FAQs

Q. Is it legal to educate my child at home?

Yes! Scots Law gives parents the duty to ensure that their children are educated, either by ‘attend[ing] a public school regularly or by other means.’ You can find more information on the legal aspects of home education in Scotland, and much more, on the Schoolhouse website here. You will find a lot of other helpful information on the left sidebar of their site.

Q. Will home educating cost me a lot of money?

No, it doesn't have to. Home educating families are usually very resourceful at finding free or cheap curricula or learning experiences! Remember though, that small children in particular do not need many resources bought for them- everyday household objects, normal play and being read to by Mummy or Daddy is enough for a 'preschooler'.

You can find links to free online resources here. Of course there are lots of other ways to learn cheaply- local libraries, education resource centres, secondhand book shops, although it may be harder to find some books printed specifically for the homeschool market there (links to UK homeschool-specific resource suppliers are here). Many museums, castles and visitor attractions will give a discounted or free visit for educational purposes, if you phone in advance.

Often the best way to find out about inexpensive homeschooling is to talk to other home educators who will have their own great tips! Here are a few ideas:

Abe Books - Secondhand books from the UK and US.

Alibris Books UK - Again secondhand books from both sides of the Atlantic.

Amazon - Sells secondhand books as well as new.

Perth and Kinross Council Education Resources Centre - Home educators can apply to use this centre in the basement of AK Bell Library in Perth. The only downside is that you cannot take the children to the basement with you for safety reasons!

Borrow books and now also e-books for free at Dundee libraries.

How We Homeschool for Next to Nothing - Article on Free Homeschool Deals site.

Q. Where do I start?!

Here are a few links to sites with good ideas on beginning to home educate:

Free Guide 'How to Start Homeschooling'

Design Your Homeschool

7 Things a New Homeschool Mum Needs to Know

Q. I've heard there are different methods or approaches to homeschooling- can you tell me more?

One of the beauties of homeschooling is that you can choose the educational approach that suits your family and your child- you are not bound to a particular method or the National Curriculum (although some home educators choose to base their learning on this).

Rather than describe all the different approaches, here are some links to give you an idea:
Design Your Homeschool Approach from Design Your Homeschool

Five Different Approaches to Homeschooling from the Pioneer Woman

3 Key Questions for Homeschooling Approaches from Simply Charlotte Mason

Homeschool Approaches from Homeschool.com