Interhigh parents, come this way. . .

[WhyHasAllTheRumGone]

Following on from a thread in chat, it was suggested we might like to get together over here.

I've one DS currently in year 10 at IH. We are based in Staffordshire. I guess I'd just like to chat with other parents in a similar situation.

That's all really helpful info - thanks very much

Batty, I know someone whose DD is just doing her A levels now through IH. She joined start of Year 13 from French curriculum. I think it's been a good experience overall - she has achieved what she wanted to do anyway, something she would not have been able to do in France.

Ancienchateau, that's very good to know. Thank you.

One thing that's putting me off IH for A levels is that you seem to have to sign up for 2 terms straight away for year 12, and the whole year for year 13 so it is quite a gamble if you don't know whether it will suit your child.
Starting to look at other distance learning options now as well!

Great thread.Really informative. Our ds is 10 and we are looking ahead for secondary as we don't think he will want to go. My issue re online schooling is if our internet is decent enough.We live in a really poor area re internet speed. He can play minecraft and other games on comp......just wondered if we will be able to use Interhigh without hideous buffering!

Hi Doobydoo,
I'm rubbish with techy stuff but I had an email from Interhigh today to say they're holding an open evening tonight at 6:30 and I think they'll be using the classroom software for it. Might be worth logging on for as staff will be there to answer questions.
Maybe visit their website and see if you can sign up?
Sorry I can't be of more help.

Meant to pop in and wish all you DC's luck with the end of year tests but it's a bit late now
Anyway, I hope you're all surviving test week. I know I'll be glad when it's over!

Hi lovely Inter high parents,

I'm interested in registering my dd to start year 9 in September, she has been home educated for the past two year but I now feel like we need to get some structure to her education. Anyway, with regards to the cost, are there many 'extras' to pay for after you have paid the initial yearly fee? Also dd is very artistic and musical and I was wondering how these are catered for. I can see that they are optional extras but I'm interested to here how these subjects work over the internet.

Thanks

Hi,

The only extras I can think of are the text books you'll need to buy which are usually Edexcel KS3 books, one for each subject and a couple of English reading books for them to study as a class. She'll also need a skype type headset with a mic to use for lessons.
I think you have to pay for 'extra' subjects upfront, at the start of the year which is quite a sting but you can pay the yearly fee in 10 DD payments. I think there's also a joining admin fee to begin with of about £200? That's a one off charge.
I'm afraid I can't help you with regards to the music and art things but hopefully someone with more creative children will be along to answer that

Hi, I've started a thread about Interhigh's new posh sister school and thought I'd try to find those of you still watching this thread

www.infinityeducation.org.uk

I think if you consider they have other streams of education already within the business, LA classes, schools etc and that Wey originally aimed to run a state internet school this is just another revenue stream

DD and friends are about to commence GCSEs in September, all high achieving and no approach to 'cream' them off so I'm not particularly worried and we still plan on a levels at interhigh

I'm not unduly worried myself. The more money Wey make, the more secure InterHigh is overall. And if the same teachers are teaching the same A level subjects, I can't see that there will be a big difference in the education the pupils receive. More homework maybe at Infinity.

But if there really is very little difference for a high achieving pupil at either, doesn't that making charging all that extra for an elite experience a bit of a con?

I think as with all types of education some people feel superior paying more

DD's education appears similar to Ds's at our local very high achieving secondary school

The pass rate is 90% on the standard rating, even so some locally still pay to go private, I'm happy with the choices we've made for our dc and happy with how DD has blossomed and thrives at Interhigh

Hello, Thank you everybody for your thoughts. I’ve been researching InterHigh this morning for my nearly 13 year old daughter. Your comments have been so helpful 🙏

If it helps you Lee, Interhigh have an online open evening next Tuesday at 6.30pm

Thank you! I emailed them requesting to join the open day but haven’t heard back from them yet. That was a couple of days ago. I will call them Monday. My other possible issue is how to manage the extra hours my daughter would be at home as I work freelance too & am a solo parent. :)

I've signed up for the open evening and received a confirmation email this afternoon. I'm really interested to hear about it and find out how it works as we're considering it for our currently school refusing Yr 9 dd. Would love to hear from parents whose children have done IGCSEs through Interhigh.

Hello! Where do you live? I’m logging on for the open evening tonight too for my school resistant year 8 ;)

Hi Fenland

There are a number of Interhigh parents here on mumsnet who are happy to answer questions

Dd is in year 10 currently doing Igces and has been at inter for almost 3 years

I’m happy to answer questions either on thread or by dm if you want

Hello Lee, what did you think about the open evening? We were quite impressed and it's made me feel a lot less daunted and apprehensive about removing dd from her school to home educate. She's very keen for me to register her as soon as possible, although I still want a little more time to mull it over......

Schroedinger - many thanks for your reply. One question which I don't think was raised at the Open Evening is how parents combine work with home education? I've been wondering whether I might have to quit my job to be at home with dd while she studies. However she is quite self motivated and conscientious, so I'm thinking it might be just possible to leave her to get on with lessons in the morning, come back at lunchtime and then work from home in the afternoon. Do you know what most parents do?

Hi Fendlandmum,

Thank you for your msg. I thought the open evening was great, very positive. Like you, I need some time to think about it all & hoe to make it with work with my freelance work too. My other concern is the social aspect although she’s not got much of one at her current secondary school as can’t wait to get home! How old is your child & what are your thoughts on that social part ?

Following with interest.

Hi Fenland, Lee and moving

The school feel that students are capable of being left to study from about year 9

Although I’m at home due to my health, in practice if the child Is self motivated then very little input is required, the biggest issue we seem to have is if the internet goes down and the router needs restarting

Lessons rarely run all day long even in years 10/11 so plenty of down time to do homework or socialise with classmates

The system works very well, lessons usually start at 9.30 apart from Monday exercise class at 9.00 and tutor group also at 9.00

Many of the students socialise in the school message board call Yama and develop strong friendships with opportunities to meetup during the year

We’ve taken dd to the Harry Potter trip and PGL weekend twice and it’s been an absolute joy to see the friendship groups get together

We have also been impressed by the staff student relationships we’ve seen at these meet ups

For us Inter has been a real life changer, DD has gone from a suicidal shattered young girl to a confident much happier person who loves her school very much and has only missed 1 day of school in 3 years after being out of lessons for 6 months

Schroedingerscatagain

Thank you for your reply. That is incredible about your daughter and the shift within her. Environment counts for so much. Did you investigate other online schools too before going with Interhigh? Thanks for your support with this 🙏

Certainly considering this . What age/year is the best to start?
My dd will be starting secondary school next year and we want to give state school a try but I want to have this option in my armoury, as it were.