Abstract
The last 20 years has seen a global increase in studies investigating various aspects of Home Education (HE) and the physical location of learning in relation to schooling; the physical location of learning outside of schooling remains under researched. This paper provides a review of some, but not all, of the existing literature, leading us to see where there are potentially gaps in the research as well as gaps in the opportunities for creative methodologies. The review starts with Home Education within the context of Scottish/UK education history and policy. It should be noted that at present there are very few differences between Scottish Home Education Policy and that from Westminster. Then we move to the exploration into Education Capital and how Bourdieu’s theories and ideas may or may not apply in the Home Education context. Firstly, this review finds that there is a very limited body of research that is specifically concerned with the voice of the home-educated children, who experience and live learning, in alternative provision; secondly this review notes the limited number of studies concerned with just what education means, to home educating families, or the value they place upon education in spaces outside of schools. It cannot be assumed that because a family have chosen to home educate, that the decision was entirely ideological. Very briefly, due to the recent lockdown of March 2020 onwards, a small amount of research is included following Covid-19 and the nationwide Home Education of most of the children in the UK. Strikingly, and despite how new this research is, the value of education within the home is still missing from core topics as is for the most part, the coproduction of data with the children’s voices at the heart of Home Education research.
 
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Highlights
If parents and children value educational experiences; if engagement with those educational experiences is high and children’s learning helps them to thrive, does it really matter where those experiences are taking place? (Lees 2011, Lees 2013, Lees and Nicholson 2017) suggest that many educationalists struggle to grasp a firm understanding of education outside of a schooling system
The nuance of the wider study considers the possibility for education capital to form and reproduce slightly differently; as adults and children experience learning sideby-side, is it possible that capital is reproduced from child to adult rather than the more popular belief stemming from Bourdieu’s work, that capital is reproduced from adult to child
The intention in undertaking the literature review, was to identify areas where there is a gap in our current understanding of Home Education
Summary
If parents and children value educational experiences; if engagement with those educational experiences is high and children’s learning helps them to thrive, does it really matter where those experiences are taking place? (Lees 2011, Lees 2013, Lees and Nicholson 2017) suggest that many educationalists struggle to grasp a firm understanding of education outside of a schooling system. Subjects have included pedagogy and curriculum (Liberto 2016); reasons why parents choose Home Education (Beck 2010; Morton 2010; Rothermel 2002; Nuhula et al 2019; Spiegler 2010); home schooling and Home Education comparisons (Amber-Fensham Smith 2020); SEN & Home Education; Registration (Rothermel 2010); Off-rolling and behaviour (Burke n.d.); Parents Roles in Home Education (Harding 2011); relationships between Local Authorities and HE Parents (Eddis 2007; Petrie 1992); Religion, Culture and HE (English 2016); History of Home Education (Firmin & Wilhelm 2009) and Self-esteem and achievement (Ray 1991; Rothermel 1999; Shyers 1992) All these studies add to a growing plethora of material that might assist the wider professionals in education, to better understand the purpose and nature of Home Education. One might argue that efforts have been made to include children, opportunities have been limited and the primary focus has been on the relationship between researcher and adult participant
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