Listening. Sharing. Learning.
About us
Amy Fielding
I’ve spent over 20 years working in special educational needs, leadership, and governance across schools, colleges and alternative provision. What drives me is helping families and educators turn complex systems into something simple, human, and supportive.
Nikky Gibson
My background is in participatory design and digital transformation. For me, the best ideas are shaped by lived experience — listening, testing, and building together to make things that are simple, practical, and genuinely useful. Inclusive design and giving people a genuine voice are at the heart of everything I do — whether that’s building software, rethinking processes, or creating spaces where ideas can grow.
Dally Gibson
My background is in childcare, where I spent six years supporting children with additional needs and working alongside families and educators. Now, I focus on translating that same care and inclusion into digital spaces by creating content and communities that connect, educate, and inspire.
Our Story
We built The Anthill Community because families learning at home deserve more than another stack of resources.
They deserve a place where they feel heard, supported, and connected. Here, you’ll find kindness, clarity, and collaboration.
We’re not here to add more to your plate; we’re here to help you carry it.
“Rume rimwe harikombi churu.”
(One person alone cannot surround an anthill.)
In many African cultures, anthills are more than mounds of earth. They symbolise community, resilience, and shared knowledge.
That’s exactly what we want this space to be. A place where home-educating, homeschooling, and worldschooling families can learn from each other, share their experiences, and shape new ways of learning together.
This is our “why”
Education has never been one-size-fits-all, but that truth becomes even sharper when you work in specialist settings. Over the years we’ve supported staff working with children with disabilities and those with social, emotional and mental health needs, and that experience has shaped the way we think about learning. Since we started on this particular journey, we’ve seen how difficult it is for families to navigate endless rules and regulations, and how much energy it takes just to find the right information, let alone translate it into something useful and manageable.
Most parents don’t have a network of SEND specialists, therapists or teachers to call on when they hit a wall. We do. And part of our work here is to make sure that expertise doesn’t stay locked away in professional circles. We want parents to have access to the same knowledge, the same strategies, and the same reassurance that experts give to schools. Resources can help, but people make the real difference, which is why we’re creating spaces where those voices can be heard and shared. No parent should feel like they have to do this alone.
We also recognise the wider picture. The education system is under strain, and many parents are turning to home education not because it was always their first choice, but because it feels like the only option left. That reality deserves to be named and understood. And it’s not just a UK story. Families in South Africa, Zimbabwe, the United States and elsewhere are grappling with their own versions of the same struggle: how to give children an education that meets their needs when the structures around them are not working.
Layered onto all of this is the uncertainty about the world our children are growing up into. Work, careers, and even the idea of what it means to be educated are shifting faster than any of us can fully grasp. Parents are carrying the weight of preparing children for a future no one can clearly describe. That responsibility can feel overwhelming, and it’s why we believe so strongly in building communities of support. Together, we can share what we know, learn from each other, and create something that helps families not just cope, but thrive.
Globally, home education (or homeschooling) is growing at 2-8% annually.
This signals that more families are seeking flexibility, choice, or alternatives in education..
In January 2025, over 1.7 million pupils in England (about 19.6 % of all pupils) were identified as having Special Educational Needs (SEN).
This shows how many children need additional support beyond what ‘standard’ schooling provides.
In South Africa, homeschooling estimates range from ~150,000 to 200,000 learners.
This is a meaningful and increasing cohort seeking alternatives to strained public systems..
As of 2024, over 3.7 million children in the U.S. are homeschooled, representing about 6.73 % of school-age children.
A growing number of families are opting out of traditional schooling—often in response to unmet needs or to find a more flexible path.
Contribute to the conversation!
Please join our Facebook Group, where we will share what we are doing but most importantly, be on hand to help out when others need it.