A new learning hub for home-educated children is helping those disengaged with mainstream schools.
I visited Lancashire Wildflowers, a new community interest company, in Fulwood, Preston, founded by Gemma Mills inspired by her son’s struggles with schooling.
The centre, which offers places for children aged eight to 16, is now in talks with a high school about the possibility of offering occasional support to pupils, including those with special educational needs. The facility has recently extended as an alternative provision for children that are still in schools, offering support to children struggling in schools with emotionally based school avoidance, poor mental health and trauma.
Activities
While I was there, I saw children taking part in arts and craft activities and planting seeds, and heard about other activities such as cookery and money skills, forest school and science experiments. Upstairs, I met the centre’s pet rabbits and saw cosy areas where children can go for some space to chill out.
The hub, which offers life skills, creative learning and outdoor activities, offers day places for all home-educated children, but Gemma thinks it will be particularly popular with those parents who felt they had no other choice but to take their children out of school. Lancashire Wildflowers doesn’t offer educational teaching, although tutoring can be booked separately.
Right setting
Eight years ago, the former childcare support worker home-educated her 11-year-old son after he struggled at school. He enrolled at Myerscough College aged 14 and is now studying at university. Gemma says his experience shows how children just need the right setting to succeed.
She is also planning to offer mentoring to families going down the home education route, both in navigating the process with schools and in setting up a home teaching environment.
I believe we should be recognising the strengths of organisations like Lancashire Wildflowers as part of any SEND and education reforms.
Nurturing
No two children with special educational needs are the same and, for some, the school environment can prove difficult. Gemma is creating a nurturing environment with personalised care for home-educated children, based on her own experiences, to help raise confidence and improve outcomes.
I strongly believe that anyone with special needs, or just anyone who doesn’t currently feel they thrive in mainstream education, should be supported so that they don’t become disenfranchised with education and learning altogether.
