Home Education Matters

We don't always think of play as offering opportunities to learn in the traditional sense but what if it was actually the most powerful tool we had at our disposal, not only creating learning opportunities but making learning simple, fun and easy? This week's guest, Ruth from Play Nest Learning, shares how play based activities can be fun learning tools to build reading, writing and maths skills in the early years.Ruth Parkinson-KingI'm a qualified teacher with experience in early years and KS1 classrooms who left the profession when my son was born and made the decision that we will home educate. With a 3.5 year old at home, I'm living the play-based approach every single day.Ruth's WebsiteThis podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group - youTube

Has your teenager just come out of the school system? Starting home education with a teenager is a whole new challenge and in today's episode we interview Dr Naomi Fisher for her top tips for how to navigate those early days, what to expect, what to avoid and what to focus on. And if you'd like to have a look at Naomi's new book, you can find it here on Amazon: FIND HERE (We're not affiliated in any way - just think it's a cool book!)This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group - youTube

Charlotte and I continue our series on parenting styles by looking at practical ways to incorporate connected parenting / authoritative parenting into different challenging situations at home.With practical advice ranging from meal times and getting ready to leave the house to verbal and physical aggression, our resident child psychologist is here with real life tips to help you handle tricky times and stay connected with your child.This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group - youTube

Join the wonderful Caroline and I as we engage in a fun debate looking at both sides of the AI argument. We discuss the benefits and perils of incorporating AI into your world, as well as the advantages to home educators and whether we should be AI proofing our children's futures.And if you'd like to see our 'didn't use AI to make it' tutor directory, you can find it here: https://www.homeeducationtutors.com/With Caroline Mukisa- Cambridge & Imperial Graduate | Maths Educator | Good Schools Guide Consultant | Home Educator An Imperial College and University of Cambridge graduate with 25+ years of maths education experience. Combines a respect for academic rigour with a personal passion for education. Expertise spanning a wide range of education systems, including UK and international schools, university admissions, as well as home education. - Caroline 's Website- @uk_stem_uni on InstagramThis podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group - youTube

This week's episode is an edition of our live podcast we put out on youTube and on our FB page. This little brother of our main podcast is fuelled by fun, naughtiness and laughter (just like all the best little brothers!) and in this episode we're discussing whether home education is a lifestyle choice. We all give our answer in the first two minutes so let us know your yes / no down below!This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group - youTube

There are some subjects that can feel a bit out of reach for home educators, often those that involve coursework (NEA). So today we talk to Rose and Paul from Spark Creative who specialise in liaising with exam centres to help home educated children sit some of those hard to reach subjects.We talk through the different specifications for each exam, what to expect from the coursework element and the many benefits of sitting these exams as a home educated student.With Paul Buckby- Paul (me/tutor) and Rose (admin) run Spark Creative Education, offering tutoring in music, film, media and wider performing arts. We have been home educating our 4 children for over 10 years. As home educators, we understand that learning does not have to take place inside a traditional classroom and that one size does not necessarily fit all when it comes to education. I have 25 years experience in the education, music and media industries. I am dedicated to fostering a culture of inclusivity and acceptance, where students feel valued for who they are and what they do. I aim to equip young people with the tools to navigate challenges, develop empathy, and cultivate a sense of curiosity and purpose in everyday life. Outside of tutoring, I enjoy spending time with my family, walks with my dog Miso, board gaming and experiencing new places. - Paul's Website- Paul's Facebook pageThis podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

The first in a series of chats with Charlotte where she talks to people with interesting perspectives on school, home education, parenting and more.Expect free flowing chats and real talk, as Charlotte and her guests set the world to rights!This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

