BERA UK Podcast

The British Educational Research Association (BERA) is the leading authority on educational research in the UK, supporting and representing the community of scholars, practitioners and everyone engaged in and with educational research both nationally and internationally.BERA is a membership association and learned society committed to advancing research quality, building research capacity and fostering research engagement. We aim to inform the development of policy and practice by promoting the best quality evidence produced by educational research.This podcast consists of research informed content on key educational issues. This podcast gives our members a voice to promote their research and features educational leaders and experts speaking about hot topic issues in Education. Our aim is to produce and promote episodes that attract policymakers, parents, teachers, educational leaders, members of school communities, politicians, and anyone who is interested in education today.

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BERA UK Podcast

Missing grades, missed opportunities? The impact of exam cancellation among elective home education families

October 20, 2020 • BERA UK • Season 1 • Episode 23

In this episode, hosted by the BERA Alternative Education SIG Dr Amber Fensham-Smith (Open University) interviews Joanna Merrett (University of Exeter), a Researcher and Elective Home Education Consultant.

An estimated 54,000 children in the UK are home educated, although the actual number of home educated children is largely unknown.
Amber and Joanna discuss the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on elective home education families and Joanna's recent research submitted to the UK EHE select committee: The Voice of Experienced Elective Home Educating (EHE) parents: the risk of missing home-educated children in the education policy response to school closure and lessons for adapting home learning.

References:
Fensham-Smith, A (2020) Should we really call this home schooling? Reflections from the research field, BERA Blog: https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/should-we-really-call-this-home-schooling-reflections-from-the-research-field

Merrett, J. (2020) ‘The Voice of Experienced Elective Home Educating (EHE) parents: the risk of missing home-educated children in the education policy response to school closure and lessons for adapting home learning’, Written evidence submitted the UK EHE select committee, available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/9204/html/

Ofsted (2019) ‘Exploring moving to home education in secondary schools’, available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/839161/Exploring_moving_into_home_education.pdf

Myers, M. and Bhopal, K. (2018) ‘Muslims, home education and risk in British society’, British Journal of Sociology of Education, 39:2, 212-226.

Pattison, H. (2020) 'Muslim Home Educators in the time of Prevent' International Review of Qualitative Research. 00(0) 1–23

Education Committee, Support for Home Education, Fifth Report of Session 2012–13