How is the credit crunch creating a British renaissance in home schooling?

How is the credit crunch creating a British renaissance in home schooling?

Article by Adam Caller

The credit crunch has affected all industries, and private education is not an exception. In the UK, almost 20 private schools have either already been closed or announced that they will be closing in the next few months. Parents are forced to look for alternatives in these circumstances, leading to the increasing popularity of home schooling by full-time private tutors. Affluent families switching from a closing private school to home schooling by a full time private tutor are realising that the change is more than a solution; it’s an improvement. With more positive mainstream media coverage than ever before, attitudes towards home schooling are changing and the credit crunch seems to be creating a renaissance in home schooling.

Home schooling marks a return to traditional teaching methods

Educating a child in a school setting is a relatively recent phenomenon; compulsory education was introduced as late as the 1880’s. It took a significant period of time for schooling to become recognisable as the formal schooling provided by the state as seen in the twenty-first century.

For the affluent, the history of education has run a different course; wealthy families have traditionally engaged the services of a full-time private tutor – often a governess – to educate their children. Private schools were few and far between, often offering a predominantly religious education, or preparation for life as a naval officer or other specialised profession. Private schools as we would recognise them today didn’t establish themselves until as late as the nineteenth century, and now that some are closing due to the credit crunch, parents are going back to the traditional method of educating their child with a full-time private tutor.

A private school closure forces parents to re-evaluate how their child is educated

The closure of school is incredibly stressful for all involved, especially as in some cases, the announcement can be sudden and with little notice. A private school is run as a business, therefore closure can take place just as suddenly as it can for a failing company. If there are no other suitable schools in the area, the family may have to consider moving house in order to find a place to educate their child.

When faced with the prospect of having to sell the family home, leaving behind friends and neighbours, school based education has suddenly turned into an inconvenience. This is when a family seriously considers home education.

Private tuition that is tailored to the child

Private schools are often excellent at providing extra help where needed, or additional activities for the gifted child. However, nothing compares to the simple fact that professional home schooling carried out by a full-time tutors results in education that is tailor made to suit the child’s learning style. The tutor receives immediate feedback and can alter explanations accordingly, so the home schooled child is never left behind when they find a new topic difficult, nor bored when the subject is something they find easy.

Home schooling a teenager in the critical exam years

If there is someone in the family who has the time to school a child at home every day, home schooling for a younger child may be possible for a parent. However, if the child is on the brink of critical exams, parents need to recruit a private tutor to deal with the more advanced curriculum. A dedicated full-time private tutor is an ideal solution, as the best tutors are able to educate at that level in all subjects. This removes the need to juggle several tutors for short slots, and ensures that the child receives the best education possible, along with tailored exam practice. The child can still be entered into public examinations, so the switch to home schooling with a full-time private tutor is actually beneficial.

Home schooling and socialisation

Once parents have realised that, educationally speaking, home schooling is usually going to be better quality than that received at school, the next concern is socialisation with peers. The image of a child at home, constantly studying and not talking to anyone else their own age is wildly inaccurate. The best full-time private tutors are highly skilled at finding local clubs and activities designed to provide the opportunities to socialise and also experience a wide range of pursuits.

Many teachers and university tutors comment upon how self-assured, independent and proactive home schooled children are, and when one considers the nature of school based socialisation, it may not be as important as first thought. There are likely to be other children with whom social time is detrimental, and the social conditions experienced at school are quite artificial. There are very few professions in which it’s advantageous to be able to sit still in a room with other people at exactly the same age but differing interests, abilities and aspirations. Socialisation oriented around a common interest is rewarding and much closer to adult life, and is also likely to provide more experience in how to deal with a wider age range that school will provide.

Home schooling fits around a lifestyle, rather than life fitting around school

For the families who have employed a full-time tutor after switching from school education, the benefits of being independent of the school calendar are apparent. Holidays can be enjoyed as a family at any time of year. Travel plans can be more ambitious and integrated with the child’s education, as the tutor can travel with the family and tailor lessons to incorporate local history, language, culture and places of interest. There are no longer any reasons to delay trips, as they will no longer interfere with the child’s education, on the contrary; it will often enhance their education greatly.

These are just some of the reasons why we are seeing a renaissance in home schooling by private tutors. Education for the affluent seems to be coming full circle; the benefits provided by a dedicated tutor making home schooling a preferred choice, rather than a last resort when the local private school closes.

About the Author

Adam Caller has been directly involved in education for the entirety of his career, has taught children of all ages and has received specialist training in dyslexia and ADHD. As founder of Tutors International, a worldwide organisation providing experienced private tutors to work with children of all ages and nationalities, Adam has turned his expertise to recruiting, training and placing other tutors to help families.