Top 13 Reasons Parents Choose to Home-School Their Children

Families of students we tutor in Jersey and Guernsey sometimes wonder whether home-schooling could be the right choice for their children's education, especially with the practice becoming more popular in recent years. So, what prompts parents to make the decision?

1. Quality or Style of Education

A lot of parents choose home-schooling after they have tried traditional schools and found fault with the curriculums, wanting more control over what their children are learning and the quality of teaching.

2. Religious Reasons

Religion is one of the most common factors that lead families to home-school. State schools don't always incorporate specifically religious views into curriculums, so some families choose to incorporate their personal and religious views via home-schooling.

3. Disabilities and Exceptional Needs

Children with learning disabilities or medical conditions often require specialised programmes, and home-schooling can be taught to curriculums that suit their specific needs – similar to how Tutoring Heroes provides tutoring bespoke to each student's needs.

4. Relocations and Life Circumstances

Military and diplomatic families, and those in the finance industry which sees lots of migration in Jersey and Guernsey, sometimes integrate home-schooling into their routine so school remains constant despite other changes.

5. Multifaceted Children

Students with busy schedules, such as parallel athletic or acting careers, often find home-schooling accommodates their life much better than a standard school schedule.

6. Overcrowded Schools

Not really an issue in Jersey and Guernsey, but in high-density areas overcrowded schools can be a major factor, with home-schooling offering more personalised instruction.

7. Commuting Issues

Commuting challenges in rural areas or harsh weather conditions can lead parents to consider home-schooling for reasons of safety and to save time and effort.

8. Shielding Children

Some parents want to protect their children from exposure to failure, disappointment, or unfriendly school communities for as long as possible.

9. Bullying

Many parents choose home-schooling because of bullying or other behavioural problems their children have encountered at school.

10. Flexibility

Home-schooling allows families to tailor school schedules around holidays, days out and family visits – particularly beneficial in Jersey and Guernsey during winter months when daylight is limited.

11. Socialisation and Groups

Home-schooled students are as well-spoken, self-confident and communicative as any school children, with church groups, co-ops and home-school support groups available in Jersey and Guernsey for socialising.

12. Unique and Effective Learning Styles

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to education. Home-schooling lets parents choose the right type of academic instruction for their child, whether hands-on experiments, video-based programmes or literature-based instruction.

13. A Child's Education That Lives On

Home-schooling parents report that the experience strengthens family connections and lives on even after their children leave for college.

Home-Schooling Parents Know What's Best for Their Children

As we have seen, there are many reasons that contribute to a parental decision to home-school children, but the most common is that parents want to create an educational environment where their children can thrive and develop a true love of learning.