Home Education

Education not-at-home
Over the last few years we have arrived at the decision to not go down the mainstream route with Amelia’s education. There are many reasons for this, which I will not go into too much, but it boils down to the overwhelming sense that she will thrive outside a classroom environment.

There are many misconceptions about home education, one of which is that you have to teach your child at home, and that you have to stick to some sort of curriculum or timetable. Neither of these is true, and actually, despite my own preference for some form of structure with my own learning, we are fast discovering that Amelia suits a much less structured form of learning.

We are outside almost every day, either in a forest, a nature reserve, or just in town. Her most asked-for indoor activity is a visit to a museum or discovery centre.

As far as possible, I try to visit free attractions – most museums are free nowadays and have excellent facilities for young children, with interactive exhibits, and easy to read information, and obviously libraries are a fantastic free resource. Some of our favourite local attractions do however require an admission fee, or a membership, but these ones seemed worth it to us:

Bury St Edmunds Heritage Ticket – this will give you free entry to Moyse’s Hall Museum in Bury St Edmunds and to West Stow Anglo Saxon Village and Museum, as well as free parking at West Stow and at Nowton Park.

Suffolk Wildlife Trust – Although technically the Trust’s sites are free to enjoy, your membership will help to maintain the reserves and protect local wildlife. You get a lovely explorer pack when you sign up, with regular newsletters and activities for children. Our favourite local sites are Lackford Lakes, Bradfield Woods, Knettishall Heath and Redgrave and Lopham Fen. They often have events on during the school holidays and at weekends for families.

RSPB – We mostly use our membership at Minsmere and at Lakenheath Fen - the amount you donate is up to you. The reserves always have lots going on for children, and their education departments run some fantastic events.

The National Trust – There are so many available NT locations in East Anglia, with our own Ickworth Park on our doorstep, plus some wonderful properties nearby, including Flatford Mill, Wicken Fen, Oxborough Hall, Melford Hall, Wimpole Estate and Anglesey Abbey, and all of them have something to offer families.

We take a little notebook and a pencil with us wherever we go, and write down anything interesting we see, or take a rubbing etc. As you know, I am a fan of taking photos, so most of our experiences are documented that way, which means we can go home and discuss what we saw together. Wherever there is an opportunity, Amelia will be learning – either reading a menu in a café, map-reading in the car, identifying trees and bugs, or learning how to add up in a shop. If you are considering home education for your child, do have a look for local HE groups in Suffolk. There are some very supportive forums online and plenty of regular events for home educating families. I have recently set up a Facebook Page to act as the West Suffolk Home Education Hub.

Local places to visit
Cambridge University Museums (mostly free!)
https://www.facebook.com/cambridgeuniversitymuseums/
Kentwell Hall
https://www.facebook.com/KentwellHall/
Moyse’s Hall Museum
https://www.facebook.com/moyseshall/
Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket
https://www.facebook.com/MuseumEALife/
National Trust East of England
https://www.facebook.com/EastofEnglandNT/
RSPB
https://www.facebook.com/RSPBSuffolk/
Suffolk Wildlife Trust
https://www.facebook.com/suffolkwildlife/
West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village and Museum
https://www.facebook.com/weststow/

Please let me know if you can think of other links you feel would be useful here, or if any of the links no longer work. By sharing these companies I am in no way endorsing them, and accept no liability or responsibility as a result of their services.

Suffolk Wildlife Trust

Knettishall Heath
www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org
Main car park,
Knettishall Heath, Thetford,
Suffolk, IP22 2TQ

Junior Rangers
Sun, 04/02/2018 - 10:00am - 12:00pm
Child place (age 6 - 12) £2.00
Monthly sessions for 6 - 12 year olds exploring the nature reserve through exciting and educational games and practical activities. Parents are asked to stay for the first session but are free to leave after that.

Teens: Young Wardens
Sun, 04/02/2018 - 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Practical and fun sessions on the reserve for 11 - 16 year olds
These monthly sessions introduce wildlife conservation; past activities have included learning bushcraft and looking for reptiles!
Please wear appropriate outdoor clothing
Child place (age 11 - 16) £3.00

Activity day for home-educated children Tue, 27/02/2018 - 10:30am - 2:30pm
Wildlife and practical activities for home-educated 10 -16 year olds. This month’s theme is 'Homes and Habitats!' We will be making bird nest boxes to take home or put up on the reserve, as well as other animal homes and learning about what they need to live on the reserve.
Please wear appropriate outdoor clothing and bring a packed lunch.
Child place (age 10 - 16) £7.00

Redgrave & Lopham Fen Education Centre,
Redgrave & Lopham Fen, Diss,
Norfolk, IP22 2HX

Teens: Young naturalists
Seasonal wildlife identification skills for unaccompanied 11-15 year olds. Thu, 15/02/2018 – 10:00am – 2:00pm
Child place (age 11 - 15) £7.00