How do home-educated children build a successful career in the creative arts?In this week's episode, we're chatting with Helen Kenworthy about the many exciting pathways into creative industries and how families can support young people who dream of turning their creativity into a career. We explore practical ways to get started, build a standout portfolio, gain real-world experience, and develop the skills and confidence needed to thrive.Helen Kenworthy is a coach, mentor, author, actor and specialist SEND tutor with nearly 30 years experience across the creative industries, business and educationhttps://helenkenworthy.com/https://www.facebook.com/OfCourseYouCanCoachThis podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

Join us as we discuss the temptations and pitfalls of focusing on quantified learning with our home educated children. From AQA Unit Awards right up to A levels and beyond, we are a world that honours quantifiable achievement in academics. But is there more to learning than that and are we, as home educators, uniquely positioned to be at the vanguard of a new approach to education that prioritises experience, understanding and passionate curiosity?This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

AI is a thorny topic and no more so than in the lives of our children and their learning. How can we use this new tool in a way that feels responsive and healthy, as well as ethical and sustainable? We discuss this and more with Frederik Bjørnbak from GradeAid, the creator of an AI based maths platform that aims to both harness your child's natural interests and get them off screens ... sound impossible for an AI platform? Find out in today's podcast!With Frederik Bjørnbak- CEO and founder of GradeAid - Frederik's Website- @Gradeaidai on InstagramThis podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

Sometimes home education isn't a choice and it's not filled with happy smiles and perfectly curated craft activities. This week we're talking to Louisa from Believe and Bloom Education who has supported numerous families to navigate the rocky road into a harmonious home education journey when they've had to embark on the journey from chaos and desperation. She shares hope, tips and lots of reassurance for families that are being thrust into the home education world.Louisa StanleyLouisa is a qualified teacher with over 20 years of experience and the founder of Believe and Bloom Education, specialisig in supporting home educated children, learners with SEND, reluctant learners, and children who benefit from a personalised approach.Louisa's Facebook pageLouisa's Website@believe_and_bloom_education on InstagramLouisa's Facebook groupThis podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

The new social media ban is causing a bit of a kerfuffle online so we thought we'd discuss it with two of our home ed children. Buckle up for some big opinions and do share yours in a comment wherever you're listening to this or join our live podcast this Friday at 10.30am on all our social media channels (yes, we feel the irony!).This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB groupWant a non social media space to hang out with other home educators? Us too! Here's ours: https://www.skool.com/home-education-uk-1347/about

Join Charlotte and I as we explore the style of parenting known as connective parenting, gentle parenting, attached parenting, authoritative parenting. It's got a ton of names but you might know it best as that lovely sweet spot in parenting where it just goes really well! Yes, those rarest of rare moments when you feel you're bossing it as a parent, fulfilling all the needs in just the right way and still finding space for personal boundaries and constructive support.And we'll be doing a follow up podcast on practical steps to achieve more of these halcyon parenting moments so keep an eye out for that!This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

Today's podcast dives down into learning Japanese when you're home educated, from the early steps through immersion right up to GCSE. Kenia guides us through the best ways to learn, what to expect in the exam and even gives us some fun phrases in Japanese to throw into conversation. 行こう!With Kenia Lopez- Hello!  I am Kenia.  I teach French, Japanese, Spanish and English online! I have been a language teacher for over 20 years in primary and secondary schools in France, Japan, USA and running my own language courses in Ireland and in the UK. I am also a home educator! - Kenia's Website- Kenia's Facebook page This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

In this week's episode Emily is joined by Jess Garner who founded Gr0ve, a mentoring service for neurodivergent young people. From diagnosis and self identification to community, belonging and co-regulation, this episode is packed full of tips, insights and advice on navigating the autistic experience as a family.Jess is late-realised Autistic, ADHD mother to neurodivergent children, and a former secondary school teacher and middle leader. She founded GROVE, an Autistic-staffed online organisation supporting Autistic young people, after her older child was unable to attend school. Jess recognised a gap in support for Autistic children to connect, belong and explore what being Autistic means to them. Jess holds a Master’s in Autism, with all her work focused on children and young people. Jess's Facebook page@gr0ve_org on InstagramJess's WebsiteLinks mentioned in episode:What Works for Autistic Children, Luke BeardonNeuroqueer Heresies, Nick WalkerWe are all Neurodiverse, Sonny Jane WisePete Wharmbyhttps://theautisticadvocate.com/https://ausometraining.com/https://autismunderstood.co.uk/https://www.spectrumgaming.net/This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

