How often does this podcast release new episodes?

This podcast updates bi-weekly.

Where can I listen to this podcast?

This podcast is available on 6 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.

Does this podcast accept guests?

No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.

The BIG Home Ed Conversations

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by Kelly Rigg & Ashley Vanerio

5.0(9 reviews)

66 episodes

Updated Bi-weekly

Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇬🇧

Podcast Authority

Beta

FairBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more

Quality46

Social94

YouTube64

Engagement60

Learn more

Podcast Overview

The BIG Home Ed Conversations is one of the top active 'home education' podcasts for parents who want to move past the myths and dive deep into what we actually want to talk about as alternative educators. Join Kelly (home ed mum of 2 and home education coach & mentor) and Ashley (ex-primary teacher & home ed mum of 3) as they debunk myths, tackle real challenges, and share honest, empowering, mindset-shifting conversations for families choosing alternative education. Whether you’re new to home educating or looking for fresh perspectives to support your child’s learning journey, this podcast offers practical advice, mindset shifts, and heartfelt stories from UK-based parents and experts. We go beyond the basics—helping you handle the ups and downs of home education, break free from generational patterns, and build confidence in your own path. Tune in for weekly episodes packed with reassurance, motivation and community for mums, dads, and anyone passionate about holistic, alternative, project-led, or eclectic education. Find out why we’re one of the top-rated home ed podcasts, and feel less alone on your journey. Find us at www.bighomeedpodcast.com Ps. We only use the term homeschooling from time to time to help US, European and new to home ed families find us!

Language

🇺🇲

Publishing Since

3/10/2024

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🇺🇸 Charts #3

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Apple 142

Spotify 827

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Podcast Authority

Beta

FairBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more

Quality46

Social94

YouTube64

Engagement60

Learn more

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excellent

Episode Length

45 minutes

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Every 12 days

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Recent Episodes

July 19, 2026

Season Finale: Screen Safety, Fake News & AI: Helping Home Ed Kids Build Digital Discernment

In this final episode of the season, we’re doing something a bit different. (Please note, no explicit details are mentioned, but use caution if you listen with children as we do discuss things they may be exposed to as they start to use the internet more widely.)   We originally planned an episode focused on internet safety and online security… and then real life happened. We were away at our annual home ed camp, the world took over, and we decided to lean into the learning that was already happening right in front of us.   So this becomes a wider conversation about: <ul> <li>Why “the plan” doesn’t always happen (and why that’s not a failure)</li> <li>How real-life experiences can teach safety, boundaries, communication, and responsibility in a way no worksheet ever could</li> <li>How to start age-appropriate conversations about online safety without introducing scary details too early </li> </ul> We also share practical ways we’ve been exploring digital literacy at home, including: <ul> <li>Noticing how fast-paced videos are designed to keep kids watching (frame changes, zooms, constant stimulation)</li> <li>Comparing YouTube-style content to slower documentaries and noticing what our brains remember</li> <li>Talking about influence: how creators shape what kids think is “normal” (including illegal or unsafe behaviour being presented as entertainment)</li> <li>Helping kids question whether something is real or AI-generated</li> <li>Teaching “data safety”: what not to share online (surname, location, pet names, family details)</li> <li>Why pausing, checking sources, and doing a bit of research matters (especially with fake news and misinformation)</li> <li>A real example of a child being scammed in an online game—and what that taught about trust, risk, and due diligence</li> </ul> And we bring it back to the heart of home education: community, character, and the kind of learning that happens when children are given space to live, play, negotiate, help others, and grow.   Sponsor: Strew - a home education logging app created by a home educating mum and her brother. We have loved using Strew this season, loved the feed its created of the amazing adventures we've had with our kids, the learning insights it has offered and the ease of pulling these memories to the surface when we will need to produce reports for the LA in due course. Try it now: <a href="https://strew.app/r/bighomeed">https://strew.app/r/bighomeed</a> or use code 'bighomeed'   We’ll be back in September with a new season. Thank you for listening, and if you’ve loved this season, please leave a review—it genuinely helps the podcast reach more home educating families.

