Teens group
Feathers teens is a community group that supports the neurodivergent and mental health wellbeing of alternatively educated teenagers, and their families in Lincolnshire.
- They meet Mondays in Heckington, alternate Wednesdays in Boston, alternate Fridays in Spalding. All 11am – 3pm for £5.
- They are open to home educated teenagers or those not in full-time mainstream education, aged 12-19 years, similarly aged siblings and parents.
- There are volunteers who come to teach skills, such as first aid and soldering, plus a regular tutor.
- There are guest volunteers who come to teach new skills, mostly practical, such as first aid and soldering, plus a regular tutor who teaches across the range of abilities.
- They have a fun packed schedule of parent supported activities, outings, and experiences.
- They have a fun packed schedule of parent supported social and educational group activities, outings, and experiences to encourage social, emotional, communication, educational and physical wellbeing, and development.
Click page icon above for their website.new They also have a Facebook page.
Here is their leaflet.* Also gym and games photos.*
Is it for you?
Taking over the responsibility can be an attractive option for some parents, but is it for you? Click icon for a parent’s story of home schooling. Also here is a discussion of a parent’s question.new She is thinking about home schooling. Both are from Netmums
The Family EducationUSA website offers guidance and some basic resources:
More generally, here is Netmums Home education section.new
What does home education mean? Who is responsible for what? For quick and clear answers about the UK see: FAQ on Home Education Special website.
Resources
Sandwell borough council, in Birmingham, has set out a list of Elective home education resources. Click icon to browse. There are several from the BBC, including Bitesize.
Lower down the list are private home learning options but they could be pricey.
Online learning
BBC bitesize is is a free online study support resource designed to help with learning, revision and homework. Click icon to find out about it.new
Also, the National academy supports teachers and parents with free resources and online lessons. They are an independent public body – see About us. Click icon for their special needs online lessons. They also offer mainstream lessons.
NAS guidance
The National autistic society has produced a guide to home educating your child. It sets out reasons why people choose home education and what it involves. Click icon to browse.
Also, a mother and writer shares her experience of home educating her autistic daughter and suggests what to consider before deciding to home educate. See: article.
Advisory service
The Home education advisory service offers advice and practical support. Some of their resources are free. Click icon to browse. See also: About
PricesPDF See also: NAS overview Lincolnshire council also has a link.
Networking
The South Lincolnshire home education Facebook page is the point of contact for a local support group. Click icon to view. There is also a private Facebook group called Home Education Lincolnshire.
Formal guidance
Elective home education is the official name. Click the icon on the left for the information and resources Lincolnshire County Council publishes. It provides a series of pages which include the following web links:
- The Before you begin page links to: Protocol
- The Home education checks page links to home visit forms
The UK government has produced a definitive outline in its education hub and detailed guidance about elective home education. These set out a parents rights and responsibilities.
Key stages
| School year | Ages | Key stage |
| Reception Years 1-2 Years 3-6 Years 7-9 Years 10-11 | 4-5 5-7 7-11 11-14 14-16 | Foundation KS1 KS2 KS3 KS4 |
Mobile guide
