Ep 17: Leaving the School System: Why a Former Teacher Created a Forest School and Chose Home Education - with guest, Lewis

Send us a textWhat’s it like to be homeschooled your entire life, with seven siblings, in New Zealand? In this episode, we talk to a journalist who was home educated from birth through to further education, without ever setting foot in a traditional school.We dig into everything from socialisation and sibling dynamics to how he tackled exams, discovered his passion for journalism, and whether he’d home educate his own future children. He shares honest reflections on what worked, what was tricky, and what he wishes more people understood about home education.Whether you're considering homeschooling in New Zealand, the UK, or anywhere else, this is a rare and insightful peek into what lifelong home education can really look like.If you’ve enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend :)Thanks for being here and we’ll see you in the next one!Support the show Follow us on Instagram: @honeyshouldwehomeschool,Facebook: Honey Should We HomeschoolYouTube: Honey Should We Homeschool YouTube Making a podcast actually costs money (annoying, we know), and we don’t do ads for mattresses (yet). But if you’ve ever laughed, nodded along, or shouted “YES!” at an episode, consider tossing a coin, no matter how small, to your podcasters! ♡ - https://buymeacoffee.com/honeyshouldwehomeschool

Send us a textToday we’re lucky enough to be joined by Lewis — a former teacher turned home-educating parent who now runs an alternative education space nestled among the trees. Find Lewis on instagram - @theforestschoolpodcast Check out the Forest School Podcast on SpotifyNote: I have added time stamps for the questions we asked but they’re not necessarily that helpful because, like all the best conversations, it branched off and flowed in many different ways!Links Mentioned: Revision Guides, Study Books & Study Guides | CGP BooksI am sorry, I tried to find the episode about how Lewis would create a new education system but I could not!  If you’ve enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend :) Thanks for being here and we’ll see you in the next one!Support the show Follow us on Instagram: @honeyshouldwehomeschool,Facebook: Honey Should We HomeschoolYouTube: Honey Should We Homeschool YouTube Making a podcast actually costs money (annoying, we know), and we don’t do ads for mattresses (yet). But if you’ve ever laughed, nodded along, or shouted “YES!” at an episode, consider tossing a coin, no matter how small, to your podcasters! ♡ - https://buymeacoffee.com/honeyshouldwehomeschool

Send us a textPLEASE NOTE: There is no option to reply to any messages sent through the "send us a text" button, if you would like a response, please email us at [email protected] or use the social media channels mentioned at the bottom :)Welcome to another episode of Honey should we homeschool? Today’s episode, by request, is all about the law. A slightly dry episode, but we hope it can be of some help to you. Fair warning though, you may come out more confused than you entered!! If you do find it helpful at all, please leave us a review, it really helps us to grow the show <3    Links mentioned in the show: England and Wales  - Education act 1996  https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/56/contents Parental Guidance(England) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ca21e22e5274a77d9d26feb/EHE_guidance_for_parentsafterconsultationv2.2.pdf Local Authorities Guidance (England) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bf6d2bdcb0757928e5bd47/Elective_home_education_departmental_guidance_for_local_authorities.pdf Parental Guidance (Wales) - https://www.gov.wales/elective-home-education-guidance-html   Scotland -Education (Scotland) Act 1980 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/44/contents Parental Guidance -   https://www.gov.scot/publications/home-education-guidance/pages/1/ Northern Ireland -Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1986/594/contents Parental Guidance -   https://www.eani.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-12/Guidelines%20for%20EHE%2023112020.pdfReal Life LA requests https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/home_ed/5102455-work-samples https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/home_ed/4314573-New-to-home-ed-How-much-interference-to-expect-from-local-authority?utm_source=chatgpt.com  As always, thank you so much for tuning in! If you think we missed anything, have any questions or ideas for fSupport the show Follow us on Instagram: @honeyshouldwehomeschool,Facebook: Honey Should We HomeschoolYouTube: Honey Should We Homeschool YouTube Making a podcast actually costs money (annoying, we know), and we don’t do ads for mattresses (yet). But if you’ve ever laughed, nodded along, or shouted “YES!” at an episode, consider tossing a coin, no matter how small, to your podcasters! ♡ - https://buymeacoffee.com/honeyshouldwehomeschool

