The BIG Home Ed Conversations

Consistency is one of those words that can make home educating parents feel a bit twitchy. Some weeks your home ed routine flows beautifully, and some weeks the maths book hasn't been opened and someone's still in their pyjamas at 2pm. In this Season 6 episode on the tricky bits of home ed, Kelly and Ashley unpick what consistency really means in home education. Do you need a strict homeschool schedule, or is a gentler rhythm (showing up, keeping the curiosity going and coming back to things after a break) enough?

Kelly shares how a week of painting the bedroom turned into an unexpected lesson in life skills and independent learning, and the simple daily rhythm (one helpful task, three bits of learning, then screen time) that works for her ADHD and autistic kids. Ashley talks about swapping school days to fit in a new outdoor meetup, why a predictable routine helps children feel safe, and why getting back into a routine after a long summer break can be such a battle.

Together they explore rhythm vs routine, how much of our worry about consistency comes from school and society rather than from our children, whether structure and child-led learning can work together, why being consistent in how we respond to our kids matters as much as any timetable, how to scaffold child-led goals like becoming a zoologist or a vet, and the small household routines that quietly set children up for adult life.

We'd love to hear from you: what's one small thing you do consistently that makes a bigger difference in your children's lives than any curriculum could? Send us a message through our website or on Instagram.

Next week: burnout. What happens when you've been showing up and showing up with nothing left in the tank.

Want to go deeper this season? Visit our website and join the waiting list for When Home Ed Gets Hard, our reflection and journalling companion with questions for every episode of Season 6, releasing in December. Waiting list members will be the first to hear when it's ready and get an early-bird discount: https://www.bighomeedpodcast.com/when-home-ed-gets-hard/

And if you're navigating ADHD or neurodivergence, whether as a family or for yourself, Kelly offers 1:1 coaching. Find out more at https://www.kellyrigg.mykajabi.com.

Loved this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. It really helps other families find us.

Welcome to season six of The BIG Home Ed Conversations Podcast, where we're digging into the tricky bits of home education. Not the sunshine-and-nature-walks highlight reel, but the real, unglamorous moments that every home educating family knows too well.

After a summer apart, Kelly and Ashley catch up on what's been going on and why September always seems to bring that big "go" energy, the pressure to have new systems, new attitudes and a whole new approach. Ashley shares what it's like to go straight from a holiday in Italy into a new term with no pause, plus the realisation that her eldest is only a few years from needing to think about what comes next. Kelly talks about why transitions can feel like grinding gears for neurodivergent families, and the simple fridge chart and wall calendar that have helped her autistic kids feel settled and accomplished.

Together they explore finding the right time of day for learning, the tricky balance between child-led learning and the bigger picture, why living alongside all the mess of home ed can feel so much heavier than a classroom, and Kelly's "which hat am I wearing?" mantra for staying focused. They also talk about helping kids face that big wall of "this feels too hard", from handwriting struggles to fractions, and why teaching our children how to learn and persevere might be the most important thing of all.

If you've been feeling the pressure this September, this one is a gentle reminder that none of us are doing it wrong. We're just in the iteration we're in right now.

Want to go deeper this season? We're creating When Home Ed Gets Hard, a reflection and journaling companion with questions for every episode of season six, releasing in December. Join the waiting list at https://www.bighomeedpodcast.com/when-home-ed-gets-hard/ to be the first to hear when it's ready and get an early-bird discount.

And if you're navigating ADHD or neurodivergence, whether as a family or for yourself, Kelly offers 1:1 coaching. Find out more at kellyrigg.mykajabi.com.

Loved this episode? Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. It really helps other families find us.

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:

We also share practical ways we’ve been exploring digital literacy at home, including:

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: https://strew.app/r/bighomeed 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.

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:

Why “normal” is a social construction (and why there may be no such thing as a “typical” brain)

How labels and diagnoses can sometimes become the only route to compassion — and why that’s complicated

The difference between genuine participation and performative “student voice”

Why young people need space to talk about their lives and the world without being controlled or shut down

How fear of uncertainty drives institutions to narrow, label, measure, and punish

Why agency, belonging, and autonomy matter (for children and adults)

Chris’s powerful reminder: you can’t have harmony without difference

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 - https://www.statesofmind.org/ 

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/r/bighomeed 

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:

Why “quiet protest” (like choosing elective home education) is still activism

How kids can learn courage, integrity, and a strong moral compass through everyday life

Exploring activism through books, documentaries, and values-led conversations (including learning about Greta Thunberg)

How to handle tricky conversations with people who don’t “get” home education (and the judgement that can come with it)

Practical ideas you can try at home: writing letters to companies, researching issues together, and building confidence through small actions

A fun evolution-inspired activity that sparked brilliant conversations about climate, deforestation, and change

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/ or download the app here: https://strew.app/r/bighomeed  

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In this chatty catch-up episode, Kelly Rigg and Ashley Vanerio reflect on what home education can look like as summer approaches — when clubs pause, routines shift, and the calendar suddenly feels wide open.

Together, they explore the different ways families plan (or don’t plan) through summer, how guilt can creep in around “what we’ve achieved this year,” and why many home educating parents eventually find a calmer rhythm — especially when they start trusting that learning doesn’t stop just because the school year ends.

