DS studying better now than pre-lockdown what do we do when schools reopen?

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DS ( year 10) not missing school at all, except for sport. Hated school, was asking about moving to a new school just before lockdown. Lacking focus and motivation at school, below target on most subjects. After a rocky start he is keeping up with most work set now - i have emphasised quality over quantity so said I’d rather he actually tries to understand and properly do half the task set and learn something he will remember than charge though learning nothing but ticking off the task. He has sat and worked some days in a more focussed way than I have ever seen. He’s getting around 25 assignments a week - have said he can miss up or 3 a week and take shortcuts with some others but essentially keep up with the rest.He is getting lots of positive comments from teachers, I am thinking he may be doing better than would have been with all the distractions at school. Is socialising all evening on the Xbox. Doing football and fitness challenges everryday and seems more relaxed and happier than I have seen for a while. Which kind of concerns me. But still - what do we do when schools reopen? Know he is dreading it. I work full time, has been lots of juggling, he does want a bit of input though not loads. Should I look at home schooling - but what about PE? He wants to do a BTEC in sports science at 16. Dreading schools reopening and wondering whether we will get an option to stay home when schools first reopen or will it be back to compulsory attendance. Mainly posting to ask anyone else found the same with their teens? Thanks

Sorry, just to clarify my comment about ‘ seems more relaxed and happier than I have seen for a while, Which kind of concerns me. ‘ I mean it feels a bit of a concern that he is not more bothered being away from friends etc but I guess he isn’t exactly because living so much of his social life online....

You might get a chance to stay at home, but if teachers are in school teaching then they are not setting work to be done at home. Your homeschool model only works at the minute because someone else plans it / creates it / delivers it. So, if you want to homeschool then you will either need to do that yourself or look seriously at things like online high schools

We are thinking along the same lines (although our child in primary still) as getting through more quality work at home due to complete disruption in class up to lockdown point. Class isn't going to change until move to secondary so we're wondering what our options should be whether we home school, move schools or go private.

It's such a tough decision.

Seems you have inadvertently found out more about your DS’s studying style. Look at Interhigh and other online schools. We still have a 19th cen schooling system with big institutions, putting all children in together to learn and it is not really the best model for 21st cen now there is tech.

You could look at online schools like Interhigh and Myonlineschooling which have live lessons. Or you could consider distance learning eg Oxford Home Schooling, Little Arthur where you get a full pack of work and tutor support.

However these will both cost you and as ds is year 10 you will probably find there’s slight differences between the syllabus he’s been following and what these options provide - especially in subjects like History. You’d also have to pay exam entry fees.

Our ds is similar; we’ve always known it to be the case. He has ADHD so struggles with concentration/distraction anyway. We home Ed through years 5 and 6 so we knew it worked better for him, but home Ed is demanding financially and/or time wise for parents.

I must admit I’ve been looking into it again though, wondering if we should move ds for years 10 and 11. He also claims to ‘hate’ school and he has a long journey there, but he does have friends and he also enjoys football at break and things like that. Home Ed can be good because it allows more time for extra curricular - I hate the way school fills up so much time with homework too. But it’s the casual playground stuff it’s hard to replicate.

So no answers but I sympathise. I think our ds would also like sport science at college. It’s possible to do A Levels by distance learning /online school too but not BTECs.

Agreeing with petalseaside.
This crisis has shown the truth about schools. They are a mixture of childcare and social work, with a bonus bit of education. It's an outdated, one size fits all model which does not work for a lot a children.
I'm a teacher, and I think that if I was at school myself now I'd be bored silly. I wouldn't like all of the compliance necessary.
I think (really hope) that there will be a revolution in education prompted by this. We need far more creativity.

What's the pastoral care like at his school? Could be worth discussing this with them. My dcs' school has always been very responsive to anything that supports the children's learning.