Hachette India

School Isn't For Everyone (and what you can do instead): A practical neuro-affirming guide to unschooling

Heidi Steel

Naomi Fisher

Becky Whinnerah

Unschooling, a learner-centred educational philosophy, breaks away from the confines of traditional schooling, advocating for a more organic, child-centric approach.

Its essence lies in the belief that learning is a natural and lifelong process. It is cemented in the fact that children are innately curious and capable of directing their own education when provided with a nurturing and resource-rich environment. This book delves into the principles of unschooling, providing insights into its benefits, challenges, and practical application.

School Isn't For Everyone shows what is possible when you leave school behind and start living a life of learning. It discusses the principles that form this educational philosophy, explains how unschooling works, sets out what the parents' role is and explores what children do all day when they don't follow a curriculum. It draws on current theory and evidence whilst sharing practical tips and being grounded in the reality of day-to-day life with children. It does this by including interviews with unschooling families, exercises for parents to help reinforce ideas, listing key points in every chapter and including diagrams to illustrate the concepts being explored.

Whether you are a parent looking for alternatives to school, are already home educating and exploring the possibilities, have found yourself unexpectedly unschooling or are certain that this is the route for you, this book serves as a guide to both understanding and implementing the core principles, taking you on a journey from schooled to unschooled and releasing you and your child into a life full of learning.

Naomi Fisher

Dr. Naomi Fisher (Author)
Dr Naomi Fisher is a clinical psychologist who specialises in trauma, autism and alternative education. She is the mother of two and the author of several books on psychology, education and mental health. Her work has featured in The Psychologist, The Green Parent, Juno, SEN Magazine and she has appeared on many podcasts including Reasons to be Cheerful with Ed Miliband and Geoff Lloyd.

Eliza Fricker (Author)
Eliza Fricker is an author and illustrator who has written and illustrated two books of her own (The Family Experience of PDA and The Sunday Times bestseller Can't Not Won't) as well has having illustrated several others. She runs a successful illustrated blog about her experiences with her daughter's school attendance struggles (missingthemark.co.uk). She created the Missing the Mark podcast, an exploration of what happens when a child isn't happy at school. She has spoken at the Rethinking Education conference and gives talks to local authorities on what it's like for families when a child can't attend school.