Home Ed Websites

[chocaholic73]

Just about to start home educating DD aged 12, will be more formal than a lot of you I know as will be using online school for the academic subjects and then topping up everything else. Just wondered if it is worth joining any of the organisations such as Education Otherwise and if so which is the one it is best to join?

I joined EO when I first started thinking seriously about HE - they do give you a lot of information, and a contact list for people in your area, so if you want the opportunity to get in contact with local groups then that might have some value for you.

But TBH I didn't really get much out of the membership, and was unimpressed by the infighting in the organisation at the time (hopefully now settled?). I also didn't really feel that they were an organisation which would be representing my views, since I was in the same situation as you about formality, and that didn't seem to be where most of their membership was at.

Chocaholic mentioned online school so I thought I'd post in a bit of helpful info.

There are three online schools in the UK. They run 4 days a week with live interactive classes in private chatrooms. Secondary age children.
All of them are pretty good but fairly different.

Interhigh is a good general tutoring service. Very good for the busy parent who is less interested in being involved. NC based. Quite big last I heard getting up to 200 children.
www.interhigh.com

First College UK is much smaller, about 30 young people, strong on social skills and work discipline run by home educators who are also teachers. www.firstcollege.co.uk

Briteschool is an easygoing service that accepts part time bookings www.briteschool.co.uk

They're all well established and successful.

thanks for that info Shanm. Interesting..