I'd like to have to opportunity to "flex" DS2, yr 2, age 7. Full time schooling was fine for the older one but I feel DS2 is getting less out of it.
It's like the state v. private and the school v. HE discussions- I PERSONALLY get the distinct impression that full time state schooling in a reasonable school is absolutely fine for the (and these are MY terms!)- 'normal, middle of the road, average, straight forward, no major issues' child. The other options need to be wheeled in where there is significant 'deviance' from this definition! By this I mean- the super 'gifted' but socially inept; the desperately anxious; more serious SEN; the pathologically badly behaved. Just as examples. To a large extent I think most parents who say "If I could afford it I'd send my child private' don't actually MEAN that- what they perhaps mean 'I wish my child could be educated in a stimulating environment amongst similarly skilled, well behaved and motivated DCs from reasonable (read: people like us!) families'- exactly what private can provide because they get to CHOOSE who they take on.
SO back to the OP- for me, DS2 broadly fits my definition of 'normal' etc etc but I know he'd be progressing far more if the school were able to give him more one to one attention and perhaps gear the learning style and pace to his personal needs. I do feel they get him for the 6 1/2 most productive hours of the day but seeing that OBVIOUSLY the school can't cater for each and every child's personal needs, sometimes I'd like DS home with me where we CAN do some quality learning. No sitting around for 10 minutes every lesson waiting for the teacher to get to him because, once again, he's stuck; not hunting high and low for 15 MINUTES for the lid of a glue stick (the whole class, and not an isolated wasting of time incident!), for example. Yes, I know the importance of order and system in learning but I want to shout 'Couldn't get on with some LEARNING?' - and by learning I don't mean 'Books out, everyone!' necessarily. We all know learning can happen any place, anywhere where there is the will to teach. Sometimes I want to shout "Tell you what, whilst you spend 25 minutes faffing around with registers and all looking for William's hat, can DS and I maybe go and poke around the school pond? Or go play shop with some real money for a bit?". THOSE are the times I want to flex!
An idea- wonder if it'd take off. What about a specific, poss even private school in a reasonable well populated area which ONLY flexed? As in school being 5 half days a week? And the rest of the time, the DCs were effectively HE'ed? However, I wonder how long it'd be before it was 'Oh, Monday afternoon we have 'Music workshop', come along Oliver and Jemima!". Tuesday we have 'Sports for all', Weds "Science is Fun!" etc and before we know it, we have a defacto school timetable up and running...