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Good for you, Emma!

Margaret Morrissey clearly has no idea what she's talking about...and from what I can tell, ParentsOutloud is hardly a group at all. I can't find any membership on their site, and though there are a few open polls on the site, there's no evidence that any opinions other than Ms Morrissey's are being broadcast there.

Lastly, as others have said, this article is deplorably ignorant regarding the law in this area. Parents are responsible for their child's education, and do not have to acquire 'permission' to take their children out of school.

- Clover, West Sussex, 31/08/2010 19:27
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What an extraordinarily misinformed article. It's not up to Camden Council to stop Gaia's parents from taking her travelling; her education is the legal responsibility of her parents. I know two families who took their children out of school to go travelling; in both cases the children fitted straight back into school when they returned and had no problem catching up, despite the concerns of their schools. My own two children went to school at eight for the first time, and one of them was out of school for years 6 and 7 as well; he is about to start his A levels at college after another gap year, and the other one is going into Year 8 and doing well, having exceeded all her targets for last year. Neither of them had private tuition either. There are thousands of children in the UK who are perfectly well educated despite never having been to school at all.

- Ali, Dorset, England, 31/08/2010 19:18
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What an extraordinarily misinformed article. It's not up to Camden Council to stop Gaia's parents from taking her travelling; her education is the legal responsibility of her parents. I know two families who took their children out of school to go travelling; in both cases the children fitted straight back into school when they returned and had no problem catching up, despite the concerns of their schools. My own two children went to school at eight for the first time, and one of them was out of school for years 6 and 7 as well; he is about to start his A levels at college after another gap year, and the other one is going into Year 8 and doing well, having exceeded all her targets for last year. Neither of them had private tuition either. There are thousands of children in the UK who are perfectly well educated despite never having been to school at all.

- Ali, Dorset, England, 31/08/2010 19:16
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To Emma Thompson,
Please go and look up the law surrounding the Education Act and then take your daughter abroad and give Camden Council no more thought. They are giving themselves authority which they are not entitled to, and to be honest, if they did have that sort of authority, we would be living in a very sad world. Your instincts are right. go with them!

- BoredOfNarrowmindedness, UK, 29/08/2010 21:39
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Told by who, exactly? The legal responsibility for a child's education rests with the parents of the child, to ensure they receive an education suitable for the child's age, aptitude and ability. As home educating parents will all be aware there is incessant misinformation spread by the likes of Ed Balls, and the accursed Badman report, as well as by local authorities, as to what home education is, who does it, whetehr it is a cause for concern, and what entitlement the council has to know your business.

Parents can delegate this responsibility to a school (as most do), but can deregister their child if they choose, without having to 'convince' anybody that they should be allowed.

Who are Parents Outloud? I've never heard of them as experts on home education. Parents wishing to educate themselves certainly need not be wealthy (in fact, there's research showing children from lower-income households can benefit enormously from HE) and don't need private tutors. Parents Outloud seem to have the idea that school = learning, no school = not learning, despite conceding that she is going to have a valuable enriching experience. She will, in the course of the year, be exposed to history, geography, art, culture, literature, social situations, languages, and more.

And I'm pleased to see that most commenters see Emma's decision as a positive one.

- Barry, Sheffield, UK, 29/08/2010 20:22
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Good on Emma Thompson. Her daughter will get more out of that 12 months than the 12 or so years she'll spend at school.

Even better no National Curriculum. She'll be able to learn about the world and real education, rather thaqn the spoonfed, dumbed down government propaganda Ed Ballsup left us with in schools.

If I was Emma, I wouldn't take her back.

One final point; Camden Council has no power of veto over the decision, thank God. They just need to know its happened, then they can all go back to wasting taxpayer's money.

- Thecountrysfinished, Up North, 29/08/2010 19:48
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This article is full of inaccuracies about the law. Parents have the duty to educate their children, not Camden or any other council (which is probably just as well given the number of failing schools they are responsible for).

You don't need to be rich or famous to home educate either, just write a deregistration letter to the school (or, more sensibly, don't send your kids in the first place).

