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This Home Education support network has existed in Milton Keynes for about twenty years. We have a large database of members which includes families that educate in a wide variety of styles and who participate in the group to different degrees. Some are very active, some like to dip into activities occasionally whilst others never attend events but enjoy moral support and advice when they require it. Over the years a very definite profile of the group has been sculpted by the active members, which gives it a quite distinctive character. Children: We encourage all children to develop and expand in their own unique way and we try to support them as best we can through any traumas they may have experienced before joining the group. We provide a mixture of social and educational activities in which they can participate and meet other children who are also home-educated. We also believe that there is great benefit to be gained for children of mixed ages to participate in suitable activities, although some events are arranged with particular age groups in mind. Adult Members: We offer a warm, welcoming environment for the adult home-educators; both in terms of social events and emotional support for vulnerable moments. Our group is non-hierarchical and we encourage creative participation rather than dependency. Public: We do our best to raise the profile of home education in general and also answer the many enquiries we receive from families considering home education for the first time. We also endeavour, whenever asked, to explain the legality of home education and that every home educating family has the right to pursue learning in their own unique way. LEA We have developed a very good relationship with the Milton Keynes LEA and we have worked together to produce one of the most forward-thinking home education policy documents in the country. The LEA has created the position of Home Education Contact which will offer further support to families who wish to avail themselves of this opportunity. We have collaborated closely with them to create this position and look forward to it being of great benefit to home educators within Milton Keynes. We are also currently exploring with
the LEA ways to facilitate home educated children taking their GCSEs
and other educational opportunities. Vision/Ethos: Our vision is a simple one: to create a flexible, non-judgemental environment which will be supportive to home-educators of every persuasion. We embrace essential values for that
to take place: Over time these values have been enriched by the many families who have imparted their energy and ideas to our group. Out of this unique continuum has emerged an ethos of tolerance and support. A subtle blend of self-respect and mutual respect has pervaded the group. Anyone who home educates is
warmly welcome to come and participate; to contribute or simply
support but always to share and enjoy the many delights of home
education. For further information or help, please contact us here:
Although we can only take responsibility for our own group and contacts, there are others locally which may be of interest. Some home educators prefer to put all their energies into one group whilst others enjoy dipping into several and accessing the many choices available. Local Contact for South Bucks, i.e. south of Aylesbury: A contact for educators living in the Buckingham area: A website for home educating families in Northants: http://www.northantshe.org.uk A contact for anyone living in the Dunstable and surrounding villages area: Bernie – michael_foster@btinternet.com Monthly magazine dealing with topical home education issues: www.choiceineducation.org.uk
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