Today's episode is discussing the transition from home education to college (16-18) and the challenges, opportunities and social dramas it involves.If you would like to find out more about Education Brothers (we receive no money for this promotion - we just really like what they do!), check them out here: https://www.educationbrothers.co.uk/And remember to like, subscribe, leave a comment, join our various and random social media channels and generally share the podcast love!

Dave Bradbeer guides us on a fun (yes fun!) ride through the early years and primary maths curriculum. Packed full of practical ways to cover the maths syllabus up to Key Stage 3, this podcast is full of ideas for how to engage your child with maths learning in a way that focuses on engagement, real life understanding and enjoyment.With Dave Bradbeer - I am a learning coach, working with parents and children to help deliver Maths. For home educating parents, I offer assistance with developing a curriculum that is based on the needs and interests of the child. - Dave's Website- Dave's Facebook page

We are joined by Alice Khimasia who talks us through her wonderful, challenging, exciting, liberating unschooling route!Home educating your children is, as Alice describes, an inherently counter cultural act. Choosing to unschool them is a step even further away from the norm, bringing with it joys and challenges on the way.It's a beautiful and thoughtful discussion on one woman's experience of unschooling her children.With Alice Khimasia - Alice has been unschooling her four sons since 2010, sharing their journey through Organic Education. A former school refuser, she advocates for learner-centered environments that prioritize safety, consent, and wellbeing. Her work has been featured in a BBC documentary, The Guardian, The Times, and a 2016 TEDx talk. - Alice's Website- Alice on YouTube

It's a topical one this week and so we've dashed out a fun and at times pretty controversial episode on the new bill. It starts out restrained and then descends into unexpected rants. What's the conclusion? It's time to both boss up and settle down.To settle down: Join the friendly little community we've established! Here is the link to join (did we mention it's free?): https://www.skool.com/home-education-uk-1347/aboutTo boss up: check out some of these places to get your inner activist going ...The bill - https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3909A summary - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/695e578a8ab0677c14afdfc9/childrens_wellbeing_and_schools_bill_2024_policy_summary_notes.pdfAn article - https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/news-and-blogs/the-childrens-wellbeing-and-school-act-passes-into-law/The OU survey - https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/openuniversity/home-education-futuresThe petition - https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/756811Some of the much maligned groups we mentioned! - https://www.educationotherwise.org/https://educationalfreedom.org.uk/https://www.facebook.com/groups/hefa2021/And two great sites from people working tirelessly to make a difference in home ed:https://doingeducationdifferently.co.uk/https://edyourself.org/

Today's episode is a whistle stop tour through the main curriculum subjects and how you can use Lego in your home to help you engage your child and allow them to explore the curriculum in fun and interesting ways!With Jo (Joanne) Revie- Jo is mum to four young people who she has home educated since their pre-school years, with her Husband Gavin she has a home-based tuition and educational consultancy business, where they offer educational support and activities for a wide age range of students. In addition to facilitating arts and craft activities for school-aged students, Jo is also interested in supporting home-based early years education. - Jo (Joanne)'s Website- Jo (Joanne)'s Facebook page - Jo (Joanne) on YouTubeThis podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

In another of our April Autism Awareness month series, this week we have our co host, Emily on discussing her top 5 tips for supporting your child with autistic burnout. Emily is AuDHD and has three neurodivergent daughters, she utilises both her lived experience and training to share simple and effective ways to combat burnout and create more calm in your home.If you want to connect with Emily and seek more tailored support from her or from our other hosts, Eleanor and Charlotte, then you can visit our mentoring website and find out how we can support you further.www.homeeducationmentors.comOr perhaps you would like to join our Skool community and come and join our virtual coffee mornings, accountability sessions, workshops, webinars and wellbeing sessions.https://www.skool.com/home-education-community/aboutThis podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