Send us a textToday, we’re chatting with Lizi, an ex primary school teacher who quit teaching and decided that she won’t be sending her daughter to school. (Unless maybe if she asks to go in the future!!)  Stay tuned for some very fascinating insight into primary schools!  Here’s a breakdown of the conversation: 01:12 - What was your experience of school as a child? 02:43 - What qualifications did you get to be able to teach? 03:33 - What got you into teaching? 05:04 - Did your dyslexia affect your teaching? 09:25 - Best and worst bits of teaching? 11:16 - How long were you a teacher? 12:00 - Thoughts on how much they can move? 12:50 - Screen time in schools 17:40 - How much time did they get outside? 19:55 - Socialisation! 25:30 - Thoughts on GCSE’s 30:18 - Ofsted experiences 34:51 - How many children are in a class? 35:16 - Why did you quit teaching and choose to home educate? 37:42 - Would you let your daughter go to school? 40:12 - Are there any elements from school you’ll incorporate into your home educating? 41:07 - Will you follow the curriculum? 42:15 - Thoughts on the children’s wellbeing and schools bill? 49:40 - What does a rough week in your home ed life look like? 54:30 - How do you non judgmentally tell others about your choice to home educate? 1:04:30 - Any tips/advice?  NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date on new episode releases, catch up on follow-ups from previous episodes, and enjoy a dash of chaotic rambling! Honey Should We Homeschool Newsletter GET IN TOUCH! As always, thank you so much for tuning in! If you have any further questions for us or Lizi get in touch via email at [email protected], And don’t forget to leave us a review if you’ve enjoyed the podcast. We can’t wait to hear from you! See you next time! :) www.honeyshouldwehomeschool.com Support the show Follow us on Instagram: @honeyshouldwehomeschool,Facebook: Honey Should We HomeschoolYouTube: Honey Should We Homeschool YouTube Making a podcast actually costs money (annoying, we know), and we don’t do ads for mattresses (yet). But if you’ve ever laughed, nodded along, or shouted “YES!” at an episode, consider tossing a coin, no matter how small, to your podcasters! ♡ - https://buymeacoffee.com/honeyshouldwehomeschool

Send us a textToday, we’re discussing real life, or adult life and what our children REALLY need to know to thrive as adults.  We’re planning to sack of the national curriculum and write our own that we believe will provide our kids with the foundation they need when they leave home, all with space to follow their passions and hopefully one day attain the job of their dreams.  We’ll be discussing what typical days look like, what every human needs to know and how we teach these core skills.  Links mentioned in this episode: The chemistry legend that is Big Manny 1 The Life without School Podcast - Finding Balance with Screens episode NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date on new episode releases, catch up on follow-ups from previous episodes, and enjoy a dash of chaotic rambling! Honey Should We Homeschool Newsletter GET THE FREE MP3! We've transformed the Elective Home Education Departmental Guidance for Parents (England) document into an audio file, so now you can listen while cooking dinner or doing the dishes, allowing you to make the most of your limited free time without having to sit down and read it!   Download the free mp3  As always, thank you so much for tuning in!  Let us know what you think, did we miss anything, is there anything you disagree with? Get in touch via email at [email protected],And don’t forget to leave us a review if you’ve enjoyed the podcast.   We can’t wait to hear your thoughts!  See you next time! :)Support the show Follow us on Instagram: @honeyshouldwehomeschool,Facebook: Honey Should We HomeschoolYouTube: Honey Should We Homeschool YouTube Making a podcast actually costs money (annoying, we know), and we don’t do ads for mattresses (yet). But if you’ve ever laughed, nodded along, or shouted “YES!” at an episode, consider tossing a coin, no matter how small, to your podcasters! ♡ - https://buymeacoffee.com/honeyshouldwehomeschool

Send us a textNEVER MISS AN EPISODE!Sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date on new episode releases, catch up on follow-ups from previous episodes, and enjoy a dash of chaotic rambling!Honey Should We Homeschool Newsletter Hello and welcome to another episode of Honey, Should We Homeschool? 🎙️Today, we're thrilled to be joined by Karen Howden, a former secondary school language teacher (whose partner was a primary school teacher!) who made the bold decision to leave her job and home educate her children. If you know someone who would love to hear this interview, please share it with them!To connect with Karen and learn more about her home education journey, you can find her on Instagram: @thehowdenfam Or feel free to email her at: [email protected] mentioned in this episode: Fun Science UK As always, thank you so much for tuning in!  We'd love to hear from you. Feel free to get in touch via email at [email protected], Or follow us on Instagram: @honeyshouldwehomeschool, And find us on Facebook: Honey Should We Homeschool Or check us out on YouTube: Honey Should We Homeschool YouTubeWe can’t wait to hear your thoughts! See you next time! :)Support the show Follow us on Instagram: @honeyshouldwehomeschool,Facebook: Honey Should We HomeschoolYouTube: Honey Should We Homeschool YouTube Making a podcast actually costs money (annoying, we know), and we don’t do ads for mattresses (yet). But if you’ve ever laughed, nodded along, or shouted “YES!” at an episode, consider tossing a coin, no matter how small, to your podcasters! ♡ - https://buymeacoffee.com/honeyshouldwehomeschool