Why summer can feel either freeing or overwhelming (and why both are valid)

How Strew’s tracking insights can reassure you about progress and balance

Socialisation pressure and the reality of home educated kids’ social skills

“Traditional” learning vs real-world learning (and why the distinction can be unhelpful)

Planning styles: structured curriculum planning vs going with the flow

Why boredom can be a catalyst for creativity, independence, and resilience

Gentle “check-in” moments that help you notice progress without formal testing

A reminder that home education is allowed to be sustainable (and imperfect)

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend — it genuinely helps more home educating families find the podcast.

Website:  www.bighomeedpodcast.com 

Follow us on socials: @bighomeedpodcast

Try Strew (our Season 5 Sponsor) We’ve loved trying Strew as a simple way to log learning and spot patterns over time. If you’re signing up, mention the referral code “bighomeed” so they know you came from us.  https://strew.app/r/bighomeed 

SEO keywords: home education UK, home educating, elective home education, homeschooling UK, home schooling UK, unschooling, deschooling, home education, socialisation, alternative education UK.

Welcome back to The BIG Home Ed Conversations Podcast with Kelly Rigg and Ashley Vanerio.  

This week’s topic: Feelings and journaling (real life edition) We recorded in the middle of a heatwave, so we’re talking dysregulation, grumpy kids, and how hard it can be to “do the right thing” when everyone’s overstimulated.

  What we actually found helpful:  

              Schedule note: We’re taking a short one-week break, then we’ll be back with a general catch-up episode (summer plans and a bit of a chat). After that, we’ll return to the topic challenge with protest and social change.  

Season 5 Sponsor: Strew (home education logging app)

This week we’re sharing a quick behind-the-scenes feature: Study Points settings.

In the Study Points area you can choose an education style (child-led learning, Waldorf/Steiner, Charlotte Mason, unschooling/deschooling, or general home ed) which can change how the Study Points categories are shown. It’s totally optional, but a handy way to get an at-a-glance view of what you’ve been logging over time. Use code 'bighomeed' if you try Strew. https://strew.app/r/bighomeed 

Thanks for listening — subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend. Find us on Instagram and TikTok, and at  www.bighomeedpodcast.com .

In this episode of The BIG Home Ed Conversations Podcast, Kelly and Ashley continue their weekly home education UK “topic challenge” — choosing a theme and exploring it with their children through real-life learning, conversation, and curiosity-led activities.

This week’s topic: Town planning and street furniture — and it turns into a brilliant mix of project-based learning, local community awareness, and practical thinking about how towns work (and who decides what gets built).

Whether you’re home educating, (homeschooling for our US friends), this episode is packed with ideas you can adapt for your own family.

What we cover in this episode:

Town planning basics: how towns evolve, what problems they’re trying to solve, and why infrastructure matters.

Street furniture in everyday life: benches, lamp posts, traffic lights, junctions, road layouts — and the “why” behind them!

A fun “run the town” council game (decision-making, teamwork, budgeting, environment, and community trust.)

Learning through videos and visuals: what’s underneath major cities (including hidden infrastructure) how cities change over time (including a London evolution-style video) how heating, water, and energy systems can work at city scale.

Real-life community learning moments: conversations sparked by local elections and meeting a local candidate talking about leadership, values, and why voting matters (and why kids can’t vote yet!)

Hands-on play: building a town at home using toys (roads, emergency services, zoo, trains, role play and storytelling)

So whether your home education journey is eclectic, unschooling, project led or otherwise - you can draw some great ideas from this episode and as usual - we would love to hear yours too! 

Share with us on Instagram or TikTok - @bighomeedpodcast or visit our new website - www.bighomeedpodcast.com

This season is sponsored by Strew, a home education logging app created by a UK home educating mum and her brother. To try Strew, head to https://strew.app/r/bighomeed  or Search “Strew Home Ed app” on your apple or android phone and use code: bighomeedpodcast

In this episode of The BIG Home Ed Conversations Podcast, Kelly shares a powerful interview with Jenn Hodge, founder of Doing Education Differently.

Jenn is a leading voice in neurodiversity and education reform, and has been at the forefront of challenging the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill — which has now become the Act. Together, Kelly and Jenn talk through what’s happening, why it matters, and what families should be paying attention to as the Act begins to come into effect.

This conversation is especially relevant for:

Home educating families in the UK

What we cover:

Kelly’s intention with this episode: This isn’t about panic or pressure — it’s about clarity, empowerment, and making sure families have access to grounded information as things change.

This season is sponsored by Strew, a home education logging app created by a UK home educating mum and her brother. To try Strew: Search “Strew Home Ed app” (iOS + Android) and use code: BIGHOMEED or click here https://strew.app/r/bighomeed 

In this episode of The BIG Home Ed Conversations Podcast, Kelly and Ashley explore this week’s “topic from the hat” challenge: lesser known sports.   They start by going down the rabbit hole of strange and wonderful sports from around the world (and even a few from right here in the UK), and it quickly opens up bigger conversations about creativity, culture, community, and what sport is actually for.   We chat about:

Kelly and Ashley also share some of the real-life ways this topic showed up in their week — from hobby horsing and play-based competitions, to watching Paralympic sport and noticing how many different bodies and abilities can be included in athleticism.   If you’re joining in with the weekly topic challenge, we’d love to hear what you did with it — and remember, this is never about pressure or “doing enough”. It’s just a fun way to spark ideas, follow curiosity, and bring a bit of variety into your home ed rhythm.  

To try Strew (our Season 5 sponsor) home education logging app - on IOS and Android and use code: bighomeed   Don't forget to subscribe, share an episode with a friend or drop us a rating - every one helps more people like you to find us! Head here: https://strew.app/r/bighomeed