NOTES FROM FLEXISCHOOLING LEARNING EXCHANGE
The Centre for Personalised Education – Personalised Education Now http://blog.personalisededucationnow.org.uk/ Flexischooling Learning Exchange confirmed what a need there is for Flexischooling! (…as if we didn’t know). As always practical issues like finding a flexi-positive school, registration, inappropriate / inaccurate interference of local authorities featured. However, within the format of face to face conversations we were able to address all issues.
Peter Humphreys summarised the Centre for Personalised Education – Personalised Education Now links with Flexischooling. In particular, he spoke of its origins in the work of Roland Meighan and his friend John Holt and the proof of concept with Philip and Annabel Toogood at Dame Catherine’s School. The Centre for Personalised Education – Personalised Education Now Flexischooling Guidance Manual (Journal.17) explores this.
Peter then went on to update everyone with Flexischooling at Hollinsclough School http://hollinsclough.staffs.sch.uk/ using information and material from Janette Mountford-Lees (Headteacher) and from her Oxford University Farmington Fellowship Presentations. Hollinsclough goes from strength to strength and the new links with Manifold Primary, Multi Academy Trust Status (September 2015) and potential for secondary provision are exciting.
The rest of the event explored the needs of participants and contributions / questions ranged far and wide across flexischooling. Face to face learning exchange meetings such as this really allow people to share experiences and perspectives and everyone found this very useful.
A number of ideas arose during the day and afterwards.
Area meetings.
Tina Tailor thought local area meetings would be great and indeed is already getting this going in Leicestershire. Peter was happy to say that Centre for Personalised Education – Personalised Education Now would assist in providing speakers / support for any event that could be arranged. If groups of between 10-30 people can be brought together at a venue and help cover costs of travel we will be more than happy at providing speakers/input/support. If you want to set up a local group / meeting get in touch with Peter at personalisededucationnow@blueyonder.co.uk
Campus Meetings
One of the problems confronting Flexischooling is simple ignorance. Flexischooling is not on the teacher training agendas at universities. If education students / research students would like to consider arranging meetings on the same basis as area meetings on campus / elsewhere this again could be facilitated. If you want to set up a local group / meeting get in touch with Peter at personalisededucationnow@blueyonder.co.uk
Flexischooling Stories and Biographies
Coming to flexischooling cold and dealing with the theory / practicalities is often daunting for families and schools. We need to assemble a human narrative that will bring some perspective and confidence here. An anonymised data bank of stories / biographies of children’s / learner’s / school experiences would be influential and powerful. They could be used by
– prospective flexischoolers when making approaches to schools
– in liaising with politicians, local authorities and schools
– for flexischooling / elective home education research
If anyone would like to co-ordinate gathering flexischooling stories / biographies initially through the facebook groups that would be make a great start – get in touch with Peter at personalisededucationnow@blueyonder.co.uk
Political Change
With changes likely in the political scene and key personnel it will be a good time to approach the new administration regarding flexischooling.
Flexischooling Guidance Manual
Things move quickly and our manual does need updating. It is on our agenda and will be done before the year is out. It is likely that we will move to pure digital format as hard copies are expensive and quickly run out.
Updated Flexischooling Book
It’s definitely time for an update to Prof Roland Meighan’s 1988 book on Flexischooling. It’s likely to be an edited book as we have a much wider resource in terms of contributors and content to draw upon. Realistically, something I’d like to discuss with Educational Heretics Press for next year. Get in touch with Peter at personalisededucationnow@blueyonder.co.uk if you feel you could contribute here. I will be making approaches later in the year!
Centre for Personalised Education – Personalised Education Now. Contributions
As a long established group with worldwide links we have a wide variety of publishing platforms
– Website: https://personalisededucationnow.org.uk (new website under construction)
– Blog: http://blog.personalisededucationnow.org.uk
– Flexischooling Families UK – Facebook Group (some 1700 members)
– Flexischooling –Facebook Group (some 600 members)
– Flexischooling Practitioners – Facebook Group (Emergent)
– Centre for Personalised Education –Personalised Education Now – Facebook Group (Brand – New… please request membership, follow, join in)
– Centre for Person Ed @cpe_pen – Twitter (Brand new… please follow / join in)
– Publishing Partner – Educational Heretics Press – nearly 85 books in the back catalogue. We’re currently re-launching, adding to the listings and additionally moving into ebooks – New website http://www.educationalhereticspress.com/ and Facebook Page under construction.
– We produce two Journals annually
– We produce two newsletters annually
We’re looking for people to contribute stories, articles, research, links and commentary to our web presence and to our journals. We will also welcome expressions of interest regarding book publishing (hard copy / ebook) with our publishing partner Educational Heretics Press. Please get in touch with Peter at personalisededucationnow@blueyonder.co.uk if you want an outlet for your ideas, thoughts and research however, short or long. We need to continuously rehearse and recycle principles, ideas, values and practice.
