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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

home schooling year 11 son

154 replies

barbsbarbs · 02/09/2017 16:29

I have just made the scary decision to honeschool my son for five gcses from next week, He has failed badly at school, always in trouble and bunks off all the itme. Thsi way I know he will get some education. Any ideas? Also does anyone have any links etc to find out the gcse curriculum.

OP posts:
Haskell · 02/09/2017 16:32

You will need to find a centre that will accept him as an independent candidate, and then ask which board/syllabus they do.

Wolfiefan · 02/09/2017 16:33

Would the school have him sit GCSE there? If so he could continue with the same boards?
Do you have a local home schooling forum you could join?

BertrandRussell · 02/09/2017 16:35

Where will he sit his GCSEs?

Original poster
barbsbarbs · 02/09/2017 16:35

i will find oiut.... thanks

OP posts:
EB123 · 02/09/2017 16:35

Hi, I home education but my children are young. If you are on Facebook join the group home education UK, they will be able to help answer your questions.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 02/09/2017 16:36

www.gov.uk/government/collections/gcse-subject-content

I'm going to be really harsh now though. All of the errors in your post, and the fact you don't seem to have even a basic idea about homeschooling suggest that this may not be the best path for your son. Do you really have the knowledge and ability to teach your son to GCSE level in 5 subjects?

EB123 · 02/09/2017 16:36

home educate*

BertrandRussell · 02/09/2017 16:37

Are you sure this is the right thing to do? What does your ds think?

Original poster
barbsbarbs · 02/09/2017 16:44

ItsAllGoingToBeFine i am educated to a master degree. typo when Im writing quickly is not a sign I cant spell etc. He will fail at school anyway because that is what has happened for the last seven years. I know it will be tough, Im under no illusion, but I have no choice

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 02/09/2017 16:45

What does your ds think?

Wolfiefan · 02/09/2017 16:46

Can school offer any support? Our local school would sometimes tutor students in certain subjects at a local community centre.

Somerville · 02/09/2017 16:46

You could perhaps try an online school. (Interhigh is one.)

theEagleIsLost · 02/09/2017 16:48

Is there money for sites like www.interhigh.co.uk/fees/?

Once you hit secondary school I think specialist subject knowledge starts to be important.

Just in case you didn't know there is a home education board on www.mumsnet.com/Talk/home_e - good place to find people already doing this .

theEagleIsLost · 02/09/2017 16:49

Sorry messed link up www.mumsnet.com/Talk/home_ed

TeenTimesTwo · 02/09/2017 16:49

Which GCSEs?

He'll need Maths and English Language for a start.

Science has a practical element still I think, unless iGCSE doesn't?

TeenTimesTwo · 02/09/2017 16:52

The hard thing, is this is the year that all the GCSEs have changed so there will be no accessible past papers for the new curriculums. This could make it much harder than previously for you to prepare him and judge how he is getting on.
You are braver than I am! good luck.

Phosphorus · 02/09/2017 16:52

If your son is going to sit the exams in June 2018, you'll need to find an exam centre that will let him sit the five subjects you've chosen. It can be expensive.

The relevant exam boards have copies of the syllabus and past papers online.

Is he motivated? Why is he skipping class?

If he needs access arrangements in place, you are leaving it rather late for the 2018 exam season, but he could sit later.

FlandersRocks · 02/09/2017 16:53

You're planning on homeschooling your dc at GCSE level yet you're asking on a chat forum for links to 'the GCSE curriculum'?

That doesn't bode well. Do some proper research for goodness sake.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 02/09/2017 16:55

ItsAllGoingToBeFine i am educated to a master degree. Fair enough (although that doesn't mean you can teach Grin )

Have you discussed other options with the school? Reduced timetable, PRU etc. You will also need to address the issues that lead to this behaviour of his, or you'll be dealing with his behavioural issues and bunking off full time.

As others have suggested maybe head over to the homeschooling topic on MN, AIBU may not be the best place for this Wink

DaisyLoo89 · 02/09/2017 16:57

I think to do best by your son you should try to frame lessons that include all the basics (Science, Maths, English, Politics etc) rather than doing them in blocks. I think the current schooling system makes it very hard to apply knowledge.

lifeinthecountry · 02/09/2017 16:59

OP - mumsnet is not that great for HE advice. I'd try Facebook, there are some very good Home Ed groups, including ones dedicated to preparing children for GCSEs - they will help you find the best solution for you and your son. There are many different options. They can also offer a lot advice on finding exam centres.

www.facebook.com/groups/HELinksUK.IGCSE/

HundredMilesAnHour · 02/09/2017 17:00

Wouldn't it be more effective to work with him and his school to improve his behaviour (i.e. stop him getting into trouble and bunking off)?

You seem to have made this decision without doing any research at all. Despite the "failing" going on for 7 years. At least do some research first and then make an informed decision.

SummerKelly · 02/09/2017 17:02

Also Google HE exams wiki, which should give you the info you need.

SootSprite · 02/09/2017 17:02

Go on fb, search for your local home ed group.
Also, on yahoo, search for the home ed exams group.
I also recommend www.edyourself.org

BBQ bite size is a good resource. You need to figure out where he is going to sit them and what exam board is used, that will help you find the relevant curriculum.

ommmward · 02/09/2017 17:07
  1. get yourself off AIBU (the world and his wife will be convinced that school will offer a better education to your child than you can offer. I've just watched the (bright, sparky, diligent) daughter of a friend come out with 2 GCSE passes from a school that proudly boasts that 70% of its students got 5 the new equivalent of A-C grades this year. There are lots of schools out there that are failing more than one in five pupils. You are unlikely to do worse.

When I say get yourself off AIBU, I'd even advise you to get this thread deleted - it's one of those guaranteed bun fight topics where dozens of people will pile in to tell you you are doing the wrong thing.

  1. Get yourself over to the HE forum (linked upthread) and ask again there

  2. look at the 14-16 programme at your local FE college. Lots of the HE teens in our area go and do GCSEs through that, or wait until they are 16 and then get a clutch of GCSEs at that point.

  3. Life is not a race. If your son needs a year or two to recover and then get a clutch of GCSEs later, after he's got his mojo back, life will not have left him behind! Most people will tell you it's a disaster if he's taken a year or two longer over getting qualifications than other people do. It's a lie. If he needs it, take time to discover and pursue his own interests. They might not look school-y, but they'll be much more educational than enforced curriculum at this stage.

  4. for the GCSEs, yes, you can work through the curricula yourselves (lots of home edders do iGCSEs - I think it's easier outside an institution to manage the requirements in terms of coursework/exam balance). And then enter as a private candidate. There is a yahoo group called something like UK home education exams. Or you can do tutors, or sign up to an Interhigh type school, or explore college.

  5. Get yourself linked into your local home ed community. The facebook group for home education [MY NEAREST BIG CITY] has over 600 families in it. It is getting increasingly mainstream.

  6. make sure this is what your son wants.

Hope that helps :)