Send us a textHello and welcome to another episode of Honey, Should We Homeschool? 🎙️Today’s hot topic is The “Children’s well being and schools bill”.  WARNING - This episode contains some discussion about murder that may disturb some listeners. Listener discretion is advised. If you would like to skip this part, go straight to 1:55 If you would like to know more about the case you can read about it here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czr3vygvyy7o To read the full bill go here - https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/59-01/0151/240151.pdf To check its current status head here - https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3909 Read some summarized versions of the bill here - https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/12/the-childrens-wellbeing-bill-what-parents-need-to-know/ and here - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/childrens-bill-to-keep-children-safe-from-exploitation The article referencing numbers of home educated children in Cornwall - https://hellorayo.co.uk/greatest-hits/cornwall/news/rise-homeschooling-cornwall-since-pandemic/ If you’d like to learn more about the Children’s University after my quite vague explanation, go here! - https://www.childrensuniversity.co.uk If you’ve enjoyed todays episode, please share with someone else you think may appreciate it :) As always, thank you so much for listening and if you’d like to get in touch you can drop us an email at [email protected]  We love hearing from you <3 See you next time :)Support the show Follow us on Instagram: @honeyshouldwehomeschool,Facebook: Honey Should We HomeschoolYouTube: Honey Should We Homeschool YouTube Making a podcast actually costs money (annoying, we know), and we don’t do ads for mattresses (yet). But if you’ve ever laughed, nodded along, or shouted “YES!” at an episode, consider tossing a coin, no matter how small, to your podcasters! ♡ - https://buymeacoffee.com/honeyshouldwehomeschool

Send us a textHello and welcome to another episode of Honey, Should We Homeschool? 🎙️ Today we’re discussing the UK curriculum (mostly primary curriculum) and whether we need to or even ‘should’ follow it?  Most of the information discussed today can be found on the gov.uk website here - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum To find the info on how academies work head here - https://www.gov.uk/types-of-school/academies#:~:text=Academies%20have%20more%20control%20over,it%20must%20become%20an%20academy. To find the statistics mentioned about academies head here - https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk To read more about the evolution of the curriculum head here - https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmchilsch/344/34405.htm To read the article about introducing computing to the curriculum head here - https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/englands-computing-curriculum-a-clash-of-values-beliefs-and-purpose To read the article by Mr Joshua Vallance - https://mrvallanceteach.wordpress.com/2021/03/13/curriculum-what-are-we-really-talking-about/ To see the adorable video of Japanese children learning about bus etiquette head here - https://www.facebook.com/kacchalimbooindia/videos/this-is-a-courtesy-lesson-taught-to-elementary-school-children-in-japan/1577289989363419/ To hear Izzy Garbutts speech head here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKrpYo9N5hs&t=52s As always, thank you so much for listening and if you’d like to get in touch you can drop us an email at [email protected] or DM us on FB or instagram. We love hearing from you <3 See you next time :)Support the show Follow us on Instagram: @honeyshouldwehomeschool,Facebook: Honey Should We HomeschoolYouTube: Honey Should We Homeschool YouTube Making a podcast actually costs money (annoying, we know), and we don’t do ads for mattresses (yet). But if you’ve ever laughed, nodded along, or shouted “YES!” at an episode, consider tossing a coin, no matter how small, to your podcasters! ♡ - https://buymeacoffee.com/honeyshouldwehomeschool

Send us a textHello and welcome to another episode of Honey, Should We Homeschool? 🎙️Today we speak to author and home educating father of 3. John, who has been home educating for 19 years, has recently shared his home ed experiences in his new book “this is not a school”. We pick his brains about all things home ed, from how to deal with self doubt and anxiety around homeschooling to how to tackle those trickier subjects like algebra!To get Johns book head over to Amazon https://amzn.eu/d/13xMnmpOr listen on https://podcastindex.org/podcast/6956884Head over to our instagram to see the illustration mentioned in the podcast.As always, thanks for listening and feel free to drop us a message by email - [email protected] love hearing from you ❤️Support the show Follow us on Instagram: @honeyshouldwehomeschool,Facebook: Honey Should We HomeschoolYouTube: Honey Should We Homeschool YouTube Making a podcast actually costs money (annoying, we know), and we don’t do ads for mattresses (yet). But if you’ve ever laughed, nodded along, or shouted “YES!” at an episode, consider tossing a coin, no matter how small, to your podcasters! ♡ - https://buymeacoffee.com/honeyshouldwehomeschool

Send us a textHello and welcome to another episode of Honey, Should We Homeschool? 🎙️In this episode we are interviewing an alumni of worldschooling. We'll be asking the questions on everybody's minds about how homeschooling can work to someone who has lived through it and had the same questions asked throughout her life. The biggest thanks to Naia for agreeing to come and chat with us, it was so enjoyable talking to her and incredibly interesting to hear her experiences coming from a worldschooled background.Find Naia on Instagram @djswagzilla Check out her blog - https://www.skyrunninggirl.com/Buy her book - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLG5BH2V?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_A01YZM0Q4C0NM2RCGBKNFind Naia’s mum Julie on Instagram @wanderschooling Or at her website https://www.wanderschool.com As always, thank you so much for tuning in! Love this episode?! Tell us why via email at [email protected], And don’t forget to leave us a review and share the podcast with a friend if you’ve enjoyed it.  See you next time! :)Support the show Follow us on Instagram: @honeyshouldwehomeschool,Facebook: Honey Should We HomeschoolYouTube: Honey Should We Homeschool YouTube Making a podcast actually costs money (annoying, we know), and we don’t do ads for mattresses (yet). But if you’ve ever laughed, nodded along, or shouted “YES!” at an episode, consider tossing a coin, no matter how small, to your podcasters! ♡ - https://buymeacoffee.com/honeyshouldwehomeschool