Gillian Bowditch

About the author: Gillian Bowditch is a correspondent for the Sunday Times (London).

Home education is not a reasonable choice for most children, as they need to spend time with peer groups to fulfill social needs. While home-schooled students may succeed academically, they may also fail to achieve that sense of independence generally acquired when attending public school. Additionally, home-schooled children may not learn problem-solving skills that are normally acquired through everyday interaction in public school circumstances.

Back to the chalkface [blackboard] this week—but for thousands of Scotland's school-aged children there will be none of the familiar little rituals that mark the start of a new term. There will be no last-minute scrabbling to finish the holiday homework, no family search party to track down a recalcitrant gym...