One of my children decided to return to school at 13 after a long period of home education and found he was so far ahead academically he was bored rigid so he returned to home education. His friends could only look on enviously as he walked to freedom and he has since secured a place on a highly competitive degree course. His sisters both went to prestigious universities without bothering with schools - one is currently doing a masters degree and the other is that most elusive of creatures, a fully employed graduate!

I hope the Evening Standard will correct the inaccuracies in this article which may potentially mislead readers into believing that school is compulsory (or even educational).

- Alex, London, UK, 29/08/2010 19:13
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What a fantastic opportunity for this child! She will learn much more travelling the world than she would being confined to a desk for a year. I applaud this family's decision (not that it's my business, anyway).

I can't see how anyone (i.e. Camden Council) can even attempt to tell a parent that they can't take their child travelling for a year. In addition, she won't be behind the other kids when she gets back. Rote learning is tricky in terms of retention at the best of times - a year isn't going to make a noticeable difference. She'll be fine.

- Rebecca, Canada, 29/08/2010 19:06
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@ Stephen: And you know this, that this child will never "settle down," because, you are God? You have great experience with this child? You know everything about all children?

I don't get how people think they should have any opinion about this at all. This is a family's private decision about how to spend their time. What business is it of anyone else? Parents, yes, parents, are the only people entitled to make decisions for, about, regarding children, unless there is evidence of neglect or abuse. For thousands of years of human history, most societies have respected that parental role. It is horrendous that we now live in a world in which parents are not trusted with their own children.

- Kelly, Victoria, Canady, 29/08/2010 17:12
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@ Stephen: And you know this, that this child will never "settle down," because, you are God? You have great experience with this child? You know everything about all children?

I don't get how people think they should have any opinion about this at all. This is a family's private decision about how to spend their time. What business is it of anyone else? Parents, yes, parents, are the only people entitled to make decisions for, about, regarding children, unless there is evidence of neglect or abuse. For thousands of years of human history, most societies have respected that parental role. It is horrendous that we now live in a world in which parents are not trusted with their own children.

- Kelly, Victoria, Canady, 29/08/2010 17:10
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Good for her! Travelling is one of the best educational experiences and a head master at my son's (very good) prep school always said they would learn more seeing the world than at school when we used to take him out to travel. So some teachers in the system are enlightened!

- D Dhorne, Herefordshire, 29/08/2010 09:42
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Sindy....How gobsmackingly wrong you are!
"The rest of us"(you) are the narrow minded ones that have the misfortune to adopt such a misguided attitude.What you wrote is completely back to front.
For many,school education alone will NOT suffice to produce a well rounded child.
As a teacher I can assure you that many schools are too busy with crowd control to deliver the full package.
I also took my son (when he was 7)overland,London to Kathmandu(Nepal) with 9 others in an ex SAS army truck.I am not rich and we did it on a very tight budget but it's very possible to spend considerably less than you would in the 'real world'
We went through France,Italy,Turkey,Iran,Pakistan and India camping all the way.(Cynic,you just seem a bit bitter about your own unfortunate disease filled experiences and are talking waffle)
Our journey totally MADE the fantastic,well balanced 19yr old my son is today.He achieved 12 GCSE's,3 A'levels(he would not even write a postcard on the trip so I didn't push it) and is now doing a 3 yr film making degree in which he is making a documentary with the 26 hrs of precious footage from that trip to show the immense benefits of such 'irresponsible' behaviour.Hopefully it will be used as a tool for educating those of you who are soo wrongly and strongly opposed to the best thing you could ever do for your child.
FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well done Emma Thompson and,by the way,who the hell are Parents Outloud??...get your facts right!!!

- Susy Campbell, london, 18/08/2010 19:15
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Presumably as it's a 'gap' year, the kid will join the year that she would have entered, but only one year later. Therefore, it is hard to understand the objection that the kid will lose out and have to 'catch up'. Catch up on what? She won't be skipping the next year. That way continuity will be assured. The kid is hardly likely to 'forget' the stuff she previously learned, and will simply pick up where she left off, full of renewed energy and enthusiasm for learning, no doubt, as well as with the benefit of further perspectives on the world, which can only be a good thing.

