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At my last collection attempt to see our alienated child my ex said she's intending to pull our child out of school to homeschool them next September. Our child goes to an OFSTED outstanding school and has gained confidence and grown academically since starting there, they get lots of opportunities for unique activities at this school and it socialises them which my ex historically has never bothered to. I note our child never seems to go to friends' houses when in her care, doesn't get invited to many birthday parties and despite being popular whilst in school as per his teacher's report he doesn't seem to have many 'friends' (i.e didn't see anyone during summer holidays his own age except when I took him to see children he knows through me).
I told my ex I'm not comfortable with the idea of her homeschooling him as I don't believe she will join homeschooling groups to socialise him as well as recently discovering via our child that she is pregnant and therefore will likely not have time to teach our child and her older child she has from a previous relationship. Our child has got glowing school reports and is thriving in the stability a school environment provides them. My ex seems fond of the concept of 'unschooling' which I 100% am against as our child is academically bright and shows promise to pursue any career they want through education. My ex hasn't got a great track record for stability in terms of living arrangements, childcare arrangements and verbal abuse in front of our child all of which I don't think provide a stable home-schooling environment. She said her reasoning to homeschool is because our child is being bullied - something the school have now confirmed to me in writing they are entirely unaware of and don't know why she is claiming as such, other than if our child is lying (I've noticed they lie more than your average child as their Mum has taught them to be dishonest and she believes their child fantasy stories verbatim with no sensible questioning).
Have any of you come across this issue where your ex is intending to withdraw a perfectly capable and happy child from school and is lying about the reasoning? I highly suspect the reason is to keep me away from his information as she did also lie to the school and his medical establishments by telling them I was absent which was a headache to overturn in order to get information directly from them. I'm thinking about getting a specific issue order or a prohibitive steps order to try and stop this but realise from research I might not be able to.... Any help always much appreciated!!
Specific Issue applications over education issues are more common than you might realise. The first step would be mediation, and if that is unsuccessful, you can make an application. If you believe she intends to act imminently, you can make an urgent application. Every case is different and therefore impossible to predict outcomes but you would be entitled to a contested hearing and have a chance to put your case to the court. From what you have said, you sound like you have a strong case against the homeschooling.
Best of luck
Thanks Yoda - I went to the school and they confirmed she's talking rubbish. Think if she pushes it any further I'll be applying for a specific issue order as the school said he is doing so well there.
...you can apply for a variation of the existing order, as mentioned in your other thread, at the same time as applying for the SIO
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