29/05/2025
Such an inspirational advocate!
It's easy for me to talk about what I don't like about the Government's approach to children and education.
So this is a summary of some positive alternatives!
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✅ Observe children's needs & learning styles
➡️ Children don't need an instruction manual, we just need to take the time (at home and then at school, if attending) to observe how they learn best, where their interests and strengths lie, what makes them feel heightened and what helps their emotions regulate.
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✅ Support families and build communities
➡️ If a school requires 100% attendance and homework every night, they need to reduce their curriculum. All children need time to rest and play, and those experiencing challenges will often benefit from more time at home.
Building communities helps us ensure families are supported and children kept safe.
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✅ Self-Directed Learning and Lots of Play!
➡️ Our mainstream schools are still based on Victorian methodology - they are outdated and counterproductive.
Children learn best through exploration, experimentation and play. What starts as fun can become expert understanding and knowledge. A focus on uniform, fixed curriculum, memorisation and testing wastes the most formative time of our children's lives. Play also helps develop emotional intelligence, communication, problem-solving and diverse thinking.
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✅ Autonomous Home Education Supported
➡️ It isn't enough to say that "Good Home Educators have nothing to fear" - the Government needs to recognise that self-directed learning and autonomous home education are both suitable forms of education that cannot be assessed against the current school model.
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✅ Wide range of Alternative Provisions
➡️ Busy schools do not work for many children. Some children want to attend 'school' but only part-time. Some home-educated children want to attend group learning sessions once a week. Alternative Provisions can offer specialist learning, small groups and a focus on "soft skills" such as teamwork and communication.
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It really isn't that difficult is it?
Instead of investing in punishment, control, fear and oppression, you invest in people and support.
You help develop strong communities that look out for each other and ensure they have access to trusted people to reach out to if they are worried or know someone needs support.
You provide education and empowerment, encouragement and understanding and provide individuals with what they need, from day one. When they come to have their children, they will then do better, and better, and better.
And in a few generations' time, this miserable, depressed, poor, disconnected country will be a distant memory.
People with different needs will know what works for them and be empowered to do what they can, in a way that works for them. And the community will be strong enough to support those who need it.
Who's with me?
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www.areyoulisteningnow.co.uk
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Sunday 29th June, Wales
March for Children Protest
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