Amy Edwards, a 40-year-old mother of nine from Stoke-on-Trent, England, has relocated her family to Europe to homeschool five of her children from a motorhome. She and her husband, Shane Edwards, made the decision to leave the UK in May, pulling their older children out of mainstream education after the pandemic and never enrolling their youngest.
Edwards described the UK's schooling system as "too rigid" and stated that leaving was "the best thing" she ever did. She explained her previous work life meant she often relied on after-school clubs and felt she missed out on raising her children. The family, including children Reggie, 15, Belle, eight, Shane, six, Jesse, four, and one-year-old Nelly, are currently touring France.
Their educational approach is self-led, allowing children to pursue their interests. "Their education is self-led, so they're allowed to lead me to what they're interested in and we'll study that," Amy said. "Then that normally leads to something else and something else and it's a big flow of life."
The couple purchased their motorhome in July 2025 and initially toured parts of the UK, discovering a preference for outdoor living that they felt was better suited to continental Europe. "I love outdoor living, there just isn't enough sunshine in the UK for that," Edwards noted. Their long-term goal is to acquire land to grow their own food and raise animals, integrating these activities into their children's education.
Edwards, who previously worked as a self-employed hairdresser, also cited financial reasons for moving overseas, stating it is "much cheaper to buy overseas" and offers better weather for their desired lifestyle. The family plans to travel to Spain and Portugal after France.
She highlighted the freedom from fixed holiday schedules and the cost-effectiveness of homeschooling. "We aren't tied down to 28 days a year leave and the children don't go to school so we don't have to stick to school holidays, which is crazy busy and expensive," she explained. "We can make our life much cheaper home educating the children as well. I absolutely love the freedom."
Edwards views the outdoors as her children's classroom, preferring exploration over screen time. "I don't want them stuck inside playing, I don't want them on any technology, I want them exploring the world," she said. She believes this lifestyle will allow her children to "grow and thrive."