InterHigh Parents - what do we think about Wey's new Infinity school?

[Phaedra11]

So I've discovered from the Facebook Interhigh parents page that Wey (who own InterHigh) have set up a new online school called Infinity Education. It's being promoted as premium, selective and elite. It costs a minimum of £6000 per year for years 10 to 13.

Jacqui (interhigh's PR person) has justified it, saying its for a specific purpose - results that will get the pupil into a top university whereas Interhigh is more concerned with progressing from where you currently are.

I get the impression that Wey are targeting a particular sort of (possibly overseas parent) who might otherwise send their child to boarding school and are very concerned with results. The selective bit will impress them and weed out the kids who won't provide the results those sort of parents will want to see. InterHigh will remain for the more laid back parents and kids.

The parents on FB seem happy with Jacqui's statement but it leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. DS2 wants to continue with A levels at Interhigh next year. He is at least as able as DS1 who is at a Russel Group university after a bricks and mortar education. Would he have to switch to Infinity to get an education that would enable him to reach that?

Link to infinity below...

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.infinityeducation.org.uk/www.infinityeducation.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.infinityeducation.org.uk/www.infinityeducation.org.uk/

Sorry the link above doesn't work. I'll try again.

www.infinityeducation.org.uk

I'm not an Interhigh parent but had been looking into it.
I'm currently home edding my 15 year old after withdrawing her this year after being bullied etc.
We were thinking about interhigh for A levels but I admit this has now completely put me off.
We certainly cannot afford £6000 a year and there seems to be little enough info about A level success with Interhigh without now thinking it's going to be substandard.
I have a bright kid who is a shadow of her former self, If she doesn't fulfill herself academically I don't know what will happen.

Hi Carrier

Hopefully I can reassure you, DD has been at Interhigh for 2.5 years similar to your dd

In that time she's flourished and is on target for good gcse grades

Her education standard is similar to her brothers and he attends a top 100 non selective with very good results 90% in 2016

Many of DD's peers are like her, very bright but vulnerable and if motivated to learn seem to do very well

As in all non selective schools some will do better than others but the increase in self confidence and self worth are priceless to us

You are comparing apples and pears. There have always been selective schools. There have always been private schools that specifically coach students for Oxbridge applications. It has never prevented students from non-selective schools from putting in their own hard work and applying to Russell group unis.

You are basically comparing your local comprehensive to a selective grammar or a selective private school. Do you not think that the local comprehensive students are able to obtain good exam results? Of course, they can! It may not be as glossy... but all students have potential.

I hope that is reassuring. Honestly, InterHigh has a perfectly good reputation. x

Thought this would have had lots more replies given there appear to be quite a few interhigh parents here.

InterHigh have also launched a new 3 GCSE budget package (KS4) at a lower cost than their usual 8 GCSE package. This implies that, in conjunction with the above premium package, they are simply trying to broaden their appeal. I really don't see anything to suggest that Wey/IH are expecting any of their students to fail.

RealSLOAH: You make some good points and I'm partially reassured but I'm still feeling less positive about paying the £4000 a year for A levels (which is a lot of money for us) when there's a premium version available at £6000 a year.

@carrieErbag, I found Interhigh very substandard anyway so a more expensive version would make me think they will be charging more for what would be an average / normal standard or education with perhaps more pressure on the parents and students to perform. Selective admissions mean only pupils who are already high achievers will be allowed to attend so that exam pass grades will look good.
Sounds just like the private school system we already have. Some of the teachers at IH are excellent and may be poached for the new school. then IH will be left with the teachers who are lazy, get practice exam paper questions wrong and regularly berate and demoralise the kids. Yes this did actually happen to us at IH and when we made a complaint it was royally dismissed!

it looks like theyre offering an alternative to cambridge home school online.
I hope it doest cream off the higher acheivers at interhigh though

Does anyone know if the two schools are run by the staff; teachers and admin? Or it is two entirely different entities? Would like to consider the "premium" version, but first it would be important to understand where the actual differences might be.

...by the same staff, I meant.

Hi Ladies, I have a boy (year 8). I am thinking to shift my child from a mainstream school for the second half of year 8 and 9. Could you, please, share your opinion about the school. Don't your kids feel lonely at home without that social life, which they got used to have in the traditional school? What about quality of the lessons, especially English, Science and Math? Are the teachers friendly and always interested in every particular child or more formal? How much homework needs to be done? Thank you in advance.

Our ds goes to interhigh and is doing well. He enjoys the lessons and is engaged. They do set homework, but he's not overwhelmed by it.

For social interaction he goes to air cadets and does board games with a couple of friends.

You have to make an effort to get them exercise and fresh air.