Online school

[DreamyAmberKoala]

We are researching online schools for our daughter. She is 9 years old so still primary so too young for some of them. We are looking for one that will help her develop friends possibly doing a combination or an online school and likes of learn laugh play (we use just now) if the school doesn't offer live classes.

Any recommendations or reviews??

We are looking at iva, Worsley hall, the online school, cambilearn and the Oxford online school?

Surely a real school would help her develop friends

Why do you want her to do online school?

You would think so but no, traditional school isn't working for her so looking at alternatives.

Hi there, we aren't an online school, but we do run online coding clubs and have many home-educated members that use us. Our clubs have a max group size of 6 and it's the same kids and the same mentor each week which helps with building relationships. I'd be happy to tell you more about The Code Zone if you're interested at all?

looking for more maths and english being covered (and she is only just getting interested in coding, which is unusual for her - she as asked for the bbc microbot )

we think it may suit her better, she is struggling with mainstream and has for a while. We flexi school already but I dont fully traditional home school would suit her & us either - would like something that covers maths and english and ideally offer social opportunities.

The Microbit is a really fun bit of kit, I'm sure your daughter will love it! Best of luck with finding something that fits for you!

@DreamyAmberKoala do you know why she is struggling and could the school be doing more to help? Does she have an EHCP?

My child struggled hugely in mainstream school for y7-y11 before we finally managed to get an EHCP agreed and is now at The National Online School https://nationalonlineschool.org.uk/ which is working out very well - this can be fully state funded if it is named as the school that can meet needs in an EHCP. However you would need a lot of evidence that your child is being failed in mainstream education before they agree that - but the do also accept self-funding pupils (fees are about £25k per year) and they start from age 9.

But social opportunities are going to be relatively low at any online school. If online is the only way she can access education then that's the best plan, but perhaps don't try to seek social opportunities from the same source - look for social opportunities in after-school interest and activity groups.

We are based in Scotland so no EHCP or dedicated funding (also means any online school will need to be home ed and paid for by us), the school have tried but with limited resources / funding not much more they can do - she finds the general chaos of the class room over whelming and it is more to do with things like the number of people talking than the noise.

She is withdrawing in school so in person interactions in school are limited anyway though she does do a number of after school classes and we know there is home ed group locally as well that we could attend.