Year out of school traveling for year 8, 6 and 3

[Flum]

Hi,

We (well me, DH not convinced yet) are considering taking our kids out of formal education for one year. They are currently at an international school and performing well academically, all in top quartile.

Can you recommend some online (we will be traveling so want to minimize books etc) that they can work on with my guidance at their own pace.

They are currently studying the Primary Years Programme (younger two) and middle school towards IGCSE's - older one....pretty much based on British program I think.

They will all ultimately end up completing their education either in an international school overseas or a British boarding school so IGCSE's, MYP, IB etc..., or a UK state school if we move back and they get residency status back in UK.

I would really like to concentrate on the Maths and English side of things on the computers probably and probably do topic based work as we travel.

We would be traveling slowly with a few weeks or months in each place.

Any guidance, advice or links to good websites much appreciated. Happy to pay for an online school scenario. The eldest one particularly does not want her education to slip as she wants to go to a pretty selective boarding school in UK so wants to be sure of getting in.

[Flum]

Just to clarify the kids ages are 11, 9 and 7, but the years they will be in next academic year are 8, 6 and 3.

[Toffeelatteplease]

I think it would be madness for the eldest. He would be missing a lot of foundation work for gcse

[Toffeelatteplease]

She not he

[Flum]

Really? I thought years 10 and 11 were GCSE years with year 9 being a settling in year but no exams? She will be in school at beginning of year 9.

[claraschu]

Lots of people HE very successfully Toffeelatte and year 8 is a good one to miss in any case. My daughter just completely missed year 8 because of CFS/ME. For most of the year she was too ill to do any studying or even reading, but she seems fine in year 9, maybe a bit behind in French.

She is a good student, like your children OP, and still a good student after missing a whole year. All she did was a bit of science with a tutor and a little maths with me, and this was just after she started getting better, in the last few months of the year.

I think your plan sounds amazing OP, and your children are the perfect ages to appreciate it.

[eleanoralice1]

Year 8 is no way a foundation for GCSE's. What utter rubbish. Go for it, sounds amazing!

[redcaryellowcar]

I'm very jealous, it sounds amazing, sorry that's not actually what you asked for...
I don't have children as old as yours but used to teach secondary and I think there is so much they learn from travelling, or even short holidays. I'd encourage lots of them leading the way, speaking local dialect, buying food, shopping, day planning, managing schedules, using train timetables, booking flights/ boats accommodation etc.
I think in your situation I'd swat up on the curriculum they wound/should be doing so you could point their 'learning' in that direction?

[Scarydinosaurs]

I would see if you could get the year eight reading list of the U.K. boarding school you want your daughter to go to, and work your way through that.

If she reads, writes about what she is reading and writes creatively then she will be doing well. A small book to keep as a journal (don't rely on computers too much or she'll lose the skill of handwriting) and a kindle with the books loaded on.

Good luck, it sounds amazing.

[lavendersun]

I would do it in a heartbeat (but then we sort of have a half made plan to do a year's trip at some point).

We HE'd for a year and DD learnt so much whilst having a complete ball with a HE group three days a week. The freedom is amazing and really miss it.

No practical advice on where to look for resources but someone in the know will be along.

You could ask on the Education Otherwise forum, bear in mind that it is full of people committed to HE so you will probably get a resounding 'do it', but they might help on the resources front.

[Toffeelatteplease]

I do think it sounds incredibly selfish and usually I'm all for this kind of thing. If it was just the youngest too I was say go for it

Yes you are preparing the basic concept work for GCSE. Particularly in subjects like chemistry which are essentially a new topics for secondary.Many schools start the GCSE curriculum certainly in maths in year 9. If studying goes wrong or drops in priority over this time you are putting immense addition pressure on a child when pressures from social and puberty changes will be applying enough pressure anyway.

Yes home ed can be incredibly successful, however this is not a child sitting at home putting home ed first. This will be a child for whom studying will be fitting around the travel.

If you are ill you don't have a choice.I too had a patchy year 8 health wise. The work sent home was fantastic in some areas and rubbish in others, it does show in my GCSE results. And I was I high performance child.

The OPs eldest child has very specific and quite admirable ambitions, if home edd-ing which is not really what you are doing you are travelling and squeezing it round for a year costs her a grade at GCSE (and it is a risk in the sciences in particular) will you still consider it worthwhile.

And perhaps more importantly will she?

[Toffeelatteplease]

If you are dead keen may I suggest you get a copy of a common entrance paper and the pass mark experience

[Toffeelatteplease]

Sorry posted too soon

Get a copy of the common entrance paper and the pass mark for the school of your DDs chosing. (Assuming they still use common entrance to assess otherwise contact school for equivalent) if she can make the pass mark now before you go i'd be more inclined to consider it.

I would find out just how selective the school your daughter wants is.

I still think there is important learning that your daughter will miss.

[claraschu]

Toffee I think all the children who never leave the school system often miss out on important lessons. The GCSE curriculum really is not incredibly challenging for a bright, enthusiastic child with educated parents who support her.

Plenty of foreign students come to British boarding schools in year 9 and do very well, in spite of not having studied the GCSE curriculum in year 8.

Kids who never step outside the system are just as likely to be bored and disengaged by GCSE work, which can be quite simplistic and repetitive.

[Flum]

Thank you for all your opinions. Toffee I appreciate your opinion. DH is not in favour of the plan either....yet. He also thinks it would be too disruptive to their (and particularly eldests) education. Having said that our situation is not as simple as that. The boarding school she is registered for does not start until year 9 and they take kids not just from preps (who do the Common .entrance) but Fromm overseas like us. The ones from overseas don't have to sit common entrance they just do the schools own paper which is English and Maths and reasoning etc.

I will also re post this in Education to see if zI can get some ideas on good online resources. Good idea re the reading list though, thank you!

[Saracen]

That sounds straightforward enough. It's a brilliant opportunity. I can't imagine you will regret going.

[Toffeelatteplease]

In which case get a copy of the schools own paper and do them instead. At least then you will have a vague clue on worst case scenario

I too would do it in a heartbeat but not at secondary where a point or two in the wrong direction can make a difference in entry to an academic school my daughter was keen on.

[jomidmum]

Sounds fantastic!
My son is 13 (next week!), we have home educated for the past 3.5 years. Travelling is such a hugely positive experience for children and teens. We have spent time in Spain and Turkey, and are have now settled in the Middle East for the next couple of years.
My children do a mixture of online learning, book learning, experiencing different cultures, and "living" history, nature, geography etc. They are learning so much and have met so many interesting people from different cultures and faiths. We are currently living in an area with families from over 20 different nations!
GCSEs may be important, but they can certainly be learnt as you travel. My son is studying for IGCSEs in maths, physics, law and English language. He is also studying for a level 2 computer qualification and working towards a level 2 arts award.
For maths he mostly uses Conquer Maths website.
For English he follows Catherine Mooney course. She does from age 9-10 right up to GCSE.
I hope this helps.
Have a fantastic time if you decide to do it!