To think that online school might be the answer

[razzbo]

I just want a wider opinion really as my friends think this is a stupid idea... but I'm considering taking my kids out of normal school and putting them in online school. I feel like I never see them - they're travelling to school, then at school all day, then there's after school clubs, then homework - my only interaction with them is just me nagging them to do homework or rushing them onto the next thing. They're constantly tired and stressed about school things and peers and mild bullying. I'm wondering whether online school might free up some time for family stuff and getting outdoors and better mental health in general. They're on board with the idea of it - I wouldn't be forcing them - and I work from home so I'd be there with them. Am just wondering whether anyone had any experience of it - pros and cons - that sort of thing?

If your only interaction with your children is nagging them to do homework, then that's a significant problem. What happens at weekends?
Firstly, talk to your children and get them to identify the problems, and be specific. Then contact the school and discuss what's going on.
It's a big expense and commitment taking them out of school, so make sure that you take plenty of advice on this before doing it.
How rurally do you live? Do you have a network of support?.

@ProfessionalPirate , not strange at all. The nearest neighbours were about half a mile away. The school I went to was tiny. The socialising was with a small set of people. The nearest village was miles away. The nearest town a car journey away. There weren't many children my age.

Socialising on a daily level was pretty much the family only. Children don't generally go 'out and about' in that sort of environment.

Did you enjoy parenting through Covid, assuming they had live lessons?
That's essentially what online school is, plus the fees and subscriptions. I have worked from home alongside online school then and it was hard work - and I have self-motivated children, who actually got on with the work.

The thing that jumps out for me is that you WFH. How are you going to manage your time, during your working hours, if your children prove less than enthusiastic once the reality sets in? You're being paid to work for your employer, not to home school your kids. I'd have thought that realistically you'd need to be at least working part time. It won't work to assume you can park them in front of screens and largely let them get on with it.

I have a daughter in an online school op. Feel free to DM me. Different situation as she could no longer manage in secondary mainstream ( autistic burnout). It has been a lifesaver for her.

Agree with all @SpringleDingle said, sounds like we have similar situations.

For balance, I have one in mainstream secondary too.

I was just as rural as it sounds like you were. Neighbours also miles away. There were 20 children total in my local village school. But we knew all the local farmers, people would even stop their cars in the road and wind their windows down for a chat! It was a 10 minute drive to the nearest village but we still knew everyone there. I was in pony club and later young farmers and had something going on with those most days and certainly every weekend. It sounds like your parents really failed you if they allowed you to become so isolated

Unfortunately the lessons can be so boring it's a crime.
If they are suffering that much I'd also say look into other options.
I hate our huge monolithic schools full of asbestos and problems. We need more schools and smaller nicer schools where different needs can be met not smaller ones

Christ no.

Same as a PP I have one in mainstream who has thrived, and Y7 DS (in process of ASD assessment) who could not cope and for whom mainstream school was literal hell.

He's started online school and it's significantly better than his last term where his anxiety meant he wasn't making it in at all (and was absolutely hating himself for it) however in terms of juggling full time work and supporting him I'm finding it quite stressful. He's only 4 weeks in so maybe we get more self sufficient.

We're having to make a LOT of concerted effort for him to get out of the house and maintain relationships with his friends, and he misses them a lot.

So I would say it can be absolutely the right thing for some kids, but it's not a magic wand and think very carefully

It's not something I'd do unless absolutely necessary (Sen or medical needs). Not being in school can be very isolating.

So they get no real world life experience and live in a bubble?! This thread seems to be more about you than them....

With kindness, your children need to be taught, online school isn't a substitute for that, you can't be working and teaching them plus they aren't things to entertain you "seeing them". If they aren't motivated to do homework they won't cope with remote learning.

It works for some children but typically a parent is supervising

I would tread very carefully around this one. I remember a family once who had three kids who were home tutored and then put in school for a while and they took a long time to adjust socially.
They were three bright and nice kids but they found it hard to fit in as there was little commonality with the other kids and they had this real adult/baby sensibility: in some ways they would chat to you like someone your age but with kids their own age the slightest thing would make them cry and have a melt down ie.someone taking their ruler at age 12!!
Please really think this one through as I think you’d be exhanging one set of problems for another.

I just wanted to answer this, online school can very much be 'real school' and they are taught lessons in the same way (sometimes more effective ways) as mainstream schools. My son is absolutely learning. However the social side is obviously more complex!

@Runoutofmilk yes, interactive lessons, flipped learnings, bi-termly class trips. It's not conventional but doesn't mean it doesn't have its place.

A pupil at my DS's online school got the highest GCSE maths grade IN THE WORLD last year, so for some kids it clearly works.

I'm not advocating it for all. But for some (eg my DS) it's allowing him to engage with learning where the environment of mainstream schools meant he could even make it through the door.

Even though I think your attitude is narrow minded, I get it because we have traditional schooling so drummed in. However in so many ways it's broken, DS's school is also the fastest growing school in the country and has been recognised by OFSTED, so likelihood is it will become more commonplace

Saying that OP, as I said before, we have to work very hard to ensure DS gets socialisation and maintains friendships outside of school, so if you are already isolated I would proceed with caution

It'd be a hard no from me. My dd1 mentioned one of her friends was considering it and I said nfw. All that time on screen, not moving around, socially isolated and effectively hiding from the world, I can't see the appeal at all unless school is really traumatic. Home schooling is different if done well - you'd be out and about having human interaction and would have opportunities to make friends. Online school just so you apend more time in your immediate family bubble sounds age inappropriate to me. There must be another way to build in more fresh air and exercise in - how do they travel to school?

How did they cope with schooling during lockdown @razzbo

Would it be better to move somewhere less middle of nowhere?

Socialisation and generally learning to live in the world is about more than just “seeing their friends”. In a society you don’t just coexist with people you like in an organised way. That’s not what any workplace is like, nor any busload of people or even group of neighbours! I’m not denigrating bullying or how difficult school can be (although your OP doesn’t actually mention a specific issue) I just don’t see in your plan how your kids learn to cope with the world in the broader sense. Part of the problem for those teenagers who missed a lot of school time due to covid was that they missed this wider skills stuff of just learning to rub along together and having the confidence to do things like take public transport. I can see the appeal for young children but not for this age. Unless there are specific issues, secondary school is for gaining independence, not spending more time cosseted in a family bubble.

We moved to online school this year (year 10). Game changer for us. My DD still does activities outside of school and is so much happier, more engaged and enjoying learning again

YABU. Online education has been thoroughly demonstrated to be extremely ineffective.

No it hasn't.