So, you’ve pressed “send” on the deregistration email and the big step is official — your child is no longer in school. Exciting? Absolutely. Overwhelming? Most definitely.
It’s normal at this stage to picture perfect lessons at the kitchen table, workbooks lined up neatly, and a child who nods along enthusiastically with every idea you suggest. The reality, however, often looks very different. Home education can feel messy, experimental, and uncertain — but that’s also where its beauty lies.
In this blog, we’ll explore different approaches to home education and share practical strategies to help you find your feet. Remember: there’s no single “right way” to home educate. What works brilliantly for one family might not work at all for another, and that’s okay. The goal isn’t to replicate school at home, but to create a learning environment that feels right for your child and your family.
1. Where Do You Begin?
Your first instinct might be to dash to WH Smith and stock up on workbooks. Pause for a moment. Home education doesn’t have to begin with textbooks, timetables, and rigid lessons. In fact, many experienced home educators recommend starting with a period of deschooling before you launch into anything formal.
What is Deschooling?
Deschooling is a transition period after leaving school. It gives children (and parents!) time to shift away from the routines, expectations, and pressures of the classroom, and begin rediscovering what learning looks like outside of that structure.
For children who’ve had negative school experiences — maybe due to unmet SEND needs, bullying, or the stress of a one-size-fits-all system — this adjustment can be particularly important. Some kids will bounce back quickly, while others may need longer to rebuild their confidence and curiosity.
What Does Deschooling Look Like?
At first, deschooling might not look like “education” at all. Your child may gravitate to the sofa, binge-watch TV, or spend hours gaming. This can feel alarming, especially if you’re worried about proving that your child is learning. But here’s the thing: when children leave school, they’re often exhausted. Giving them the freedom to rest, play, and follow their own interests is not wasted time — it’s part of the recovery.
Over time, curiosity starts to bubble back up. Maybe they rediscover a love of drawing, spend afternoons building dens, or ask endless questions about dinosaurs, baking, or how the universe works. This is learning — it just doesn’t look like school.
How Long Should It Last?
There’s no exact formula, but a common rule of thumb is around a month of deschooling for every year spent in school. That said, every child is different. Some adjust in weeks, others need longer — particularly if their school years were stressful or traumatic.
The key is not to rush. Home education doesn’t have the same fixed milestones as school. GCSEs don’t have to be taken at 16, and your child doesn’t have to study twelve subjects at once.
A Word of Caution
While “deschooling” is widely used within the home education community, local authorities sometimes misunderstand it to mean “no education at all.” If you’re ever asked about your child’s learning during this phase, it can be better to describe it as a transition period where you’re figuring out what works best for your child. And remember: baking, nature walks, documentaries, conversations, and creative play all count as education.
2. Routine & Finding Your Groove
Once the deschooling phase is over, many families feel ready to bring back some kind of routine. For some home educators, routine is set in stone — there’s a strict timetable and a clear structure every day. For others, life is completely flexible, with learning happening spontaneously.
Personally, I’ve found a semi-flexible approach works best. This means we have gentle expectations in place, but we can adapt to how my child is feeling, what life throws our way, and even my own needs as a parent. Appointments, sickness, or simply needing a break are all part of life — and home education should make space for them.
If, like me, you live with ADHD or find rigid routines stifling, a looser rhythm might feel more natural. Below is an example of how I maintain structure without rigid timetables.
1. We are open to learning everyday
In our house, the expectation is simple: every day, we learn something. Learning is non-negotiable, but it doesn’t always look like workbooks. Sometimes it’s a documentary, a creative project, an experiment in the kitchen, or a big conversation about something happening in the world.
What makes this work is enthusiasm. I model curiosity and excitement about learning. When our children see us fascinated and engaged, they catch that spark too.
2. Following my child’s interests and motivations
One of the greatest gifts of home education is the freedom to tailor learning to your child’s passions. Intrinsic motivation is key: when a child is genuinely interested, they’ll learn more deeply and for longer.
For example, my daughter rarely wants to leave the house. But if she’s into frogs, we’ll go to the river to spot them, visit a pet shop, or explore a museum exhibition. Her interests change often, which keeps learning fresh and exciting.
