Can we have an up to date thread on online schools please?

[cardamoncoffee]

DS (Y7) is really struggling in school (was home educated for many years, this is his second year at school) and we are now thinking about going back to home ed and using an online school.
Just looking for up to date information on the online options. Any thoughts, advice or recommendations welcome, good or bad.

[norfolkskies]

we use an online school for ds in yr 8. ask away!

[cardamoncoffee]

Which school, is it any good, how much, does your child have any SEN?

[qwerty1972]

My daughter (now 14) has attended online schools since she was nine. We have used/are using two different 'mainstream' UK based online schools, one art college and one US based specialist school for computer animation.

I also teach for one of the UK online schools.

We have never used online schooling for the whole curriculum, but have had very positive experiences with almost all the providers. My daughter is now gaining IGCSE, A Level and BTEC qualifications in this way.

Any questions at all, just ask :)

[norfolkskies]

my online schooling
ds is ASD so yes SEN. struggled with the school environment. now thriving.

[JoinTheMicrodots]

I would advise you to steer well clear of Interhigh.

I’ve heard good things about Net School. They’re not cheap, though.

[cardamoncoffee]

qwerty are you willing to say which one you work for? Basically ds is experiencing very high anxiety wrt increased workload. I think doing GCSEs over 3 years might be more suitable, taking only 3 per year. I would need a school that allows separate subjects to be taken rather than a block of 7/8/9. Lessons must also be able to be recorded as he has a lot of medical appointments.
@Jointhedots can you say more about your issues with Interhigh?

[norfolkskies]

interhighs a package???<br /> MOS (myonlineschooling) you pick . It will cost to do iGCSEs. so be warned. its not just the class cost, but sitting the actual exam in a edexcel centre that does private candidates. MOS is great!

[norfolkskies]

MOS classes are all recorded. they use powerschool/ adobe connect . I think interhigh probably uses the same.

[cardamoncoffee]

@norfolkskies how much is MOS per subject?

[norfolkskies]

google myonlineschooling. maths, english, science £58 a month. the others £33. thats for KS3.

[norfolkskies]

thats for EACH subject!

[cardamoncoffee]

Does MOS organise an exam centre of do you have to do that yourself?

[norfolkskies]

you do it yourself. but ask them about it and they`ll steer you right. needs to be looked at the september before the exam year I think! so sept 2019 for may 2020. start looking now. google pearson excel /edexcel igcse centre uk. theres a map. you could ask the local college/ secondary schools nicely.

[qwerty1972]

cardamon

I teach for Net School.

It might reassure you to know that my daughter is taking her IGCSE level exams over four years (she started very young) and is now completing her 'set' of that level qualifications while pushing forward with A Levels and similar qualifications in the subjects that she does best. The flexibility you are looking for is available with Net School and indeed other online providers.

You will find that online schools should be very clued up re. issues like anxiety, ASD, health problems etc.

[cardamoncoffee]

That;s good to know *qwerty8, thanks. Do NetSchool organize exam centres or is that up to you?
If a child is a member of an online school is this considered home education or a member of a school?

[qwerty1972]

cardamon

Net School doesn't organise exam centres. I contacted our nearest private school and they were happy to allow my daughter to sit her exams there. They have been amazingly supportive.

Children who are members of an online school are considered to be 'home educated'. The theory is that you, as a parent, are providing home education by 'buying in' the services of an educational provider. That's why online schools can offer reduced timetables or even single subjects - they don't have to offer a certain number of hours a year in the way that conventional schools do.

[KateD1980]

we used Fresh Start Direct - //www.freshstart.direct

[scoobydoo1971]

I use MOS with my children. One is an academically able Y7 with a hypermobility condition preventing mainstream education. The other is a KS2 children with complex SEN, but normal IQ. Severe dyspraxia, auditory/ sensory/ visual processing disorder and some issues with anxiety. She loathed school, so I started her online with MOS in September. Both kids like it, and like most of their teachers. Both have had valid issues with two teachers (one each) which has prompted me to give notice on those subjects and find private tutors to supplement learning. I picked MOS as they have a short notice period of one month if you want to quit. I find their customer care team to be responsive and I like the quality of teaching I have seen, in general.