School Isn't for Everyone Chapter 11 The one thing that you need; Chapter 12 Unleasing a life of learning
Chapter 11
Do you need lots of money? Do you need lots of space? A clean house or a car? What is the one thing that parents need to be able to unschool and unschool well? And can they do without so many of the other things that they think are essential? This chapter quickly gets to the point and outlines how strong, caring, responsive, compassionate, relationships are the foundation for the success of unschooling. Creating a family culture where everyone is treated with compassion, where connecting with each other is the priority, and introducing collaboration into family dynamics that have been previously strained and stressed. It’s a counter cultural approach but then that describes self-directed learning across the board. This chapter encourages parents to reconsider what a child really needs to be able to learn and learn well.
Chapter 12
Recreating life and learning can take years to establish. There is no quick fix when you move towards unschooling and no quick solutions. There is always more to unlearn, more to relearn, and different challenges along the way. That’s not what parents want to hear. This final chapter releases parents into the world of unschooling, full of hope and possibility and confidence in a new way to live and learn. It equips them to keep going, drawing on all the things that they have discovered so far, and gives them some final tips for the journey. It invites them to imagine what a life without school might look like whilst simultaneously reminding them of the reality when we equip children to be in charge of their own learning. Anything can happen, and the possibilities are exciting when we buckle in for the ride.
4 Feb 2026
School Isn't for Everyone Chapter 10 How not to be a teacher
Unschooling and Self-Directed Education can often lead people to believe that children are left to do what they want and learn by themselves. Whilst there is space for independence and doing things on their own, children always need a dedicated and supportive adult alongside them. It is apparent though that direct teaching and the task of providing a curriculum, or workbooks is not compatible with the ethos of unschooling and can leave parents feeling like they are doing nothing and unsure of what their role is. This chapter brings together the essential role of the parent or main care giver in practical terms. It discusses key ideas, provides a concrete plan, and leaves parents confident in their role in providing an education for their child.
21 Jan 2026
School Isn't for Everyone Chapter 8 What to expect as unschooled children grow and Chapter 9 Teens, screens and socialisation
Chapter 8
Unschooled children are different. Their experience of the world is different, their relationships with family, friends and their community are different, the way they live is different and how they learn is different. Throughout this book I have talked about how school does things and the effect that that can have on our children. I have also talked about how unschooling families approach things and the impact that those choices have on our children. As our children grow up the difference between schooled and unschooled children becomes noticeably bigger and increasingly more obvious, especially for those in the habit of comparing their children with their schooled peers (which I don’t recommend and don’t find overly helpful.) The truth is that schooled children often appear to be doing better, learning more, and getting on in life or growing up, faster than children who are self-directed. Children who are growing and developing according to their own time line play longer, accept support from others for longer (by which I mean that adults are needed to do more for and with their children,) are more relaxed about taking exams or have a broader view when it comes to the pressures and expectations that others put on them and are often clearer about what they want to do and how they want to do it. Their growth and development is noticeable in other ways and the way that we relate to and support our child changes too. Here’s what you can expect through the seasons of unschooling.
Chapter 9
Here I address the three most common questions that I am asked: How will my teen get GCSE’s if I deregister them from school? I am worried that my child won’t have any friends if we Home Educate, and ‘when you say, ‘unlimited screen time’ you don’t mean that they should be allowed to play on their tablet all day, do you?’ Taking my observations from over 20 years’ experience in education, more than twelve of those in the unschooling community, I bring a different perspective to each of these questions, re-evaluating our priorities for our young people, shifting our thinking, and questioning the dichotomy of thought in our society.
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