If you have been with us since the earliest days, you might remember this episode with Diane and Andy as they talk together about removing their daughter Rosa from school. Since then, Rosa has grown and flourished, so I took the opportunity of re-releasing their chat with an extra section at the start where I meet back up with Diane and hear all about what's been going on with them since we last spoke.This is an old episode and an informal chat between two parents so apologies for any sound fluctuations!This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more of/ less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

In today's episode, Emily chats with the wonderful AuDHDacious Humans about the whirlwind that is home educating a child with PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance). If your child has PDA or suspected PDA, this is a must listen episode where all three parents talk of their experiences of parenting and home educating this unique condition.Jenni Angas-Hi, we’re Martha and Jenni. We are both AuDHDers, ex-teachers, and parent carers to our AuDHD/PDA kids, who we now home educate and unschool, since leaving the education system and our jobs as teachers, over 3 years ago. After struggling to find home ed clubs that could accommodate our kids, we started our own: Make and Create Club, where we offer community, advocacy and sensory support in a flexible low-demand environment where pressure-sensitive kids can thrive, especially those who flourish when they carve their own path. Our motto is connection over conforming, always. As AuDHDacious Humans, we offer online support for discombobulated parents, carers, families, and educators looking for an alternative outside the education system to help them find their inner rebel so that all neurodivergent humans can heal and thrive away from the systems that break them. Some people call it a journey. They call it a reckoning.- Jenni's Website- @audhdacious.humans on Instagram- Jenni's Facebook page- Jenni's Facebook groupLinks mentioned: https://finchcare.com/This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

Remember those New Year resolutions? Yeah, turns out that we don't either! But we thought we'd check in and see how we're all doing so far in 2026. It's also a great time for you to pause and take stock of your home education journey so far this year, see how it's mapping out, celebrate your stand out moments and think about what changes you might like to make for the rest of the year.We promise that it's a stimulating episode where we get a lot off our chests :)This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

Today's podcast talks to the founder of the Home Education conference 'Learn Free' which this year is focused on supporting new home educators find their feet and more seasoned home educators deep dive into exams, learning and much more.You can find the link to book here: https://learnfree.org.uk/ The conference is a great opportunity to come together as a community and meet other home educating parents!This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

In this episode of Home Education Matters, we continue our parenting mini-series by exploring authoritarian parenting—what it is, why it’s still common, and how it differs from permissive, neglectful, and connective approaches. We talk about the hallmarks of authoritarian parenting, including strict rules, punishments, and expectations of obedience, and how many of us were raised with elements of this style.We also discuss why behaviour is communication, how punishments and rewards can sometimes become tools of control, and why many parents experience occasional “authoritarian moments” when overwhelmed. Most importantly, we explore how reflection and repair can help us move toward a more connective, balanced approach to parenting.Eleanor is again joined by her co-host, Charlotte, a child psychologist, for another engaging, frank and thought provoking chat about parenting and pressures on parents.This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

In this week's episode of Home Education Matters, Emily is joined by Will Savage, a music educator and founder of Music with Will. Will shares his own home education journey and how music featured in that, and how he now supports other home educated children to also access music education. Will shares simple and practical tips for home educating parents to easily incorporate music education into their daily lives, whilst also highlighting easily accessible resources that create a fun and engaging environment for children to learn and develop through music.Will SavageWill Savage is a musician and educator with nearly 20 years’ experience teaching music and piano. Home-educated himself, he knows firsthand how music can feel like a “black box” to children without formal training. Will’s approach makes music accessible, playful, and understandable, helping children explore, create, and internalize musical concepts through listening, singing, and hands-on activities. He also runs a small online program for home-educated children aged 7–12, providing flexible, interactive lessons that inspire curiosity and confidence in music.Will's WebsiteWill's Facebook pageWill on YouTube@willsavagemusic on InstagramResources mentioned:clara.imslp.orgChrome Music LabAbletonThis podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

