The first few years of each young life, when children are at their mother's knee, is a time of natural home education. It carries on through childhood and teens unless school interrupts it.

Maybe you sent your own child to school but now feel tempted (or even driven) to think again. Or maybe you’re homeschooling right now and need some advice. Either way, you probably hate seeing anxious schoolkids dressed like convicts and graded like eggs.

As a young teacher, I was specially upset by the way an urchin called Steven was treated - so much so that I handed in my stick of chalk. 

I gained a senior lectureship in education, often teaching the simple idea that school can be good - but school can also be very bad.

These days, I'm an educational author, private tutor and home ed advisor. For personal answers, please feel free to get in touch. For the broader picture, just read on!

Far from being isolated, home ed youngsters get out and about far more than schoolkids. For a start, families meet in each others' homes for study, craft activities or just to make friends.

For those within reach of Norwich centre there's also the

 option of one or two classroom lessons each week, offered in various subjects for families who home educate.

Perhaps we should call it 'Freedom Learning' or 'Learning Together.' It certainly isn't a cloistered existence!

Home education opens so many doors! For example, the stars in the film The Princess and Curdie are both home educated. See the glee on their faces in this open air scene - and now imagine them stuck behind desks!

Once school is started, breaking with it seems a big step to take, though formalities are next to none. Whether you stick with home ed from infancy or return to it later, it's a major investment in a youngster's success and happiness.

I personally regret not making that investment for my own three children. One lives and learns!

I do now share in the home education of my resident grandson Elijah. (He's the relaxed young scholar you can see in this photo!)

I also support several other local families in their homeschool adventure.