'It feels like we're out of the rat race': Family reflections on traumatic school experiences leading to home education
Gillie, Sarah
Authors
Sarah Gillie
Abstract
The rise in numbers of children experiencing school attendance difficulties in recent years makes this an important focus for UK school inclusion. Simultaneously, increases in school deregistration in favour of home education have caught media as well as regulator attention. These figures disproportionately include children on schools' special educational needs registers. This article presents findings from a doctoral study of families' reflections on their educational transitions leading to school deregistration and undertaking of home education. Through a UK-wide online survey and interviews with seven parents and six children, the research explored the experiences of 99 families. Participants described cumulative traumatic events and liminal experiences as they sought inclusive education, negotiating with under-resourced and/or underprepared professionals in unsupportive or even hostile systems. The study employed reflexive thematic analysis using an original Bronfenbrenner-Turner conceptual framework to understand the data. The framework underpins the research recommendations and has potential for policymakers and as a school inclusion tool to help educators and allied professionals recognise and support-rather than ostracise-vulnerable children and their families.
Key points
• Patterns exist in the reported school practices and educational transitions of children and families across mainland Britain.
• Families form expectations of schools based on their understanding of teachers' professional standards and educational policy.
• Educators lack confidence in implementing school inclusion, and this is a finding that reflects the existing literature. Further training could enable schools to collaborate with families in children's best interests.
• Some families see flexi-schooling as a school inclusion strategy for their children. However, schools are reluctant to offer this, due to Government requirements for marking days at home as 'unauthorised', which affects attendance figures and funding.