Unschooling can feel like a wild and scary place for the uninitiated! And so today's podcast is looking at gentle and easy ways to incorporate unschooling and its principles into your home education journey, in way that feel manageable and empowering for you and your child.I am joined by the wonderful Heidi Steel and she'll be giving us five ways we can dip our toes into this liberating and rewarding approach to a child's learning.With: Heidi Steel- Heidi Steel is the founder of liveplaylearn.org and the Unschooling Village Hub, and author of the book School Isn’t for Everyone and What You Can Do Instead: A Practical and Neuro-Affirming Guide to Unschooling. She has over 14 years of hands-on experience as an unschooling parent of four always unschooled children. Heidi shares a practical, down-to-earth approach that builds connection, trust, and a lifelong love of learning. Throughout the resources and community that she hosts for unschooling families, you can find support to step away from traditional education systems, and guidance and reassurance to create learning environments that truly work for their families. Heidi’s work is rooted in the belief that children learn best when they are trusted and given the space to follow their natural curiosity.- Heidi's Website - @liveplaylearn1 on Instagram- Heidi's Facebook pageand Heidi's book can be found hereThis podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

Today is the first in our parenting mini series and we are starting with exploring Permissive Parenting. This approach to parenting combines many wonderful elements such as child autonomy and responsive parenting. It can, however, throw up challenges both for you as the parent and for your child.I am joined by my co-host Charlotte Webb, a Clinical Child Psychologist, to take a fun and no holds barred look at permissive parenting.This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

As a home educator, it is sometimes thought that performing arts subjects are out of reach. But in today's episode we explore how home educated children can access LAMDA qualifications from home. We are joined by Rosie Skinner, Principal of the Mendip Performing Arts Academy, to talk all things drama, performing arts and in particular the prestigious LAMDA qualifications. Join us as we discuss the real life skills that can be built through studying the performing arts and how the LAMDA qualifications support your child's growth whilst also giving them the opportunity to add to their academic portfolio.Rosie Skinner TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vocal.coach.rosieRosie's Facebook pageRosie's Website TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@vocal.coach.rosieEmail - [email protected] podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

Today we are joined by Jenn Hodge to discuss the upcoming Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill which is currently going through Parliament.We talk about the history of legislation in the home education community, the details of the bill, how it will impact prospective home educators and existing home educating families, as well as its effect on all members of the community but especially children with school trauma or special educational needs. And we also talk about what we can do to try to halt its inexorable progress.In Jan 2020, following her work in advocacy, community work and facilitating youth provision, Jenn Hodge founded an education centre in Somerset, now supporting a wide range of young people, many of whom are neurodivergent. In 2025, she was named one of the UK’s Top 100 Inspiring Female Entrepreneurs by Small Business Britain. Today, Jenn is a writer, CEO, and passionate advocate for doing education differently, dreaming of a system that is inclusive, interest-led, and free from exam-driven [email protected] on InstagramJenn's Facebook pageJenn's WebsiteSome useful sites for information on the Bill:https://www.facebook.com/stopthecwsbillhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/homeeducationactiongroup/https://edyourself.org/childrens-wellbeing-schools-bill/https://educationalfreedom.org.uk/proposed-changes-to-home-education-law-without-the-legal-jargon/This podcast is a labour of love, and time and energy and commitment and lots of coffee! It really helps us if you can follow us on our social media channels and comment to let us know if you enjoyed the episode, what you'd like to see more / less of and generally come and say hi!Instagram - TikTok - FB page - Our Private FB group

In today's podcast, we chat with Kim who successfully hustled the education system in the UK and now her 14 year old daughter is happily at university. Sometimes it feels as if the whole system is pushing against us. Kim shows us just how we can push back and get our child's needs met, and more!Check out Kim's TikTok to follow her and her daughter's journey.

