Home-schooled children and their parents blow bubbles in Church Litten park to raise awareness of concerns over a government review of home schooling. Picture by Laura Holme.
HOME school families from across the Island gathered in Newport to raise concerns about a national review.
The Island action, a protest and picnic at Church Litten Park, was part of a national push to raise awareness of the implications that a government commissioned review of home schooling could have.
Lisa Heath, of Island home education group the Isle of Wight Learning Zone, said they were particularly concerned about recommendations for local education authority interviews with children without parents being present.
"That would go further than even the police or social services are allowed to do," said Ms Heath.
At the event the group also raised concerns about the possible introduction of long-term curriculum plans that would have to be approved by the local authority.
"With a child-led learning approach like home-schooling you cannot do that. You cannot say the child is going to study a subject like ancient Rome, because they might become interested in ancient China.
"Having a 12-month plan to which we are beholden on threat of a school attendance order doesn’t allow us to tailor education as we go along," she said.
Reporter: ross.findon@iwcp.co.uk