July 5, 2026

State of Mind: Mental Health and Education. Guest Episode - Dr Chris Bagley

In this bonus episode of The BIG Home Ed Conversations, Kelly Rigg is joined by Dr. Chris Bagley — educational psychologist, musician, author, and co-founder of States of Mind (with B. Herbert). Together, they unpack why so many young people are “not ok at school” — and what happens when an education system prioritises compliance, metrics, and control over human development, agency, and real connection. Chris shares why States of Mind is “allergic” to tokenistic ideas like “pupil voice” when they’re used as a fake listening exercise — where young people are asked for their opinions, but nothing actually changes. He explains how this can mirror an unhealthy relationship dynamic: being invited to be vulnerable, then ignored. Kelly reflects on her own experience of being a “good student” who learned to tick boxes, impress adults, and stay quiet — and how that conditioning can follow us into adulthood, shaping our self-worth, relationships, and mental health. They explore how many parents in transition to home education are realising the same thing: school was supposed to be “good for them”… so why is their child anxious, distressed, or shutting down? In this conversation we explore: <ul> <li> Why “normal” is a social construction (and why there may be no such thing as a “typical” brain) </li> <li> How labels and diagnoses can sometimes become the only route to compassion — and why that’s complicated </li> <li> The difference between genuine participation and performative “student voice” </li> <li> Why young people need space to talk about their lives and the world without being controlled or shut down </li> <li> How fear of uncertainty drives institutions to narrow, label, measure, and punish </li> <li> Why agency, belonging, and autonomy matter (for children and adults) </li> <li> Chris’s powerful reminder: you can’t have harmony without difference </li> </ul> Chris also shares what young people consistently ask for when they’re truly listened to: more agency, more authentic connection, and spaces to explore real life, mental health, and meaning — not just performance and compliance. Links Chris Bagley’s book: States of Mind - <a href="https://www.statesofmind.org/">https://www.statesofmind.org/</a>  Sponsor: Strew is an online home education logging app that helps you capture what you’re doing day-to-day (photos, notes, tags), and optionally uses AI to reflect back the skills and areas of development you’ve covered — which can be especially helpful when you need to pull everything together later. Use code: BigHomeEd when you download it! https://strew.app/

June 28, 2026

Home Educating UK Topic Challenge: Raising Brave Kids — Activism, Justice & Quiet Protest

In this week’s episode of The BIG Home Ed Conversations Podcast, Kelly Rigg and Ashley Vanerio dive into a big question many home educating UK families wrestle with: how do we teach our children about activism, justice, and using their voice — without overwhelming them? We talk honestly about: <ul> <li> Why “quiet protest” (like choosing elective home education) is still activism </li> <li> How kids can learn courage, integrity, and a strong moral compass through everyday life </li> <li> Exploring activism through books, documentaries, and values-led conversations (including learning about Greta Thunberg) </li> <li> How to handle tricky conversations with people who don’t “get” home education (and the judgement that can come with it) </li> <li> Practical ideas you can try at home: writing letters to companies, researching issues together, and building confidence through small actions </li> <li> A fun evolution-inspired activity that sparked brilliant conversations about climate, deforestation, and change </li> </ul> Whether you’re fully in flow or just finding your feet with Home Education, these home education resources will help you to find your way through this topic. This episode is a reassuring reminder: our children’s opinions matter, and they’re never “too young” to care. Sponsor note: This season is sponsored by Strew (the home education logging app). Strew are running a survey right now and they genuinely want your feedback on what features you want, what you love, and what you’d change. There’s also a chance to win £25 Amazon vouchers. Survey link: https://strew.app/the-2026-strew-survey-prize-draw/ Keyword section: home education uk, home educating uk, elective home education, homeschooling uk, home schooling, home educating, home education resources uk, alternative education, deschooling, unschooling, child-led learning, neurodivergent families, adhd, autism, mindset, values education, kids activism, teaching kids activism, social justice for kids, climate change education for kids, writing letters to companies, raising socially conscious kids, parenting outside the school system

66 total episodes available

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What is The BIG Home Ed Conversations?: The BIG Home Ed Conversations is one of the top active 'home education' podcasts for parents who want to move past the myths and dive deep into what we actually want to talk about as alternative educators. Join Kelly (home ed mum of 2 and home education coach & mentor) and Ashley (ex-primary teacher & home ed mum of 3) as they debunk myths, tackle real challenges, and share honest, empowering, mindset-shifting conversations for families choosing alternative education.

Whether you’re new to home educating or looking for fresh perspectives to support your child’s learning journey, this podcast offers practical advice, mindset shifts, and heartfelt stories from UK-based parents and experts. We go beyond the basics—helping you handle the ups and downs of home education, break free from generational patterns, and build confidence in your own path.

Tune in for weekly episodes packed with reassurance, motivation and community for mums, dads, and anyone passionate about holistic, alternative, project-led, or eclectic education.

Find out why we’re one of the top-rated home ed podcasts, and feel less alone on your journey.

Find us at www.bighomeedpodcast.com

Ps. We only use the term homeschooling from time to time to help US, European and new to home ed families find us!
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates bi-weekly.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 6 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.

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