Home schooling rise in Jersey

Friday 05 May 2017

New figures show that the number of children being 'home-schooled' in Jersey has risen significantly in recent years, and is much more popular than in the UK.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Law showed that 42 local children are now being educated at home, rather than through the traditional school system.

The most recent figures for the current academic year show that the 42 home-schoolers account for around 0.3% of the entire compulsory school-age population – three times the amount in 2012 to 2013.

This still constitutes a very small amount of four to 16-year-olds, who are obliged by law to attend school – the overall population of which is around 12,000-14,000.

However, while Jersey DIY schooling figures follow the general upward trend in the UK, Express found the proportion was much higher in Jersey. Figures in the national media suggest that 36,000 of the 9.5 million school age children in the UK are home-schooled, meaning that they constitute just 0.004% of those in compulsory education, compared to 0.3% in Jersey. 

Under Jersey law, all children are required to receive an education, but that can take place outside of school, so long as the education received is efficient, full-time, age and aptitude appropriate, relevant to any special educational needs, and held in a “nurturing and stable environment with plenty of opportunities for social interaction."

Express spoke to two mums who had decided to home-school their children. Judith* told Express that she was “not surprised at all” by the rising numbers of Jersey parents and guardians creating their own educational toolkit for their children.

“I think it's a very big decision to home-school, and not for everyone, but I do think a lot more people are actively trying to take responsibility for their children's education. All the publicity about the Finnish model where children under the age of 7 spend the majority of their time at play, has got a lot of people talking, especially when Finland has such a highly ranked system,” she said.

"We wanted to get off the hamster wheel" of exams and heavy homework, one home-schooling parent told Express.

After 2.5 years of being “fascinated” by home-schooling, heavy research and the support of the home-schooling Facebook community, she started “thinking seriously” about it halfway through 2016.

Her reasoning was not only to allow her competitive sportsman son the flexibility to attend a specialist academy, but also due to “becoming disillusioned” with current education standards and their value for money.

“I was becoming increasingly sceptical that my kids weren't grasping important concepts and I realised after confronting their teachers, that the teachers hadn't noticed.

“We hated the increasing amounts of homework that our kids were getting-after school and weekend time, half terms and holidays were all full of homework, assignments, book reviews. It felt like there was no down time! ...We wanted to get off the hamster wheel,” she commented.

While she acknowledged that it is “not easy” she said that she was pleased with her children’s progress under the guidance of online tutors, and valued the “immediate feedback” they could receive.

Emily* added that the benefits for her home-schooled daughter, who frequently meets with other home-schoolers to “benchmark” her progress, had been personal as well as academic:

“My daughter has taken full responsibility for her learning. She chose the courses she wished to take and at the beginning of the year planned a timetable.

“I have friends whose children are in the same year group and I have noticed that my daughter is noticeably less stressed as no one is putting pressure on her, she is putting it on herself.

“She has far more time in the day as she doesn't have any travelling time. She probably works longer hours now than she did at school but she has the flexibility to take breaks when she wants.

“It has been a highly positive experience. I know other parents say to me that their child needs the motivation of teachers but I have found that developing a sense of personal responsibility for her learning is an invaluable skill to take into adulthood. Outside of learning, her social life is far greater than when she was at school. Friendships are not determined by who is in her class or school. She has had to go out and find friends, which she has done through amateur dramatics, group classes, organised weekly home-schooler get togethers and cross-fit.

"She seems to have side-stepped all the typical teenage angst and is a confident and engaging young person.”

* Not her real name.