A COOMBE BISSETT mum is hoping to change attitudes towards home education.

Jenna Presley is featuring in a new Channel 4 documentary, Feral Families, which looks at different approaches to home schooling such as "extreme unschooling".

"I agreed to take part because there has been quite a lot of negative attention around home educating, and I feel very passionately about the positives," she said.

"I feel our lifestyle works so well for us, and I would love to inspire others whose children possibly don't fit well in a institutionalised environment."

Her eldest son Dylan attended school and her son Archie, who is now 13, started out in a school environment but Jenna says things changed when he moved school and he stopped enjoying it and became depressed.

She considered home education for Archie but was working full time and did not feel it was possible. It was not until she was on maternity leave with her third child that she rethought the idea - giving up work to home educate her son.

"I did keep questioning if I was doing the right thing, but five years on, Archie is doing so well. I am so proud of our achievements."

Jenna, a former support and housing worker, takes learning outdoors and encourages her children to explore their own interests. They also meet regularly with other home educated children in the area.

“Although I do find time for encouraging reading and writing, I feel very strongly that a more 'unschooled' approach works very well at helping the children naturally gravitate towards their own natural interests. So Archie will spend a big chunk of his time drumming, writing music, practicing basketball, free running, exercising and fire twirling. Otis enjoys drawing, painting, learning about space and the natural world, and anything that involves engineering.

“This type of child-led learning benefits children, and school, as it is now, couldn't provide it. It is impossible in a class of 30 children, to give each one the attention and find out what their own interests are.

"I love that my kids have the freedom to be themselves. No fear of what others might think. I feel they are more likely to choose a career in future that really suits them.”

On the filming experience, Jenna said: "It has been such a fun experience filming, a real life learning adventure for the children."

Although, she says the documentary looked at disputes she has had over home schooling. She added: "My family would prefer I sent my kids to school, but they don't go on about it and we still get on.

"I know home educating wouldn't suit every child, but it's worth remembering, that neither does school. If you have a very unhappy child, there is a choice."

The documentary airs on Thursday, October 26 at 9pm on Channel 4.