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Home Educating - Year 10/11 in last year for GCSE'S - ANY INFO APPRECIATED

9 replies

LL007 · 04/07/2018 16:17

Due to us being extremely unhappy with the way in which our son is being taught at school and seeing his grades dropping since last September due to unqualified supply teachers at his current school we have taken the decision to home school him through his final year in preparation for his GCSE exams. His current school teachers are against him because he has questioned and raised the issue about his learning being affected by the constant change of supply teachers yet they just seem to brush this under the carpet as though its not a fault of the schools. We feel we could get him through his last year of studies with us .. we are fortunate enough to be able to have him with us in our office studying whilst we are working however I would appreciate feedback / recommendations for any online tutors online classrooms that we could use to get him through this final year. We understand we will now have to pay to put him through his exams and studies but dont feel we have any other choice. any help much appreciated .

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Lsnowe · 04/07/2018 16:25

I'm a senior leader in a school and I recognise the concerns you and your son have about lack of permanent quality teachers. Due to the funding, recruitment and retention crisis in teaching many schools would recognise them, unfortunately.

No school leader likes putting inconsistent staff in front of classes. Your son's school is struggling and I guarantee that they are doing as much as they can with resources that are being slashed year by year.

Also, it's very unlikely teachers are against your son. They might be annoyed by him questioning teaching quality but no one goes into teaching to be against kids.

I recommend you set up some face to face meetings with head of year, head of core subjects and/or senior leaders and make the best you can of your relationship with the school. Parents and schools have a common goal- what's best for the youngster. Get your son back in school and then look at revision sites, books, tutors etc to boost what he's getting. I'm a parent as well as a school leader and this is what I would do.

Good luck

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LL007 · 04/07/2018 16:40

I agree with most of what you say however I have actually heard first hand the way in which the teachers have been (as a group) intimidating my son since he raised the issue with the school. voice recordings of them taking him out of the group and literally screaming at him reducing him to tears ... hence my reason for pulling him out of school completely. Not all teachers are bad at all and most do try their best towards their students but sometimes as in this instance they don't like it when students air their voice and opinions as it makes them as a school look bad.

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ommmward · 04/07/2018 18:21

Lots of people use online schools like Interhigh

Worth looking into private tutors if you want external input like that.

Or, if you're in or near a big city, look at crammers, like www.greenes.org.uk/ (I'm not advertising for them or anything, they are just a famous one I've heard of!)

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Lsnowe · 04/07/2018 18:26

OP did you take the voice recordings into school and share with them? If there's malpractice they need to deal with it.

Could you get your son into another school in time for September or even pay for private school for one year for his year 11?

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Velvetbee · 05/07/2018 07:17

You need ‘HE exams wiki’. It will help you find out which subjects/boards are available as a private candidate.
It will also help you find an exam centre that covers the exams you want.
It would be sensible to contact any colleges he has his eye on for the next part of his education to explain the situation and ask what their entry requirements would be in these circumstances.

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sashh · 05/07/2018 07:23

I had reason to visit a couple of exam board websites, Edexel have a list of centres where your son can sit their exams.

Be prepared for the cost of exam entry. Or talk to the school, they may allow him to sit exams in the school and have him, 'educated off site' sadly this probably applies only if your son is going to get good results.

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Branleuse · 05/07/2018 15:44

How many GCSES are you looking to cover? maybe look at the online schools at this stage, unless you feel confident you can cover the curriculum (if thats what you want)
I do have a freind that home educated for year 11, and she covered Maths, and her mum covered another subject that was her speciality, and her dad covered another subject.
The rest she got tutors in for, but it worked out brilliantly for them.

My son is doing a single GCSE (history) with MyOnlineSchooling and he is really enjoying it, and thats 2 hours of online interactive lessons a week. Costs me £700 a year for that, although i think if you do a full curriculum you make some savings.