- Kevin Lynch, Dublin, 18/08/2010 12:36
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@ PAUL

Immersing oneself in and appreciating local culture is not mutually exclusive with keeping in touch with loved ones, such as best friends and family. Even the remotest islands have internet cafs these days and you will always find the FULL of people keeping in touch with their loved ones, no matter how hippie and 'dropped out' they are.

I simply meant that in terms of the child's welfare, one could conjecture that to lose ties with friends at that age is possibly harmful - however is very unlikely. One can hardly expect the girl to go on the missing list in order to 'enjoy traveling'. Talk about taking a point totally out of context!

No doubt Ms Thompson CAN afford to get her daughter in Haberdashers or Henrietta Barnett without any difficulty so people may have noses out of joint but if that's her REALITY, she isn't depriving her child, she's enriching her childs life experience.

- Real, Camden, 18/08/2010 11:23
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Well Well! I can only see Ms Thompson flaunting her status in boasting about taking her child on this excursion & then to think after 1yr of not being around she will just obtain a place in Secondary school….All because she (I assume) won’t be taking a ‘sacred’ local school place, not hunting & encroaching on others to grab property to live in catchment areas, no worries on drilling her child into passing SATs or made Sunday efforts in attending religious sermons etc. etc…well pretty much what most of society Parents get up too!

So Emma can afford to swan off around the world, not give two hoots about social climbing of grabbing that outstanding school place….because it will be offered to her anyway because of her status & wealth…it’s a true class thing!
Oh! Don’t forget her wealth can show her child the poverty of others in far flung Countries, something Mummy’s dearest can talk about in her class…aaah!

- Jamie, London, 18/08/2010 11:08
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This article is incorrect with regard to the law on withdrawing your child from school. In England and Wales there is no requirement to "convince" the education authority that you will educate your child in any particular way. If you wish to withdraw your child, then their name must simply be removed from the register. The Local Education Authority will probably make contact but there is no requirement for them to monitor/visit a home educating family beyond some informal questions.

In Scotland you must ask for consent to withdraw your child from school but this may not be unreasonably withheld.

I think it's also quite ridiculous to assume that a child given the full attention and time of both her parents will definitely be behind her age group after a year. Surely extra communication, time and help from adults who are only teaching one child is going to have a similar, if not better, outcome than a teacher who may have a class of 30 children to teach?

- Tamsin, Epsom, UK, 18/08/2010 10:18
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"In this day and age of emails, blackberries, webcams, the child can no doubt keep in touch with her existing friends" - yup, Real, there's nothing like fully immersing yourself in the local culture.

- Paul, London, 18/08/2010 09:50
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Wow the mind blowing negativity towards an intelligent (extremely wealthy) woman showing her child a bit of the world. Unless the child is somehow educationally subnormal (and even then it probably wouldn't matter) I'm sure she'll take no time at all to catch up on studies. Not to mention the likelihood of a private tutor.

People may wish to focus their attentions on all the numerous slebs who hoik their kids 'informally' out of school and trail them around the world based on insane motivations - such as Katie Price wanting to make it big in the USA (in reality destroying her marriage and confusing the heck out of her kids, such as the reprehensible Alicia Douvall shlepping her child to the USA in order to have MORE plastic surgery and register the girl with a model agency whilst trying to persuade her to become a topless model, such as probably whatever Madonna does with her children (not quite sure but probably involves lots of airports).

A year out of school? Jeez you'd think she was pimping her out to paedophiles or something. 15 years IN SCHOOL didn't do much for most people I know!

- Real, Camden, 17/08/2010 18:51
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Tracey - I've lived in the UK all my life and know of non-one whose health has been seriously impaired due to drinking unfit water or eating contaminated fruit or vegetables. Or been bitten by dangerous insects (snakes anyone? yes I know we have 1 or 2 but hardly in the same numbers as India) and when did you last see a case of leprosy? or seen faeces and urine running down a street? or been bitten by tiger mosquitoes? (I have and was hospitalised - not in the UK!). As someone who has travelled a lot I think it is dangerously naive to assume that it is a piece of cake taking a small child to such a place. As I say, I wish you well and good luck - you will need it.

