What do home educated children do post 16?

[AlanMoore]

Hello

I am increasingly interested in home ed but don't know anyone IRL who does it (friend's GC are HE'd but they are only 10 and 12). I'm really interested in what kids who are home educated are choosing to do post 16 and how easy/difficult they find it to get where they want to go. I suspect universities might like HE kids?

Not really convinced that I want my kids to be part of the factory that is state education...(they are only little and we are definitely sending the eldest to school to see how it goes), but I'm not sure I'll be keeping them in.

Can anyone suggest some further reading about HE?

Thank you x

bump!

I haven't forgotten this-but was waiting till I go to my PC to reply.
My phone misinterprets my words too often for my liking!

The answer in short is "What ever they want to do"
FE College or continue home educating with maybe Open University/A levels if wanted or needed, depending on the young person.

Then University, employment or self employment. My own three are at University level now, as are the vast majority of their peers although a few have gone straight to employment or self employment.

I am not going to go into detail here as I am aware my words on this subject become twisted. I'll send you a PM or you or anyone else can come over and join the [https://www.facebook.com/groups/126977567388843/ [mumsnet FB page]] if you are a FaceBooker and we can talk more freely there.

sorry link went wrong -note to self 'preview' reply before sending!

mumsnet FB page

LOOOOOOOONNGG reply by PM in your inbox AlanMoore

Thanks so much to Julie for the very interesting and helpful PM :)

In case Julie has not given it to you, you might like to have a read of the Home Ed Exams site. My DCs' journey is on it at Open University: one family's experience. It is out of date but gives an idea.

That is brilliant! I have done AA100 myself and thought that it would have been much better than flippin' A levels.

How is your DD finding her degree? I would imagine she has been much less daunted by it than she may have been if she'd followed a traditional school route. A six month exchange at 14 is very impressive, I did a much shorter one at 15 and it was a great experience.

Shame OU fees have risen so dramatically, but I couldn't realistically register my 2 year old before transitional arrangements finished :)

Thanks SDeuchars for the OU post, I read the amazing experience and I wish I had known this before. I will tell friends.

DD1 has gone to college this year at 16 but I very much suspect DD2 will stay in home ed until at least 18!

One thing DD2 and I have discussed is taking an extra year for what would normally be GCSE education and doing the GCSEs over more years. She is an August birthday - a few days younger and she would be in the year below anyway. We all feel she would benefit from an extra year at this stage of her education so we've decided not to be dictated to by some arbitary government date which puts her in one year instead of another.

After that I think we may look at open university. It's something I know very little about but there's a world of information out there and I know some home educators going down the OU route this year with their children who are DD1's age. SDeuchars I will read up on all your info!

Something DD1 discussed before choosing college was the possibility of getting a part time job and using the money to spend the rest of the time doing lots of extra dance classes, as that is where her passion is. It is hard to fit in her dancing on top of college and although she is doing dance for A level and BTech, the standard is much lower than what she does privately. She's enjoying college and is happy she tool that route, but I think the part time work/ part time furthering interests idea would have been a very valid one.

Not so stealthy boast: DS visited a university engineering department yesterday and has an (only verbal so far) offer of a place for the autumn, conditional only on passing A-level Maths.

Apparently the tutor was really interested in and enthusiastic about his home ed experience. He was having some difficulty trying to work out "equivalences" between OU courses and A levels (but DS helped him, LOL). He thought it good that DS had a wide range of experience and could think outside the box.

Thanks for replies! Really encouraging. HE is a serious contender so it's good to read.

Just to update, DS got his AS Maths result today and has achieved an A grade!

He has an interview at one Russell Group uni on Saturday. Their letter acknowledged his non-standard qualifications and they will be making him an offer for October.

The Russell Group uni that told him in January that they were not proceeding, came back last week and said that they'd like him to apply for another course, to which he has said yes. So we expect an invitation to another interview and another offer.

Yay for your DS SDeuchars! I cannot tell you how encouraging I find your posts (and those of people like Julienoshoes). It is so encouraging for those of us with younger DC. The fact that it is possible to have this lovely life of home ed and a great future too is so inspiring!

Wow, well done to him! As I suspect DD2 will choose alternative routes over A levels (I can't see her enjoying a return to schooll) it's incredibly encouraging. Keep us posted over what he eventually chooses. And congrats again!

My son home educated from the start now nearly 20 is writing computer programmes and playing with various musician friends. The former is a better source of revenue than the latter.

DD did A Levels from home. No problem at all. Same as doing GCSE's from home.