Parent, Warwickshire
My stories
My School Story
Our child has never liked to be away from us, be it childminder or preschool.
We hoped things would get better as they grew older, more confident and more emotionally independent. It never happened.
First, it was just a bit of sadness at school drop-off, but over time, those drop-offs would become traumatic, them screaming, clinging to me, desperately begging not to be left, to be taken home.
Their behaviour at home changed.
Daily meltdowns, disturbed sleep, bedwetting, eventually shut-down.
School eventually took us seriously when our child refused to go to school entirely for weeks on end, but any help they would offer was too little too late.
The school suggested we home educate (the nerve!).
We knew this wasn't okay, considered sitting it out, forcing them to give us more support, an EHCP, find alternative provision.
But we saw how big the impact was, first and foremost on our child, but also on everyone else in our house.
This took us to the Easter Holidays.
We hoped things would get better as they grew older, more confident and more emotionally independent. It never happened.
First, it was just a bit of sadness at school drop-off, but over time, those drop-offs would become traumatic, them screaming, clinging to me, desperately begging not to be left, to be taken home.
Their behaviour at home changed.
Daily meltdowns, disturbed sleep, bedwetting, eventually shut-down.
School eventually took us seriously when our child refused to go to school entirely for weeks on end, but any help they would offer was too little too late.
The school suggested we home educate (the nerve!).
We knew this wasn't okay, considered sitting it out, forcing them to give us more support, an EHCP, find alternative provision.
But we saw how big the impact was, first and foremost on our child, but also on everyone else in our house.
This took us to the Easter Holidays.
My Home Ed Story
After milling it over in our heads for nearly a year, around midnight on the last day of the holidays, I sent the email to deregister.
Finally. What a relief it was, just for me!
Our child needed several months after that to feel it, and those months of decompressing and unmasking were pretty ugly.
But we saw our child finding themselves again, finding headspace to be curious, to learn, to enjoy.
Life in our home is much more peaceful; we both learn side by side, about the world and ourselves, and it's a joy to now see them thriving.
Finally. What a relief it was, just for me!
Our child needed several months after that to feel it, and those months of decompressing and unmasking were pretty ugly.
But we saw our child finding themselves again, finding headspace to be curious, to learn, to enjoy.
Life in our home is much more peaceful; we both learn side by side, about the world and ourselves, and it's a joy to now see them thriving.
How I think schools could be better.
So much learning depends on the child's unique makeup, and it's difficult to find a generalised formula for school improvement. For us, these things would have helped:
- small class sizes with better staff to child ratio
- with 5-6 ND children per class, a full-time SENCo
- staff trained in understanding neurodivergence and embracing those children's different learning styles and needs
- management that is concerned with their students' wellbeing and thriving over performance, stats and school politics (!)
- small class sizes with better staff to child ratio
- with 5-6 ND children per class, a full-time SENCo
- staff trained in understanding neurodivergence and embracing those children's different learning styles and needs
- management that is concerned with their students' wellbeing and thriving over performance, stats and school politics (!)