AIBU to think teachers that developed this would be onto a nice little earner.

[confusedandold]

Posting here for traffic.
We're moving back to the UK in November, my eldest has been homeschooled since September due to an operation and my youngest as well since March. When we arrive in the UK I am expecting difficulties in getting my eldest into secondary school (North West Leicestershire) as there doesn't seem to be any places at the catchment area school. I will, therefore, be in a position where I need to carry on homeschooling until there is a place.

I'm following the UK curriculum so I am pretty clued up with the resources that are available out there and I'm subscribed to some excellent ones. One of my favorites was designed by a retired Science Teacher. He has created courses for KS2, KS3 and GCSE where there are narrated powerpoints for all the topics. He also provides worksheets and they work alongside the well known CGP books. I also look for Youtube videos that relate to the topics and mark the work done. It is excellent and my son is absolutely flying ahead with Science, understanding it, and more importantly, enjoying it. It is great for me as all the resources are organised and it wasn't ridiculously expensive either. I also subscribe to another resource for ICT which was approx £100 for the whole KS3 course. In comparison, for other subjects I have to spend a lot of time finding resources and planning what he is going to do.

I think over the coming months there will be many parents who will be homeschooling for various reasons, many who will not have the funds to put a lot of money into it with places such as Interhigh or Wosley College.

AIBU to think that it would be amazing if some ex- teachers (retired?) out there could great something similar to the Science course I mentioned for subjects such as English, History and Geography. They could be used alongside cheap and easily obtained books such as CGP. Keep the costs reasonable and I'm sure there would be lots of subscribers. I know that the ex-teacher who does the Science course props up his pension nicely with it and because he keeps the price at a sensible level he gets lots of subscribers.

I'm not saying this is suitable for homes where parents are not able to oversee homeschooling, but for those homes where the parents are willing and able but don't know where to start.

PS - I find Oak Digital not that great in comparison to the offering I mention above. I don't think it is easy to navigate, better than nothing , but not a fan.

Hegarty Maths is very good, too.

The website Outschool, while predominantly American, has just started taking on UK teachers and classes are generally around $10-15 an hour, so potentially useful for homeschooling over here. UK teachers like myself are looking for classes to run from the autumn, so this is useful stuff to know, thanks!

Good idea OP!
I second Hegarty Maths. He's excellent.

@Lougle

We use Conquer Maths as it teaches the subject before attempting the questions. It also marks it and you get a report, as a parent, of the results. I can print off a report for say KS3 and it will show me what areas have been covered, what the grades were, what areas he was struggling with. It's excellent.

Where is really seems to be lacking is for English, History and Geography.

@ThisIsMeOrIsit

We've used a couple of US resources in the past but not keen on them. I think they are fine for homeschoolers who aren't bothering with following the UK curriculum. For me, we work best with structure and knowing that we are following exactly what is done in UK schools.
For English we've tried online resources such as Time4Writing, Literacy Plant and Edplace all of them have their limitations. What is really needed it the English curriculum 'in a box'. Exactly what would be done in schools with voiced over powerpoints and worksheets or link to say a CGP or Collins text book. Rather than an hourly rate a set subscription fee for the year.

The Science course we do is a lifetime subscription but would be happy with yearly subs. I would be happy to mark the work myself or there could be an option for an extra charge that the teacher would mark and provide feedback for TMA's.

In my experience of homeschooling, there is a huge gap in the market. There are the expensive curriculum 'in a box' options like Interhigh, Wosley etc but the offering for parents that can't afford this is bitty. For example, I don't need live lessons, I can mark myself but I need a one-stop-shop where my son can log on, watch the lessons and do the assigned work. I am then confident that he is following the curriculum.

Some subjects lend themselves well to online learning, others don't. There are huge numbers of maths programmes. Lessons can be delivered online and because the answers are wrong or right, they are easily marked by computer. Sciences, again, have right or wrong answers and are straightforward to deliver digitally, although you can lose some of the practical element.

Once you stray into humanities at KS3 and KS4, skills and essay writing become a lot more important and delivering facts less so. There is only so much you can theoretically learn about how to write an essay. You need practice and feedback and that requires a real person.

Sounds amazing. Does the science course cover key stage 2?

@user1495884620
I agree that Humanities is not so easy but I don't want online marking etc, something that teaches the initial topic. So for example, KS3 the Slave Trade. Some voiced over powerpoints explaining say, Life on the Plantations with perhaps a link to a Youtube video or recommendations for relevant media (Roots? 12 years a slave?) and a worksheet.

