Homeschool in September for 1 term?

[Jigglypuff2]

Hello,

I have a year 5 child who will be in year 6 in September.

During the lockdown the current year 5 teacher has provided hardly any work or contact. Work consisted of a 2 page maths sheet and one page on grammar.

When I enquired about extra resources I was then provided with an app for online learning.

The teacher called me once and got my child mixed up with another child. In short, I honestly feel the teacher does not seem to cope.

My younger child at the same school was provided with a great deal more work and contact from his teacher.

For what it is worth .. my son gets on with some children in the class, he gets on very well with kids in the neigbourhood and in his external activities. However there are a few kids In the class who have really severe behaviour issues, violence and swearing seems to happen regularly. One tried to destroy a table. There have been a couple of racism incidents towards my son .. that I don't think the school have dealt with, but it may be really the year 5 teacher was not coping anyway. So my son has some confidence issues and is a bit scared of some children .

So my idea is:

Homeschool my son for the first term of year 6. Enter 11 plus and see how he goes at getting into a good school.

See about him returning to school in the second term of year 6.

If you off-roll your child can you then return to state education?

How much notice would I need to tell his current school that he is not returning to September?

Can I speak to school about my child returning to school after a term or homeschool?

The reason I might do this is that the year 6 teacher is excellent so I would have a term trying to boost my son's confidence, improve his results and then hopefully return with some resilience under his belt and be ready to face the world and leave primary when he leaves for secondary school. The year 5 teacher is leaving the school. So maybe the school have realised that there has been real issues.

And if it counts the school is not full. Locally, it does not have a great reputation so I think a spot would still be open for my child.

I know it is upheaval for my child but we have been homeschooling anyway so what is another term?

Also I know I can arrange social interaction during homeschooling..

[TokyoSushi]

I think you should spend the summer boosting confidence and improving resilience and then send him back for Year 6 with a new teacher and a fresh start.

[Rainrainrainrainbow]

Sorry your son’s had a hard time, that sounds really difficult.

I would say, though, that this plan seems like it could be quite confusing and destabilising? Especially with all the disruption of Covid, and the fact that he’ll be changing schools relatively soon anyway in year 7.

[Jigglypuff2]

Thank you both for your answers.

Because he has been off school for so long I figure another term with me (while my younger child) returns to school won't be too much of a disruption as he is used to the new normal.

I strongly feel that it would be wrong for him to return in September .. if that makes sense?

It would give me some time to spend with him and focus on him and hopefully set him up for a better secondary school and experience.

Maybe at some level I just don't trust the school because of the historical failings.

[RedCatBlueCat]

Having just finished Y6, I would say look VERY carefully at what they do when in Y6. After Xmas, the SATs practicing ramped up, and the other bits dropped off a bit. I dont think the spring term is the best one to start with for Y6, unless SATs are scrapped.
Could you homeschool for all of Y6, and start afresh for secondary?

[Jigglypuff2]

Hi yes I could homeschool for all of year 6.
He is doing really well on 11 plus work. He is not fast enough but he gets all the concepts.

It is clear to me that his year at school have not been taught that well. I had got him some extra support I Year 5 and I realise now that maybe they were just letting his glide along. He is never someone to get in trouble or complain if that makes sense?

I feel in my gut that he should not go back for the first term. I guess I feel it is quite a thing to take on but...

1. I don't want him to go back to the same class in term 1 and have really awful behaviour of other children to deal with. I feel that would stop all the gains (both work wise and emotionally) that we have had with him being off. I also feel that some children will have not done a great deal as the work was not set up for them to do anyhow. So I also worry that he will just have to sit through classes again where he is not stretched and where others repeat work.

1. It does not feel right to change him to another school so he goes into a new environment with new friends and who knows if it won't have some form of bullying ? All of that just to change again in a year.

1. I don't think he will have trouble with year 6 sats at all. He is handling the 11 plus work well. Lots of maths had not been taught at the school but he has picked it up very fast.

If it makes sense I feel his confidence is something I really need to try support him with.

He does not feel he is good enough and I realise that the bullying has in my mind be worse that I imagined.

[Jigglypuff2]

I am very upset thinking about the sheer lack of any resource or schooling for year 5.

I get that covid 19 is massive but that he could not receive more than 4 bits of paper really say to me that they don't value the children.

Leaving aside all the bullying and other behaviour issues.

It is going to be challenging and difficult but I think I will have to bite the bullet and just home educate.

[SallyLovesCheese]

If you de-register him then there's no guarantee the school will still have his place when the time comes for you to re-enrol him: they're not obliged to hold it open for him. So if they have a waiting list or a new child moves into the area in the meantime, he'd either be at home all year or have to start a new school after Christmas.

[Jigglypuff2]

Thanks sally.

They do always have spaces in my experience.

Although a London school they are never at full capacity. This is because it is not seen as a good school or option.