3. Ensuring her education is ‘well-rounded’
This is one of the most common concerns for home-educating parents. Even with tutors, online courses, workshops, and worksheets, the question still nags: Am I doing right by my child? Are they really learning what they need?
The first thing to remember is this: there is no universal definition of a “full-time education.” Schools differ in their syllabi and priorities, so it makes sense that every home education journey looks different too.
Here are three guiding principles to help you feel confident in your journey:
- Start With Goals and Personal Motivations
What does your child dream of doing when they’re older? Their interests can shape their learning now. For example, if your child wants to be a vet, they might explore biology, animal behaviour, or volunteering at a rescue centre. If they want to be a game designer, coding, storytelling, and art could become central. - Build Life Skills Into Learning
Schools often miss the everyday skills young people need: managing money, cooking healthy meals, filling in forms, or doing laundry. Home education gives you the chance to weave these life skills naturally into daily life. Cooking teaches maths and science. Budgeting pocket money builds financial literacy. Chores build independence and confidence. - Explore New Opportunities Together
Not every child knows what they want to do (and plenty of adults don’t either!). Your role is to gently open doors. Try a weekly “challenge me” activity: pottery classes, volunteering, hiking, coding clubs, or painting in the park. Some will stick, others won’t, but each adds to your child’s toolkit of experiences.
Case Study: Mollie (Age 10) – Example Home-Ed Plan
Let’s look at an example case study of how you can use your child’s personal interests and motivations to tailor their home-ed experiences.
Mollie is ten years old and loves art and Roblox. She dreams of becoming a game designer who creates original characters and worlds. She’s passionate but tends to stick to one style. She also struggles with social confidence, perfectionism, and crowded spaces.
Here’s how her learning could look:
- Outdoor activities: At least once a week, we visit art exhibitions or attend local art workshops.
- Physical development: We swim three times a week to build balance and strength.
- Life skills: We cook one healthy recipe each week (she chooses and researches it).
- Reading: We visit the library once a week and she chooses one fiction and one art-related non-fiction book.
- Writing: We keep a private diary, plus create short stories with prompts.
- Maths: We do scenario-based budgeting for an art exhibition.
- Science: We explore artists inspired by science and tech.
- History: We study the history of surrealism.
- Geography: We look at surrealism across different cultures.
This ensures she’s covering a broad range of subjects — but always through the lens of her passions.
3. Different Approaches to Home Education
There’s no single “right” way to home educate. Some parents prefer a structured style, while others lean into child-led exploration. Many families mix and match.
Here are some common approaches:
- Structured (School-at-Home): Timetables, textbooks, and curriculum.
- Semi-Structured (Eclectic): A mix of formal work and flexible projects.
- Unschooling: Entirely child-led, with parents acting as facilitators.
- Charlotte Mason: Short, focused lessons, “living books,” and nature study.
- Montessori-Inspired: Hands-on, practical activities encouraging independence.
- Project-Based Learning: Long-term projects crossing multiple subjects.
- Online or Virtual Schooling: External courses with tutor support and live lessons.
Most families dip into several of these at different times. Think of it as a toolkit — pick up what works, and put down what doesn’t.
4. Socialisation and Community
One of the first questions home educators are asked is: “But what about socialisation?” The stereotype of the isolated child stuck at home couldn’t be further from the truth.
The difference is that socialisation in home education doesn’t happen automatically — you create the opportunities.
- Home Education Groups: Local meet-ups, co-ops, or forest schools.
- Clubs and Extracurriculars: Sports, music, Scouts, coding clubs, drama.
- Volunteering: Great for older children to build confidence and skills.
- Family and Mixed-Age Socialising: More natural than age-segregated school groups.
Not every child needs constant social activity. Some thrive on quiet downtime. The goal is balance: ensuring your child has chances to build friendships, collaborate, and feel part of a wider community in ways that suit them.
5. Final Thoughts
Home education is a journey, not a destination. At the start, it might feel messy, uncertain, or even scary — but that’s part of the process.
The beauty of home education is flexibility. You can adapt your approach as your child grows, follow their interests, and make space for the life skills that really matter. You don’t need to have it all figured out on day one — just a willingness to learn alongside your child.
If you take nothing else from this blog, let it be this: you are enough, and your child is learning, even when it doesn’t look like “school.” With patience, curiosity, and a dash of creativity, you can build an education that works for your family.
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