Lesley, Dylan’s mum, allowed him to leave school a year ago and has been home educating him. He had been told he was ‘slow’ but has blossomed since leaving school
Lesley: “Dylan is 13 and has been out of school for almost a year. Before this he was anxious, not achieving at school, finding lessons difficult etc due to a visual processing disorder which he didn’t get support for within school. He was told he was slow and kept getting moved down sets even though he is a bright boy.
Since he has been removed his confidence has soared. He has been able to concentrate on his passion of music and drama. There’s a local group, Jack Drum Arts who have put in a lot of effort with him as a performer. Dylan has performed in Europe in a Samba band with adults as his peers, he performed in Brazillica, the largest Brazilian festival in the UK and many more smaller events. He has taught others music and shown he is a mature and articulate leader.
In August Dylan will be performing in a production of As You Like It, taking on one of the larger roles, playing opposite adults. He couldn’t have done any of this within school. He has also been asked to produce a short documentary on the visual processing disorder therapy process which he is developing now. He has already produced two short films on pollution and how to save water.
He has also excelled in the scouts and proved himself a popular role model. Whatever he does he does with 100% enthusiasm. He has his online subscriptions for the core subjects and groups he goes to and we do a lot of trips and outings.
Dylan “Over the last year home ed has helped me develop more skills for life than school would have done. I’ve made more friends doing things that I love. I’ve been able to feel more free to express myself through my music and drama. Home ed has helped me learn at my own pace whereas when I was at school I had to learn at the teachers’ pace which made me fall behind and be anxious. I don’t have to worry about that now and have made progress in subjects I was struggling with.”