any aspersions on HE (not on this thread anyway). I was defending state education which is apparently the worst possible way a child can be taught (according to the OP).

Ah, the OP does have a very negative view of state education.

Some of her points, I agree with, but it did make me feel uneasy reading some of her comments about state schools and pupils.

Although, to be fair, I have read and heard equally scathing views on HE since I started looking into it. It's been an eye opener for me, that's for sure.

I will never agree that being bullied at school is a good thing and prepares children for 'life' - that makes no sense to me at all.