- cynic, London UK, 17/08/2010 18:42
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Travel does NOT "broaden the mind" - it only makes you long for home - only narrow minded and unimaginitive people need their minds "broadening". The rest of us think that education will do it.

- sindy, London UK, 17/08/2010 18:33
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To Cynic. She'll be missing 3 weeks of school, unless they are teaching 'How to Survive Death' that week I am sure she will be ok. The diseases you listed she could catch here, possibly more in fact if she was to end up in an NHS hospital.

- Tracy Javid, Luton Bedfordshire, 17/08/2010 18:06
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Traveling is a wonderful and enriching experience. If a child is lucky enough to have an intelligent, inspiring, and wealthy parent who is responsible and thoughtful (as Emma Thompson is - she is literally one of the nicest people I have ever met), then it is a fantastic idea.

I very much doubt her child is going be intellectually impoverished or unable to catch up academically.

Why do people think the child won't settle down afterwards? That's pure conjecture and probably inaccurate. In this day and age of emails, blackberries, webcams, the child can no doubt keep in touch with her existing friends -likely have them to pop over for little visits even.

A 'gap year' before starting high school would be brilliant by comparison to when one is skint after A levels or skint during university or job seeking.

The woman is a responsible adult, making a thought through choice for her child. She's hardly some traveling gypsy denying her child education. Education isn't about shool - that's 'indoctrination'. Education is about EVERYTHING, the world, how other people live, seeing things you've never seen before.

A person of any age is perfectly entitled to be indoctrinated with GCSE or A level or degree level of any subject later in life, whereas having your mum to take you out on a year of traveling which it would most be thrilling and mind-expanding seems to be terric.

- Real, Camden, 17/08/2010 17:36
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oh cynic. The last few months of year 6 the kids seem to do nothing anyway not to mention the end of the year school trip which is supposed to build them up. Mine came home with pnemonia not to mention athletes foot. And it seems they are forever on holidays so a year out travelling the world would benefit them far more than the 1/2 year they spend in class.

- Brian Fast, Sydney, Australia, 17/08/2010 16:50
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Would everyone just chill out? Emma Thompson is wealthy enough to get a private tutor to tag along for the trip. Her daughter will be just fine. It might be boring to go to school coming back, but hey! that´s part of the experience. Might not be fun to be a near 13 year old girl with a class full of 11 year old boys though.....

- juma, at home, :), 17/08/2010 16:44
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Tracey Javid of Luton. India certainly does change you - amoebic dysentery, septicaemia, hepatitis....I could go on. My hippy sister took her daughters to India and rued the day; she is still coping with the results of her ill advised "life changing" trip. Immature immune systems unused to such a rampant exposure to unfamiliar foods, insects and conditions don't always cope very well. Good luck to you and your daughter - and I hope, when she faces a lifetime of poor job prospects because she missed so much school she remembers the experience with pleasure.

- cynic, London UK, 17/08/2010 16:31
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Oh get off your high horses. She can afford to educate her daughter at home if she needs to 'catch up'. What a wonderful mother, there's no greater school than the school of life, and I hope she has an amazing time. Good for her!!!

- MAXINE, LONDON, 17/08/2010 16:02
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Travel broadens the mind. I'm hoping to take my daughter (aged 8) to India next year for 3 weeks. India forever changes you. It will give her a new perspective on life here in the UK.

If Emma wants to take her daughter out of school for a year, she will still go on to have a great life and pass all the exams she needs or wants to. Its not as if she is going to lie prone on a beach with a beer in her hand.
let parents parent. If you want to give your attention to the needs of children, just take a ride to your local sink hole estate and wave your magic wand over it.

- Tracy Javid, Luton Bedfordshire, 17/08/2010 15:48
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Thats big of the education system, when so many children leave primary school not knowing how to read and write properly. Travelling and learning the way of life in other cultures is inspirational and educational. If you have the money why not give your child the opportunity before they enter their secondary schooling.

- TP, Brighton, 17/08/2010 15:05
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It's obvious the girl will learn a lot but she'll never settle down after such a wonderful experience as this. Emma is doing no favour to her daughter, what is it with these showbiz types?

- Stephen C, London, 17/08/2010 14:47
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