Today's episode is a deep dive into the Astronomy GCSE with the wonderful Physics with Keith, and as you'd expect, we also take some lovely meanders through Physics and also how Astronomy can help you in A levels as well as university.If your child is interested in a gloriously geeky and wonderfully unusual GCSE, then check out our podcast and find out more about Astronomy GCSE for home educators.With Keith Dalby - A qualified and experienced physics teacher and head of department, Isaac Science ambassador, and AQA examiner. Delivering online tutoring since 2020.- Keith's Website- @physicswithkeith on Instagram- Keith's Facebook group- Keith's Facebook page- Keith on YouTube- @physicskeith on X

Today we're chatting with Maddy Alexander-Grout, who shares her journey from spending addiction to financial literacy. We'll be finding out some great practical tips for teaching our home ed children about money, the impact of ADHD on financial decisions and the importance of conscious spending for children and for us as parents.Along the way, we even find time to challenge a few societal myths about wealth and success. Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments!With Maddy Alexander Grout- Maddy's Website - @maddytalksmoney on Instagram- Maddy's Facebook page - Maddy on YouTube

January is a time for reflection and planning so we thought we'd do a podcast where we talk about our home education journeys in 2025, what we learnt, what we want to take more of into 2026, what we want a bit less of in the future and what habits we'd like to cultivate as part of our home ed world.Grab a pen and paper and do some reflection and planning with us!

In today's podcast, I am joined by Juliet English to discuss the two main routes into home education and the changing times within the home education community.Whether you actively chose home education, or felt that you were forced towards it by a difficult school experience, this podcast is a discussion on the differences and dynamics between both routes and how, ultimately, we become one united community.Find Juliet here on Streams and here for the Home Education conference.

Our Christmas gift (surely better than socks and shower gel!) is a little compilation of our top home education tips. We range from resources to wellbeing and they're applicable to all ages and stages.These tips were first published on our TikTok channel ... I know, so modern! Come and check us out on TikTok and our other social media channels ...@homeeducationmatters on Instagram- Eleanor's Facebook group - Eleanor's Facebook page

Yes, we're reviving our Christmas Quiz tradition! Settle down, snuggle up with the family and get ready for some nice easy questions, some fiendishly tricky questions and to have your general knowledge and home education expertise put to the test ...

Did someone say fun quiz recorded at 8am? No-one? :)Join us as we dive into our personal home education journeys. From fun anecdotes to heartfelt insights, discover how we each navigate the ups and downs of home educating. It's fun, it's candid, it's even sizably controversial ... Enjoy this podcast which gets behind the unique personalities behind the podcast!

STEM subjects are notoriously hard when home educating but they are also rightly popular with our innovated home ed children. So today I am joined by Caroline and Farah to discuss how we can empower our home educated children to study STEM subjects and move into university courses and beyond.With Farah Khan and Caroline Mukisa, expert guests spanning a wide range of education systems, including UK and international schools, university admissions, as well as home education. Join their STEM WhatsApp chat here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DTsV2j9axnxIJNw5ARcMDo?mode=wwcLinks referenced in this episode:threeblueonebrownbisonmathsroyalinstitutionisaacsciencedrhannahfrymathsforgirls

Geography is a lovely Goldilocks subject for home educators to study ... not too hard, not too easy, not too maths-y and not too essay-y! And to guide us through Geography at GCSE level is Jake from Humanatees, letting us know what to expect on each paper, from the exam more broadly, the different specifications, the fieldwork and beyond. With Jake Richards - Jake has been the face behind Humanatees Tutoring since 2017. He is a qualified teacher who taught in secondary schools for ten years before becoming a full-time tutor for home educated students in all of the humanities, including Geography. - Jake's Website - Jake's Facebook page

