Online school for GCSEs- recommendations please

[RainbowWife]

Hello,

My 14 year old does not attend school due to his mental health needs (he is also autistic) and instead gets online schooling through the LA's medical absence team. They're very good and he enjoys it, but it's only 2 hours per week for Maths, English and Science.

I'd like to get him further online schooling for those 3 subjects, as they're all we're focusing on right now. He is in year 10 so GCSEs next year.

Does anyone have any recommendations for an excellent online school please? In a class setting rather than 121. Perhaps any home ed families who use them? I have googled but there's such a mix of reviews, prices etc. Cost isn't an issue, I just want the best for him.

Thank you.

What exam board is he currently studying? You'll want to make sure the online program matches up with the work he is already completing

I can't find this information on the school website anywhere, and I'd rather not contact them at the moment, but I've emailed the online school to ask. Thanks!

Thanks MN for moving this. I think I'm going with Kings as he's just not motivated enough to self direct for Minerva.

The exam board for each exam is really important since your son will presumably be taking the exams at his original school when the time comes. The exam officer at your son's school will be able to confirm the exam boards that the school will be using.

Thanks, hopefully the online school will reply on Monday.

Anyone got any reviews on Kings? I've read some of the older threads.

My biggest concern is his lack of motivation, and I work so can't be home to check he's giving it some effort in lessons.

You really need to ensure any online schooling or tuition is based on the same exam boards. The content of the syllabus and format can vary depending on what board you use and whether it is iGCSE or GCSE.

2 hours per week for Maths, English and Science is not a suitable, full-time education. The LA has a duty to provide a full-time education. You can request more hours. There is also a duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum so you can request a wider curriculum from the LA too if you wish. IPSEA has a model letter you can adapt. If that doesn’t work, you could go down the pre-action letter route. SOSSEN can help with this free of charge. Although there is a wait so you may want to look elsewhere.

Does DS have an EHCP?

He doesn't, @BrightYellowTrain the application went in 9 months ago and has just been delay after delay. The final deadline they gave was start of Oct and that's been and gone and I'm not getting replies to my emails anymore, they just keep saying they're awaiting a final report from the dr he saw back in August and there's nothing I can do.

He has been declared 'medically unfit for school' by his psychiatrist every month since Easter, which is why he's getting online schooling from ESMA (education support for medical absence) team through the LA.

I don't really know what it means when people say the LA has a duty to provide a full time education. The LA is providing his online schooling at the moment. Who would I be looking to contact for more?

Sorry I also meant to say I am considering deregistering him from school entirely and putting him in Kings for either the 3 subjects of maths English and science, or maybe the full 8 subjects, because what he's having just isn't enough.

IPSEA has a model letter you can send to the Director of Children’s Services threatening Judicial Review for breach of the timescales. If that doesn’t work, you need a pre-action letter. SOSSEN can also help with this, but because of the wait, some look elsewhere. If the pre-action letter doesn’t work, you can look at beginning JR proceedings.

Under section 19 of the Education Act 1996, the LA has a responsibility to ensure compulsory school aged DC unable to attend school still receive a suitable full-time education. This can be delivered in many forms. Online schooling/tuition is just one way. You contact the LA for more hours. They know what they are currently providing is not considered a full-time education. And it certainly isn’t a broad and balanced curriculum.

Personally, I wouldn’t deregister. Parents often find it easier, although not easy, to get support when on a school’s roll. If you deregister and EHE, you relieve the LA of their duty to provide provision under s19 of the Education Act 1996. Also, if you EHE, the LA has an incentive to refuse to issue an EHCP or issue a poor one, because they know parents already EHEing are more likely to continue if they refuse to issue or issue a poor one.

Also, an EHCP can provide far more support, including therapies, than the majority of parents can afford to fund themselves.