JO HAYWOOD catches up with a former East Yorkshire family who fled formal education and escaped England in a bid to find happiness

BETHAN, Wendy and Samuel Lewis haven't been to school since 1990. In fact, 16-year-old Samuel has never been to school. But they are not uneducated. Far from it. All are highly literate and have a wide knowledge base, including a good grasp of Hindi and Swahili.

They were removed from formal education 13 years ago when Bethan was recovering from an illness and were taught at home in Bishop Wilton, near Pocklington, for four years before the family uprooted and moved to Brittany in France.

The Lewis children have been home educated by their parents Lin and Gareth, a former teacher at York Steiner School, ever since. "I think France actually has fewer home educators than England, but it is a more family orientated society," said Lin, speaking from the country home the family has built during the last nine years. "Families tend to stay together, they are much less fragmented."

Gareth wrote his first book, You Don't Have To Send Your Child To School, ten years ago, and the family is publicising their latest joint effort, One-to-One: A Practical Guide To Learning At Home (Age 0-11), written by Gareth, illustrated by the children and overseen by Lin.

The book is full of practical advice and activity ideas on all manner of topics, from maths to knitting. Although there is a temptation to pigeon-hole the book as a curriculum template for home educators, Lin insists it is aimed at any parent who wants to get involved in their child's life.

"This is the only book of its kind written by parents and children for parents and children," she said. "We are not campaigners and we are certainly not looking to convert anybody."

The Lewis children - now 21, 18 and 16 - all still live at home and have no plans to break away from the close family unit.

"They work with us on the books One-to-One: 11+ is already in the pipeline," said Lin. "To be honest, they haven't said they want to do anything in particular in the future. We are all just very happy together."

Happiness seems to be the key to the Lewis's philosophy. They have always encouraged the children to choose subjects to study that they enjoy, and have always given equal weight to arts, crafts and nature walks in their working day.

Lin and Gareth don't openly knock traditional schools, and if their children had ever wanted to return to formal education they would have supported their decision; but they are obviously not fans either.

"Just because kids go to school, it doesn't make them happy and it certainly doesn't make them learn," said Lin. "There is no point in forcing their academic side. You have to have faith in your children. They want to learn."

She also dismisses the common accusation that home educated children lose out socially as well as academically.

"Schools have a false atmosphere," she said. "Who says it's a good thing to be forced together every day with people of the same age? Our children can talk easily with people of all ages. Our friends are their friends, and their friends are ours."

Apart from two A levels that Bethan completed by correspondence course, the children have no formal qualifications, but their parents do not believe this will hinder them in the future.

"The children speak for themselves," said Lin. "I don't like to brag, but they are far, far ahead of most of their peers. Their levels of understanding are very high.

"We have always provided them with loads of books - often borrowing 30 from the library in one go - and loads of encouragement."

Which probably goes some way to explaining why, when other teenagers were teaching themselves to play Tomb Raider II, the Lewis youngsters were teaching themselves Swahili and Hindi.

Updated: 08:49 Tuesday, March 25, 2003