Online home schooling - cheaper alternative

[Prettydress]

I originally posted in AIBU but I was directed here. My child hates school. They thrived during lockdown when they were online schooling. Since he's gone back he's really struggled, mainly with his friendship groups. I've tentatively looked at Kings Interhigh as I know someone who has just done their GCSEs and is now doing their alevels with them but I simply can't afford the £4500 a year fees. From what I can gather it's pretty much just an online classroom.

Is there a cheaper alternative? I don't think traditional homeschooling would work as I wouldn't feel confident managing a child's education. Also he's in yr 8 so kind of needs to hit the ground running. He has a few SENs but is doing ok academically following traditional methods with a few adjustments so I don't need to reinvent the wheel. But I absolutely don't feel confident to manage his education myself. Can anyone make any suggestions?

He has a sporting interest which gets him out of the house every weekday night and some weekends so not too concerned that he will feel isolated.

We're in the UK.

Many thanks in advance.

We use different providers for different subjects - it works out much cheaper and is usually flexible about when to watch lessons an whether you do live or recorded classes. I’ll give you a list of the ones we’ve used to check out - Absolute Maths, Homemade Education, Learntec (computer science), Humanatees, Pastel and Smudge, P4HE (philosophy), Southwest Science School (GCSE) . All have been good.

Learn laugh play do online GCSE classes. Think it is £2.50 a subject per week. Live online class.

Join your local HE groups, there is likely lots on for his age, academically and socially.

I’m not sure what you mean by ‘traditional home-schooling’? There are so many different ways to home educate. Some people find a child-led approach works very well for them, some people do structured learning, others a mixture.

There are on-line courses he could follow, on-line learning classes with other children, classes in person with other HE kids, other parents who may offer to teach your DS with their DC or a small group of them, tutors, etc.

I know you’ve said you wouldn’t feel confident managing a child’s education but this is literally what home education is.
You don’t have to teach them but legally you are responsible for ensuring they receive an education. You may be contacted by the LA so just make sure you are fully aware of your legal rights and what is required from you too.

Some HE families do send their DC to college age 14 for GCSES due to the cost of sitting GCSES privately.
If you do want to down the GCSE route, could you afford to pay for the exams privately and is there somewhere near to you that facilitates this? If not, at year 8, persevering in his current school/changing schools may be less stressful for him than taking him out then sending him back very soon for GCSEs.

My son was 13 when he started HS. He found everything he needed free online. The only things we've paid for his his revision books from Amazon and his actual exams, that he sits at a local independent college and much cheaper than an exam centre. He sat the IGCSEs and now studying A levels at home and doing fine.
I don't think people are aware of how much is provided free online now, my son loves these teachers so much more, they are fantastic at what they do and we are so grateful, we would have been lost without them.
I have had very little imput, my son is more than able to manage his own education, he is very determined, works really hard and has proved all the Negative Nellies wrong. It teaches resourceful nees as well as self discipline. He' s also studying other subjects he' s interested in alongside his exams, as well as starting up a small busines s online and working a few hours in retail. He has never been happier. It was absolutely the right thing for him to do.

That's really helpful, thanks.

Omg, that's so much cheaper. I will look into that, thanks.

Hiya, thanks for your reply. Lol, by traditional home schooling I kind of meant someone taking responsibility and creating almost a unique curriculum that suits their child with lots of varied and interesting activities. It sounds awful but he seems absolutely fine with mainstream school and he seems fine with the trajectory of GCSEs, A-levels etc so I'm thinking ( at least initially) if it ain't broke, so would just be happy to do mainstream schooling, just online at home.

But that's really interesting about 14 yr olds going to colleges. He would absolutely love that as his main issue is just not having agency in school and I think a college environment would really suit him.

Lots to think about, thanks.

I am so pleased it has worked out for your son, it genuinely sounds like this is the path that would suit him. Do you mind me asking where you started and what online resources you used? I do think that my son is more than capable of managing his own ed, once it's all up and running and it would also give him the opportunity to follow less traditional subjects that aren't offered at his school. You've really given me so much hope - thanks. X

You mention SEN so rather than EHE have you considered applying for an EHCP? Via an EHCP you can have online schools funded or a more bespoke package that is “someone taking responsibility and creating almost a unique curriculum that suits their child with lots of varied and interesting activities”.

Not sure what you mean about KIH - it's all live teaching that's also recorded so you can go back and review, revise or catch up if you've missed lessons. My DD has just started there and is so much happier.

Hiya, thanks for your reply. Lol, by traditional home schooling I kind of meant someone taking responsibility and creating almost a unique curriculum that suits their child with lots of varied and interesting activities. It sounds awful but he seems absolutely fine with mainstream school and he seems fine with the trajectory of GCSEs, A-levels etc so I'm thinking ( at least initially) if it ain't broke, so would just be happy to do mainstream schooling, just online at home.
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But that's really interesting about 14 yr olds going to colleges. He would absolutely love that as his main issue is just not having agency in school and I think a college environment would really suit him.
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Lots to think about, thanks.

College route is really popular where I live, mainly due to cost of GCSES and difficulty sitting them privately.

One of the benefits of home education is you can tailor learning to what suits your child. You don’t have to do the number of GCSES they do in school and can spread them out over a couple of years rather than sitting them all at once. DC can also learn other things along side traditional exams or put more focus into a sport. There are so many options and different ways to hone educate.

An EHCP can make a big difference if you HE so I’d definitely apply for that.

I’d attend some of your local HE meet ups and take DS with you. Find out what’s on and if he’d enjoy the type of group etc available. Local to me there are things like cookery, horse riding, business studies, sports groups, social meet ups, forest school, coding, music all aimed at that age.

If you do de-register, make sure you are fully clued up on what contact you have to legally give the LA. Lots of LAs will try and ‘trick’ people into engaging more than they have to and can cause issues further down the line. There are loads of knowledge people in the HE community though so easy enough to get advice x

Thank you everso much for your reply. It's been really helpful.

Hello OP
I'm in your boat now, can I ask how you got on please?
Thanks