[Jigglypuff2]

But I realise I would have to managed the school carefully.

[Lockdownseperation]

It’s not a case of managing the school. You don’t need to give the school any notice, you just need to put in writing that you are taking him off roll. When you are ready to send him back, apply and if the state school has a place they have to take him but if they don’t have one then you will have to look at other schools.

I’m not sure why stay off another term is going to help.

[Jigglypuff2]

Thank you Lockdown separation.

Can you explain your last sentence.

I guess I am hedging my bets.

So I take him out of school next term to homeschool him and then look to see if he could return in 2021.

Maybe I am just wanting a back stop.

Perhaps it won't be needed and perhaps we can continue to homeschool for all of year 6.

I would like to give the school notice.

But what you are saying if I don't need to?

I suppose I was wanting to make sure he left ok because my younger child will stay at the school, for now.

[Trewblew]

I’m not sure I understand either OP. How does your son feel about it?

[Jigglypuff2]

I asked him along the lines of

If there was an option to keep homeschooling how would you feel about it?


He jumped at it and said yes, as long as he can still what we have been doing but also have outings. He would like to go to secondary school.

[Lockdownseperation]

What do you think staying at home for another term will achieve? Other than missing out on stats prep.

[Jigglypuff2]

Ok I get it...

Reasons to stay off another term:

We could prepare for state grammar and private schools (not sure about financing a private school but we would investigate this).

I could continue to keep teaching my sons

He avoids the bullies and really bad behaviour from his class.


Reasons to go to school:

He would get more social interaction with the people in the class who are his friends.

He would have access to a trained teacher.

[TW2013]

Where would he be sitting the 11 plus? If in school then I think he would need to go back for the term so they don't send papers back to LEA saying miniJiggly doesn't attend here anymore. Do also consider whether your school has a head teacher appeal system and whether they would support it. Other than that I am not sure why you would send him back for some of yr6. Won't that make him stand out even more to the other children if he was off for another half a term. If he is that unhappy and there is little comeback in terms of secondary I would probably just home educate for yr6 and start him again in yr7 at his new school.

[TW2013]

If you home educate properly then there should be groups you can join for social interaction.

[Jigglypuff2]

The school is out of a grammar area. I know the chances of achieving a grammar school placement are slim.

I do feel the work would help with a secondary school place such as a private school.

[Mapless]

It seems a sensible option to me. I am considering the same for my year 4 dc going into yr5. She has really flown academically while working at home. Her chronic migraines have disappeared and I have a good handle on her learning strengths and gaps. I feel confident that I can deliver the core curriculum for one term plus boost her skills and understanding. I work part time from home and she is motivated and works independently well. I teach during 2.5 days a week and set independent tasks the resting the time. She has online music, yoga and French. I want to see how the R rate is in September. People in my area are facing like covid doesnt exist anymore. The media indicated a plan for a local lockdown a few weeks ago. I am in a vulnerable group. Many people wont be, and/or wont feel confident to teach their dcs for another term. I think if you can, plus provide other creative/skill learning too, then go for it!

[Jigglypuff2]

You are correct that he would stand out more with the kids that him issues.

Good point.

[LolaSmiles]

You have my sympathy for DC having a rubbish year.

A good Year 6 teacher will be able to whip a class into shape, even if they've had a less than ideal Year 5. A sensible head deploys their staff well and will consider this with staffing.

Pulling DC out for a term seem to be pointless to me and a risk that you lose his place and can't get back in.

If you're going to home educate then doing it for the year and making the most of home ed groups and tutors if he needs it could be a good option for a child with an established group of friends and lots of interests.

Going back means he's got a qualified teacher, his friends, continuity, a sats score to go up to secondary because some will use them to do provisional setting.

[Jigglypuff2]

Thanks Mapless.

Yes I think I could provide creative skills.

I just think that lots of issues have gone away with him not being at school.

He used to come home, be upset and not feel great about himself.

He sometimes still doesn't feel great about himself but he is not upset.

I would also be willing to pay for external classes etc where I could.

He loves singing too.

[Jigglypuff2]

I Am concerned about him not having sats results. I do think school would like him back.

But the reason they have space is people see the light in key stage 2 and they move their kids out. He does get good marks.

I suppose I just need to think carefully.

If it was no to be homeschool it would have to be another school.

[UmbrellaHat]

I wouldn't worry about the SATs / they are only for school rankings, matter not a hot in secondary
, although the school will try to scare you by saying that secondaries depend on them for setting. From the secondary point of view lower SATs are better because makes them look better on value added at GCSE.

[Jigglypuff2]

Thanks Umbrella

Is that the case?

I wonder if private schools will want sats?

Yes I remember speaking to a head of a secondary who said he made kids sit their own assessments as he knew year 6 children had been coached to sit the year 6 sats.