For today's bonus mid week episode, Emily chats with fellow home educator Kate whose family has been exploring the benefits and challenges of taking responsibility for a group of street kittens as part of their home education journey!Support the kittens here: https://gofund.me/9a99e1208and for raw food with a referral code: https://www.bellaandduke.com/lp/referrals/?ref_code=sapq4d4Follow Kate and her daughters' journey here: https://open.substack.com/pub/thephoenixgreen/p/our-journey-to-a-barefoot-education

Debunking Home Education Myths ...So many people would like to home educate but feel that it is not accessible for them for various reasons. In this series, we will debunk some of these myths and counter some of the common reasons people feel they can't home educate. Starting with ... "I'm not clever enough to home educate" - Emily, Charlotte and I discuss this common idea and why it's rarely parental education, cleverness, qualifications or knowledge that lead to a successful home education journey.

Buckle up because I'm joined by Hannah from Instagram's hugely popular ThrivingWithHannah to discuss all the many excuses people give for why they can't home educate.We pick through when an excuse is a valid reason and when it's just "lazy parenting" 😜 And trust me, we express opinions!Come and have a listen and let us know what you think in the comments below ...Find Hannah here:thrivingwithhannahhannahhomeeducates

Are you solid on your legal rights as a home educator? It's vital that we arm ourselves with all the information we can to protect our rights. In this episode, I am joined by Wendy Charles Warner from Education Otherwise who guides us through both our rights and also the statistics behind court proceedings. She gives some great advice for every step of the way, from that first contact with the LA through to appearing in court. https://www.educationotherwise.org/

In today's podcast, I chat to Nicola, a prospective home educator and long time listener to the show. We talk about her fears and worries around home education and I do my best to advise, reassure and support her with these questions. This is a great episode for anyone who is sitting on the fence, a bit unsure, but instinctively wanting to take the plunged into home education!

Welcome to our deschooling episode! I'm joined by Helen Royston to talk about:why it's important to deschoolwhat it looks likehow long it lasts (spoiler: longer than you think!)how to do itwhat to avoidDid you go through a deschooling process? How did you find it? Let us know in the comments ...Links referenced in this episode:picturebookexplorers.co.ukinstagram.com/HomeEducationMatters

In this episode, we talk to Emily who is a home educating mum of three with autism and adhd, whose children are all also neurodivergent. What emerges is a safeguarding issue - but no, not the usual rhetoric around home education and registers. Here school was the safeguarding issue for Emily's child and home education is the place of care and freedom.With Emily Fae - Emily is a home educating mum of 3. As a late diagnosed neurodivergent woman parenting and educating her three neurodivergent daughters, she is passionate about sharing her experiences and supporting other mums in similar situations, helping empower them in making the right choices for both them and their children. - @Calmspace_calmmind on Instagram

Today's podcast looks at a common parenting struggle through the eyes of home education. There are always times when we find ourselves in the eye of a storm, navigating overwhelm, tantrums, fury and meltdowns in our home (and that's just us!). Home education can magnify these moments as you spend so much more time together but it also offers great scope to work through these moments successfully together without external interference or triggers.Charlotte and I suggest five practical strategies to help you as a family before, during and after a period of overwhelm, and of course do so within the context of home education. With Charlotte Webb - Hello! I am Charlotte Webb, I am a therapist and psychological coach, I specialise in connective parenting, neurodivergence and home education advice and support for children and adults in my local community. I am a home ed mum to 4 children and I run a home education learning centre. - @charlotteswebboflife on Instagram - Charlotte 's Facebook page - Charlotte 's Facebook group

Home educating can be a lonely journey and this is often even more so when you are doing it as a single parent. And yes, there are positives (and we get to these, don't worry!) but Tamsin and I are also here to talk about the difficult times and particular challenges to home educating as the lone parent in the house. [Enjoying the podcast? Leave a comment and say hi or take the time to rate us or share us with friends. It means a lot to us!]