Foxburrow Farm
Foxburrow Farm, Saddlemakers Lane,
Melton, Woodbridge,
Suffolk , IP12 1NA

Activity Day for Home Educated Children aged 6- 12 years 'Alive and Deadly' Tue, 20/02/2018 - 10:00am - 2:00pm
For unaccompanied 6- 12 year olds.
Note bookings close at 8am on the day of this event.
Child place (aged 6-12 years) £7.00

Lackford Lakes
Lackford Lakes, Suffolk,
IP28 6HX

Children’s Tracks and Trails for 8-12s Thu, 15/02/2018 - 10:30am - 2:30pm
Activity morning for unaccompanied children.
Look at tracks,make plaster casts and identify skulls and bones! Children to be unaccompanied.
Please pre-book.
Child place (aged 8-12 years) £7.00

Teens: Young wardens at Lackford Lakes Fri, 16/02/2018 - 10:30am - 2:30pm
Practical conservation and naturalist skills for 11-16 year olds. Please pre-book Wear outdoor clothes and bring a packed lunch and water bottle.
Young warden £3.00

Wildlife Watch Group
Sun, 18/02/2018 - 10:00am - 12:00pm
Wildlife Watch activity for children aged 6- 12 years. Parents are welcome to stay. For more information, please email [email protected]
Please book online.
Suggested donation £2 per child on the day.

Children's activity: Naturally art
Sat, 03/03/2018 - 10:00am - 12:00pm
Art activities inspired by the natural world for 5 - 10 years, all abilities. Children's event only. Bring an old shirt or apron
Children's event only, parents do not stay
Child place £5.00

Regular Home Ed groups and activities

Groups on Facebook:
Home Education Suffolk
Home Ed Mummies (in and around Bury St Edmunds)
Suffolk Early Years Home Education Network

Tuesdays:

Curve Motion
First Tuesday of the month 1pm-3pm.
£7 for skate OR play
£8 for skate AND play.
Price includes skate hire
CURVE MOTION DATES 2018:
Tues 6th Feb Tues 6th Mar
Tues 3rd Apr – No session as Easter Hols Tues 1st May
Tues 5th Jun Tues 3rd Jul
Tue 7th Aug – No session as Summer Hols Tues 4th Sept – No session as Summer Hols Tues 2nd Oct
Tues 6th Nov Tues 4th Dec

Stowmarket Library Home Education Lego Club
www.facebook.com/groups/713231445539542
ALL AGES WELCOME Lego club held fortnightly on a Tuesday 10-12. Lego and Duplo is provided however, if your child has a favourite set which they’d like to bring along and share then please feel free to do so

Bredfield group
Bredfield Social Group runs on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at Bredfield Village Hall. It's very near Woodbridge, so a bit of a trek from Bury, but well worth it! We have a gaggle of teens in the group, along with lots of other age ranges, and although mainly a social get together for families (and a chance for the children to socialise in bigger groups) we do have regular activities such as crafts, fetes, some classes, parties etc., and a shared lunch every week (and lots of cake!). Everybody always welcome. 12 - 5, £4.50 per family.

Wednesdays:

Newbourne group
Home ed social meet at Newbourne village hall (inside the Ipswich, Woodbridge, Felixstowe triangle. 1st and 3rd Wednesdays from 12 to 4.30. £3.50 per family.

Fridays:

Tostock Group.
A social HE group for Suffolk. All families welcome. Tostock Village Hall (between Bury St. Edmunds and Stowmarket). First Friday of every month with themed activities or workshops. £4 per family.

Thurston Group
A social HE group for Suffolk. Second and Fourth Fridays of every month.

Thurston younger children/gentle parenting group
Will be meeting for the first time on Friday 23rd Feb from 1pm - 3pm at Thurston library, Thurston Community College, Thurston, IP31 3SD

Kinetic Science
Bringing Science Alive Club
Practical themed science activities. A fantastic opportunity to engage scientifically with your children and other home educating families. Monthly sessions starting Friday 23rd February at the Moreton Hall Youth Club in Bury St Edmunds. Sessions at 10-12 and 1-3. £10 per child, parents free.
www.kineticscience.co.uk
[email protected]
01284 277122

Moyse’s Hall Museum Club
Coming soon!! Different theme each month with artefact handling, crafts and stories at Moyse’s Hall Museum. (gathering interest for days/times but probably once a month on a Friday)

West Suffolk College
Come to our second Open Event of 2018 on Saturday 24 February from 9.30am to 1.30pm and sign up for the course of your dreams starting in September 2018.
A taster, a tour and an introduction to the tutors. Open events are the ideal opportunity to get a better idea of what West Suffolk College has to offer.
Staff and current students are available to answer your questions - about courses, studying or student finance - and take you on a tour of the campus.
You’ll be able to apply for a course at the event and staff will be on hand to help you through the process.

More to come soon!

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