To keep dd off school (year 7) for one term?

[bluebellscorner]

Dd is due to start secondary school this year and we are considering homeschooling her until Christmas. We have two reasons for this: one is family related (terminal illness in a grandparent who lives abroad, we’d like to be there if we can and with covid traveling back and forth won’t be an option) and also because dd would like to apply to a vocational school for year 8, she could then use this time to prepare her application (very slim chance, it’s highly likely that she won’t get in)l but she really wants to try and we support her).

1. Any experience with temporary homeschooling? Any tips or suggestions on how to make it a success?

2. Will she be able to keep her place in her secondary school as she will return in January?

Thank you in advance!

@Blueeyedgirl21

I’d be more worried about the vocational school and being able to audition, second audition, interview etc with being back and forth from abroad, and keeping on top of training etc. If it’s music, she’ll need regular tutoring, and if dance (white lodge ballet or somewhere ?) she will need to be at class for hours a week, doing exams and the like. How will that work?

Very true. Almost feels frivolous to enter dd’s vocational dreams into the equation given the circumstances, but it obviously means the world to her

If there's a possibility that she might go to a different school in Year 8, then starting her a term late in Year 7 (so she misses all the usual settling in activities) and then changing schools again 2 terms later, is a really bad idea - it will be massively disruptive for her.

Homeschooling rarely works out.

Can you expand @blueskytoday06?

It would be very difficult for your daughter but I can also understand that your husband wants to spend time with his parents. A tough situation all round

In terms of friendships, unless your daughter is extremely shy, I wouldn't worry too much. My brother is in the military and has two children, one of whom is now Y8. They have moved a few times and the kids have never had issues making friends.

It would be a challenge for her to start Y7 in January as she would have missed all the settling in and getting used to secondary school. Plus, a whole term's worth of curriculum. I know you would home educate but it's unlikely you'd cover the curriculum in full depth.

Is there an option of all of you going abroad now and then you and DD returning late August while DH stays there? You could then potentially go for two weeks at Oct half term (due to extenuating circumstances) and again at Christmas?

Homeschooling rarely works out.

? 😂 What are you talking about?

I don't think you'd be able to keep your place, but depending on the school and how over/under subscribed it is you might be able to reapply and start at Christmas. I've had 3 new pupils in my year 7 form at various points this year, because we had 5 spaces in that yeargroup so they got a place event though it was a different start to the majority. If it's a massively oversubscribed school that won't be an option though, obviously.

My cousins are homeschooled, and they are achieving academically roughly where I would have expected them to be if they'd stayed in mainstream school. There are homeschooling communities around that you could join if you can find one in your area.

YABVU - for all the reasons mentioned above. A much more realistic option would be your husband going over to stay with them. Is this possible with his job?

Don't underestimate how all-consuming caring for someone who is terminally ill can be. If you are all over there then the likelihood is that both you and your DH will be drawn into the caring, your DD will end up doing some of the caring too, and there will be little capacity to focus on her education.

I cannot imagine vocational schools liking the idea of taking a term out of school to prepare an application - this is not something they would ever want to be seen to encourage. One of their thoughts will be - if other DCs can manage 5 days a week at school + vocational training + preparing an application, why can't your DD?

If I were terminally ill, I'd be horrified at a DGC being taken out of school for a term for my sake.