Home Ed at Secondary Level

sm i'll be following this thread with interest. big decision, but i bet if done properly can be absolutely fantastic. hope you get lots of good advice.

ta soph

i have joined education otherwise to make contact with home edders and pick their brains

Is it a ling term plan? I know some hom edded children who have been given special permission to do OU courses (but a bit older than your son- one boy I know is 16).

I was thinking of home ed to GCSE level, then she could go on to VI Form College or art school from there. That's her current ambition anyway (to study art and design).

It's not a definite thing, but one option of several that I have in mind. I'm at the research stage at the moment. However, I have had cause in the past to investigate the home ed idea in some detail, so it's not a new concept to me. I just want to talk to others who have done/are doing it to find out practical things like how do they organise the day ...

I'm interested, how do home edders get around the course work requirements for GCSE? Do the kids have to go to night school? Do they get local schools to mark and moderate their cw? Or do they bypass GCSEs altogether (or a mix of all 3?)

some go to evening classes (but many adult education centres won't take students who are under 16 yrs old), and some enter for the exams as private candidates

bugger, forgot to change my nickname there!

If they enter as private candedates how do they get around the course work requirements? Do the schools mark it, or do the children just accept that the 205 (in science gcses) is 'lost to them? I'm honestly interested, not having a dig at home edders

not sure to be honest - i would assume you would use the services of a tutor in the subject who would assess the course work, but i don't actually know. Or there may be an exam-only alternative?

this is the sort of stuff i am aiming to find out

Does this help with the idea of GCSEs and coursework/exams?

"There are three main ways in which home educated students have taken GCSEs: by correspondence courses where a tutor is usually assigned to give advice and mark work; by enrolling at a local college or adult education class; or at home doing their own research, choosing appropriate books and buying past exam papers. The latter is only really appropriate for exam-only boards."

"However it can be more difficult for home educated students to manage coursework, because it must be marked by an independent person"


and here too


"6. What about qualifications (GCSE's, etc.)?
This is probably the question uppermost on most people's minds when it comes to home education.

Firstly, there is much more to education than qualifications. However, of course, these are important, particularly if your child intends to go on to university or a career which requires qualifications.

These are your options:

GCSE's and A levels can be done at home via correspondence courses with tutor support. This has the advantage of choosing from a broader range of subjects and working at your own pace.
The same can be done at home, if you are brave enough, without outside help.
(The above options would involve registering for an exam at an examination centre and paying the exam fee of approximately £15.)
Some home educated children choose to enter the school system at GCSE level.
There are Christian workbook systems available which require no exams as there are ongoing tests and assessments during the course of study. Many students have been accepted in the best universities after completing their course. (See Suppliers)
Qualifications can be obtained through colleges, however some do not take students under 16. You would have to enquire at your local college"

thanks for the links hula

I joined a home ed mailing list and have had an extraordinary response from several home edders of secondary age children with detailed information about their own experiences and hints and tips for me. It's all extremely encouraging.

Interesting fact I didn't know - for home educated children there is no requirement to follow the national curriculum.