does anyone know name of school that doesnt do GCSEs or A levels?

[sensit]

does anyone know name of school that doesnt do GCSEs or A levels? I found this school on the internet and cannot find the link again. They get all their pupils into university without doing GCSEs or A levels and apparently the universities think very highly of these pupils. If anyone can help please???????

Oh yes, summerends, socialising with other young people is good fun and is a positive experience for most kids. What Epstein objects to is denying teens the opportunity of socialising with anybody else, and of taking on a more adult role as and when they feel ready, rather than waiting for some arbitrary age. That age has been getting later and later in recent decades. It's very frustrating to young people who feel themselves ready and able to do something meaningful in life.

You seem to be in favour of protecting teens from the adult world, keeping them in the "bubble" which TalkinPeace was disparaging.

Me, I think that some adolescents do need and want to be kept safe more than is possible at school, from bullying and pressure to conform, for example. One of my children is likely to need this protection. Others, like my teenager, need and want less protection, and shouldn't be infantilised when they are ready to start moving out into the world and taking on responsibilities. Make the bubble available, but optional.

I don't know that going to school prevents young people socialising with adults or working with them. Don't know about anyone else but my teens use public transport, go shopping, have part time jobs, eat out, talk to their teachers and our friends etc. All of which they do quite happily despite having been 'cocooned' in their little world of school.

Saracen I agree with titchy. I also think you are slightly missing the point that the shared world of adolescence also provides a frame of reference and social memories /connections when these teenagers are adults together. Some people will never make that connection with their adult peers because they have missed thar rite of passage by mainly living in a world of older adults

Saracen I don't know what sort of schools you've looked at but both my DS's socialise with all age groups both in and out of school.
I'm not against home ed, alternative ed or conventional ed, as long as it suits both the child and the parent.

As HG I think home ed / alternative education can be of great benefit to some DCs but for those who are naturally social and able to learn in school, I think there are greater benefits (including fun) to sharing times in school / college with their fellow teenagers so that they don't feel like 'immigrants' with their peers in adult life. They can still take on responsibilities and part-time jobs as appropriate.

Saracen
teenagers are not segregated from the rest of society or in a bubble. I have a 17 and 19 year old.
The 17 year old has been volunteering at a special needs centre since she was 12 and has been friends with the adults that work there and the other volunteers of all ages, as well as the little children that go to the centre. In fact she has a part time job doing respite care for one of the little boys who she has known since the beginning.

DS was one of those children that preferred adult company and got that through school, he does actually chat to his teachers outside of lessons about everything. He also got on well with the scout leaders and was a young leader for a while. He has been p/t working since he was 16, for a short while in an electrical store and at the local leisure centre lifeguarding.
For example, my 15yo has the chance to integrate into wider society now, rather than waiting until she has finished formal education. Because she has time on her hands and isn't restricted by spending most of her time with people of her own age in a closely directed environment, she has opportunities to do things alongside adults: clubs, voluntary work, education, and daily life. Sometimes adults play the role of mentors to her. Sometimes they are her peers. Sometimes, in her turn, she helps and teaches them. This makes for a gradual transition to adulthood.

Guess what my two have exactly the same from going to school and their daily lives. Your dd is the one that is missing out, not the children in school. I have been reading your posts forever (you were on parentcentre as well I think) and with all the HE threads I am not fooled by the supposed benefits of HE, unless the child has extreme social issues or some sort of SN (FWIW my ds has dyslexia and has thrived in school.

That's fabulous, bruffin. I am really glad to hear that your kids have managed to do all those things outside of school. It hasn't been the same for my daughter's friends who go to school, so I'm delighted to hear that their experience of being often tired and having to make difficult decisions to free up some time is unusual.

It's also great that you're not fooled. That's a useful skill.

My dc are not unusual, all their friends have lots of similar experiences out of school. I suspect my dc's friends are more the norm than not.

saracen
HGs son is at a boarding school - which would be as near to a segregated teenage very wealthy boys bubble as you could get
except that the boys mix with the people of the town whenever they are not in lessons

children are in school lessons for 1/6 of their time
the other 5/6 they are not in a "bubble"

talkin I can't talk for summer but my DS doesn't seem to mix with people from the town but he does mix with adults all the time when he's at school and of course he has to live alongside 59 boys all different personalities etc a useful life skill.
Having said this I agree he lives in a bit of a bubble and when at home that bubble continues as we live in a very small town but IMO he has other experiences instead, he seems to be adaptable and confident so I'm not overly concerned and life is rarely perfect.

happy
Having seen Dominos being delivered to the boarding houses of an evening, and the boys milling around at the fireworks and in the cathedral close, they do mix - not socialise - but certainly slot into the life of the town.
There are ex WC and Eton boys at PSC so I suspect the interactions increase in the 6th form

The point you are missing Saracen is that they are doing an awful lot in school as well, not just going to lessons.
HGs example of the HE group being involved in international robotics championships. DCs school has made the finals in California of the world Vex competitions. One of the boys on the team is also in the schools MUN team and also was lead in their recent musical production. Outside of school he is an MP on the Youth Parliament and has spoken in the House of Commons. You can't invalidate experiences in school because you believe they are in a "bubble". School is regularly taking them out of that "bubble"
Last term through school my ds ended up at a dinner at one of the Worshipful Companies in the City. The speaker was Steve Cowley and ds sat on a table with Prof Roger Cashmore and chatted to him. He came home with a handful of very useful email addresses of people who were willing to provide a little bit of mentoring to him.