The Collins revision books then have exam type questions such as comparing different types of historical evidence and discussing their relevance, historical bias. I know that feedback is required and I'm not saying this is a complete solution, but something that at the very least starts teaching the topic. Also, a section that looks at how to compare historical evidence, essay writing, etc.

There are tutors out there that do 6 weeks zoom lessons on say English essay writing, but it is bitty, seeking out resources from many different places. It would be great to have the curriculum in a box on the understanding that there would be limitations. As I mentioned above, there could be a two-tier subscription pricing structure. One where it is literally just the powerpoints/worksheets. The higher tier where there is a monthly TMA that the teacher marks and provides feedback on and this is reflected in the subscription pricing.

I agree.
I think Interhigh is actually amazing value for money and my son loves the interactive lessons and didnt get on with other types but I can see that there is a gap in the market for a wider range of types of online teaching.

Outschool is great for a child who wants to follow a particular interest but I agree it doesn't work if you are trying to get through a structured curriculum

It would be great to see more UK teachers on outschool though! That said, mine have enjoyed meeting teachers and students from all over the world and that is part of its benefits to me. At the height of lockdown they were chatting and giggling away with people from Japan/Us/South America/Australia /middle East.

@FrontRowSeat
Yes, there is KS2. You have to subscribe to the course (lifetime subscription) and get the relevant CGP books to go with it. My 8-year-old does it. The man that developed it was a Secondary School Science teacher but retired now.

Thanks OP. Sounds like something my daughter would love. Can you pass the website name please?

@NeverTwerkNaked
I've looked at Interhigh and I do think it is really good BUT it isn't any good for us as we're just homeschooling temporarily (potentially until the end of the calendar year). If it was going to be a complete academic year I would consider it. I also think there are lots of children in vulnerable households who will turn to homeschooling as a short/medium-term solution who need something as a stop gap and won't be able to afford approx £3k per child. My suggestion, I guess, is for people like that

@FrontRowSeat
I've sent you a PM with the link x

Yes could we have the name of the science website please? Sounds fantastic

Which is the science program?

Also you may have more luck once you are living here. Firstly you will be closer so higher up the waiting list. Secondly some parents after lockdown might decide not to return and thirdly the LEA have to offer you a place somewhere under the Fair Access Protocol. It doesn't have to be your nearest catchment school but they do have to offer you a place somewhere. You can also appeal if you are turned down from the preferred school. Appeals are much easier to win at secondary level, you will need to demonstrate why that school in particular would suit your dc. Being on top of the curriculum though will be beneficial.

Why don’t you mention the name of the Science course you’re following instead of sharing it by PM? Lots of other providers have been mentioned on this thread so it would seem appropriate?

@Dogmatix34 and @TW2013

This is the KS2 Science we follow
ks2sciencecourses.com/

This is the KS3 Science
www.ks3sciencecourses.com/
There is also a GCSE version.
I paid £59.99 for it plus CGP book to go with it.

I often seek out Youtube videos where they do experiments. For example for KS3 my son was looking at the Respiration system. He watched the Powerpoint, did the work sheets and also the relevant work in his KS3 Collins book then look at some experiments online eg The Bell Jar experiment.
I'm not saying this method is foolproof or that it can compete with normal science teaching in a classroom with a lab but what I am saying is that it is a very effective, low cost solution during the challenging times we find ourselves in.

I think the market is pretty much saturated with thousands of free resources already

Oak academy is ok.

BBC bitesize is the best

@myworkingtitle
I've just added the links as I wasn't sure if it was allowed or not.

The big problem is teachers tailor the resources to the need of the students they are teaching. Very few courses are simply about learning facts. Students need to understand and interpret exam questions and learn how to answer them.

For KS4 most exam boards less text books and provide teaching ideas/worksheets for course. However the stuff from exam boards is not greats

@mosquitofeast
I don't think it is and I say that from someone that has been homeschooling full time since September and significantly supplementing school at home for years. I don't rate Oak Academy at all, I think it is horrible to navigate. We gave up on it after one day. BBC Bitesize is good but it is really nice doing a course that has been written by a UK teacher with voice over powerpoints. Indeed there are lots of free resources but it is the time taken as a parent seeking them out, reading through, working out what is good and what isn't. The Science course is a godsend in that respect, low cost and buy the book to go with it and away we go. A nice mix of online and book work too.

Thanks very much for the links

English was identified in a study early in lockdown as being one of the hardest subjects to teach remotely and, therefore, one of the most poorly resourced.

That said, Massolit is fabulous and YouTube is absolutely chock full of what you are describing.

I spent the whole of last term making PowerPoints with voiceovers for my English classes and if I never have to do it again in my life I'll be a happy woman. It's not teaching.