Homeschool? Flexi school?

[Mariesthename]

DD has struggled since starting secondary school. Now in Y10 and mental health has dipped severely. She has requested homeschooling which I think would help her mental health but I am in no way a teacher. My hope is that I can support her at home with the work set by school. I am hoping this is reasonably straightforward as so much of their work and homework is set via online platforms already. Has anyone done this? Or can you tell me the pros/cons of homeschooling? Any advice gratefully received.

A achool
will not set or provide work for a home schooled child. Flexi yes (my experience is SEND)

Well if she's "home schooled" she won't be partying the school, so why would they provide resources?

Is she on social media by any chance?

I asked the autism inclusion team about this for my child. They said it would require consultant level evidence like a letter supporting the adjustment of a reduced timetable before school would even consider it. Most of the time it's very difficult to get them to agree. For my daughter it would be her paediatrician who could advise that her health conditions are stress related and that less time in school would help. But honestly I don't think he would be prepared to commit to that in writing as there are multiple causes to her health conditions that we are still trying to work out.

It's hard to find a HT accepting flexi.

Also to add there is the possibility of a part timetable as part of EBSA measures (emotionally based school avoidance). However this is only for cases of persistent unauthorized absence to an extreme degree and is used as a temporary compromise to try and improve the child's attendance. They are expected to build up to full attendance eventually.

Could you explore online or virtual schools? They aren’t cheap but will provide what you want and give your daughter the chance to take some GCSEs.

Homeschooling involves either teaching your child or arranging alternatives like tutors, groups, self direction or online school. I don’t believe your school sets all work on apps and if you asked me in my subject to do this I would only be able to provide workbooks, which is really not the same. If she’s exceptionally clever and motivated maybe she’d do it

I don’t know why isolating herself would be better for her mental health? Exercise building friendships and therapy, with a view to changing schools after gcse if that’s part of the issue

My DD was out of school last year after a MH crisis, school said that they would send work home for her, they did a little at the start but it was patchy and sporadic. Some teachers would send a set of PowerPoint slides with no additional guidance. She found it stressful dealing with all the different emails and so I had to assist her with this. Then after a few weeks they stopped sending any work altogether. I would not rely on this as an education path for your DD.

When it became obvious that she was unable to return we paid privately for maths and English tutors while I did battle with the LA to get her an EHCP secured.

If you have the money, there are online schools you can join. They are obviously not as expensive as a typical private school, but not free either.

You could explore flexi-schooling with her current school, but they may not be keen. Whilst lots of work is online, she will miss the teacher input and that would either be hard to replicate or lots of work. It might be manageable for a bright, resourceful child who will look things up, but school may have a different view on if it can be achieved.

Facebook has some good groups for homeschooling.

Have a look at minervavirtual.com

It's an online school and has been amazing for my daughter. She has gone from missing big chunks of school to getting ready to sit her GCSEs this year. A huge number of the kids in the school are ND or have mental health issues and the school and staff are incredibly supportive. It has honestly been life changing for us!

Think you need to explore a bit more what she thinks homeschooling looks like(online, shorter day, fewer subjects, less interaction or pressure), her self motivation and what she may miss out on by no longer being included - team sport, music/drama, socially, resources, support - and look at ways to fill any of those gaps which are important to her. The LA might provide some out of school tuition at home(EOTAS) but that is rarely more than core subjects and a few hours a week. Is she still hoping to sit gcses and progress to post 16 education?

Please look up Naomi Fisher online & this book is good

there’s a whole world away from school, it isn’t an easy route but it is better for some children

If your child is being homeschooled then they will have been de registered from school. No school will be setting her work.

You sound like you have confused "home schooling" with "part timetabling".
Part timetabling

• your child is still on-role at that school
• they do fewer subjects than is normal for that school
• they physically attend the lessons for the subjects they are doing and do all the assignments/homework etc normally associated with those subjects
• around the lessons of the subjects they are still doing, they either come home, or they work on work for the subjects they are doing in the library or other designated place.
• they take the GCSE exams that they can, in school with their year group

Homeschooling

• the child is fully at home
• they are off-role at the school
• school does not have anything to do with their learning
• they can follow the normal kinds of learning but they don't have to
• they are either taught by you or by private tutors
• they can work very individually or you can link up with other home-school families to do things together
• they can take GCSEs if you wish. They would be a private candidate and you would arrange with the exam boards for them to take the exams at an exam board run test centre and pay the entry fees for the exams yourself.

Legally either is possible and either may suit your child depending on their needs and the difficulties they are having with school, but they are very different. You need to work out which one you are asking about.

If you electively home educate, you take on responsibility for education. Whether you educate directly or outsource, and whether you educate at home or outside the home. DD won’t be on the roll of a school, there won’t be a school providing work.

With flexischooling, you would need them school to agree. You take on responsibility for the education outside of the timescales DD spends at school. Again you can do this directly or outsource and it can be at home or not. The school doesn’t have to provide work.

Rather than the above, if DD is unable to attend school full-time, under section 19 of the Education Act 1996, the LA has a duty to ensure she still receives a suitable full-time education. Then the LA remains responsible for this education. Contrary to what some LAs say, consultant level evidence is not required and schools don’t have to send work home and even if they do, it doesn’t relieve the LA’s duty. The form this education takes varies. It may be at home or not. It may be online or not. It may be 1:1 or not. But if you EHE, you relieve the LA of their duty to provide this.

Does DD have an EHCP? If not, you can request an EHCNA yourself using the model letter on IPSEA’s website. If she already has an EHCP, have you requested an early review? With an EHCP, there are other options.

Thank you - this is very helpful. No EHCP but we are awaiting assessments for neurodivergence. MH problems have been there for some time but have recently escalated. Are you suggesting there are other options which the LA could provide?

Thank you. I am just exploring options at the moment and don’t really know where to start. She is adamant she won’t go back to school but I’m not confident I can fully take on the responsibility for homeschooling.

With an EHCP, there is EOTAS/EOTIS under section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014. These are bespoke packages based on individual needs. The possibilities are endless. You can request an EHCNA yourself now. You don’t need a diagnosis. On their website, IPSEA has a model letter.

Even without an EHCP, there is s19 provision. So even if DD can’t attend school, you don’t have to EHE if you don’t want to.

Maybe look whether there are other home schooling groups around your area. Talk some other people about home schooling and see what they do.