West End wonders with my self-directed teen

There is a lot of media coverage on how the quarantine measures are having an impact on school children’s education, with everyone now schooling at home, but it is also having a massive effect on us, pre-quarantine home educators. As I was scrolling through pictures looking for our last “normal” photo, I was reminded of how much fun we were having in our pre-lockdown learning journey together.

I can tell you unequivocally that forced, isolated education at home is NOT home education.

Just before the lockdown was announced, my daughter and I were lucky enough to share an amazing experience of a West End adventure together. I feel so grateful we were able to take our trip to London as planned, as it had been something my daughter had been really looking forward to doing for a long time.

What a day it was. Keen to maximise our time, we got up early and set off from our sleepy Somerset village bound for the big city. Given the hour, our drive was pretty straight forward and we parked in a convenient place I’ve used before just near Twickenham Stadium, the home of England Rugby.

We were eager to get straight into the heart of London, so wasted no time in boarding a train headed for the glitz and glamour of the West End.

The main event of the day was going to see ‘School of Rock the musical’ at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. It was kind of a homework assignment for my daughter, as she had recently been cast as Ms Rosalie Mullins in a production of the musical at our provincial theatre back home. She thought she might be able to pick up some tips from watching the West end performance, but to be honest, we were also just looking forward to all the great music.

The show was not until later, so we went for coffee at The Theatre Cafe, a must do on my daughter’s list, before taking a stroll around Covent Garden. Such a bustling and vibrant place with lots of eye-catching stalls, selling all manner of must haves.

There are 39 theatres in the West End. Just walking around this iconic part of London and seeing my daughter’s face light up, as each twist and turn brought into view a new theatre façade, was a big part of my pleasure of the day. Although the orange vegan doughnut bought from the indoor street food market at the Seven Dials was also pretty good.

Watching ‘School of Rock the Musical’, was needless to say, amazing. We also got to meet Dewey Finn (aka Alex Tomkins) and Ms Rosalie Mullins (aka Laura Tebbutt) after the show, which was the icing on the cake.

Not wanting the day to end, we took a sightseeing stroll across the city, before having a late dinner and heading home; weary, but yet with our heads buzzing from the day’s excitement.

What has a flashback to our day in London got to do with our home education?

It is a reminder of how much fun learning can be, helping our children prepare for their independence in the adult world, when we are not restricted to just being at home.

Our daughter has been home educated all her life. She has directed and led her own education with me alongside to help facilitate her learning. Home education is so much more than just academic study at home. Over the years, as a family we have shared days out to parks, beaches, forests, museums, libraries, learning groups, social get-together, clubs, sports and outdoor activities. We have had camping trips, participated in community action projects, been to performances and had learning adventures together. We offered many resources and learning experiences to all our children, but nothing has ever been compulsory, we did not have any timetables or follow any particular curriculum. Our children were instead encouraged to follow their interests and passions.

Our daughter's dream is to pursue a career in musical theatre, which is why our day out was so special to her. Her goal does not include meaningless exams or any kind of 'just in case' learning, but rather mastering the skills required to pursue that dream. Her next step after home education is musical theatre college, where thousands of young people apply for a handful of places. Through her determination and hard work in pursuit of her dream she has been accepted into a musical theatre college in London to start studying in September – exciting, but this is going to be a massive change of scene for her.

Not only was our day in London a brilliant, fun day – it was an opportunity to help her transition towards her new life in London. Village life has a very different feel to the vibe and excitement of the capital. Our day together was a chance to explore the city and allow her to get her bearings. It was way for her to become familiar and comfortable with using the London underground; we don’t even have a decent bus service in our village. As we explored the West End, took in a show and met the stars it gave her a taste of her career and opportunities to come – how motivating is that for a young person?

We are still learning in lockdown, but it is different and we are missing our freedom to learn out in the world. But this strange time will pass. So, in good home education fashion, my daughter is using this time to get fit for the upcoming training at college and to hone her cooking skills ready for her independence. Her theatre shows have not been cancelled, they have just been postponed, but I have to say, it is not quite the same rehearsing for a stage show from your own home on Zoom.

Our day in London was probably the last opportunity for a big adventure, that me and my daughter are going to share together before she embarks on this next life-changing step of her journey - I’m glad it was such a memorable one.