Up Learn or similar: GCSE preparation for school refuser

[MrsGhastlyCrumb]

Hello folks: my daughter has ASD with PDA, and it has been near impossible to get her to go to school for the last 18 months.

She is bright, and feels that if she had access to online schooling it would be more accessible for her.

i was just looking at Up Learn: initially it looked interesting but they only seem to offer Chemistry at GCSE.

Has anyone any experience with similar alternative providers?

Thanks in advance…

No…? 😳

How old is she? Depending on age, you could try senecalearning https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/ ; Cognito https://cognitoedu.org/home ; however, what are the school and/or Local Authority doing to support her?

Young Minds have good information www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/school-anxiety-and-refusal/

Try Oak National Academy. They have lessons in lots of GCSE subjects. They are all free.

A lot of my students as well as my own children seem to have got through their GCSEs purely with Seneca. It’s worth paying for the premium access from now until exams, and remember to cancel again afterwards (guess how I know).

Thank you for your reply - and apologies for the delay in responding. She is 13, turning 14 later in the summer. We honestly haven’t had much meaningful interaction with the school: the usual measures have been tried, such as allowing her to go to a Well-being Hub if she’s stressed (no chance is she going to just stand up and leave if she needs to as she can’t cope with the stress of it).

We have yet another meeting next week and they mention online schooling designed for remote communities as a possibility each time but never send us info on how to enrol. I appreciate this is also on us, but we have a lot going on in extended family, both work full time plus there’s her sister who had ADHD and possibly other undiagnosed additional needs.

We want to explore online schooling that follows a format she don’t find off putting: like allowing her to have the camera off. Some of the options aren’t cheap but if we can get her back into the way of learning even via an alternative we feel it would benefit her. As it is she barely leaves her room and has been self harming.

There are a few online schools eg. Kings Interhigh. No direct experience but we looked into it when one of our children was school refusing. If you look for EOTAS (education other than at school) resources you should find more info. The local authority should be providing an education so they may fund online school, you might need an EHCP if you haven't got one. Also if you aren't a member already try Not Fine in School Facebook group as there is a wealth of parents with info on there. Hope you manage to get something sorted.

Thank you @Witsend101, will look at that.

Also thanks to everyone else who commented as well, I really appreciate it, but am slightly hanging on by a thread (not sleeping) so I do apologise for not responding directly to every post. (Plus my phone screen is borked so it takes a lot of energy!)

I’d comment on whether she needs schooling at the moment. Mental health is key. Hopefully you are seeing someone about that. Self harming you need to get help with that first and put schooling to the back seat. Pda very hard. I wouldn’t push schooling they only do what they want / interested in. If she truly wants an online school minerva is supposed to be good. However I’d test some recorded lessons at the £2 hub to see she likes it. Or even an online tutor.
Apply for an EHCP yourself - Ipsea website has a letter. Good luck she will get there when she can and needs low pressure. La should put in AP but they are rubbish and you have to fight the system for it