Going into Year 10 or Homeschooling...

[PatDuffy]

Caring for twins. After some serious bullying at primary, which she kept to herself, the girl has some issues that she is in CAMHS for atm.

Current secondary school has, it seems, more than its fair share of degenerates - constantly tripping, swearing, throwing things directed at her etc. As a result she's demotivated, and has been placed in foundation which she is convinced means she's going to be in the classes with even more slackers disinterested in learning. She wants, and is working towards getting into a medical field which is not going to happen if she stays at current school.

The fear of going into Year 10 is growing and we're increasingly talking about homeschooling. Does anyone have any insights to this move? Any help appreciated!

Do you have the option to move to a different school?

I personally think a teen should be in school and I say this as a mum with a 15 year old with anxiety, panic disorder, self-harm and in therapy. At home the lure of pulling back from all contact and becoming a recluse is far too tempting (our experience since lockdown) and we actively have to work on getting her out of her room and having face to face contact most weekends.

Luckily in our case she has a circle of friends/school mates she enjoys interacting with even when the school itself is a problem with exam pressure and too much focus grades. She is in higher sets mostly though.

Would you be wanting to homeschool and do a full set of GCSEs?
Haven't homeschooled but was an involved parent.

For sciences your problem might be the practicals as they need to be signed off. No doubt there is a solution that HomeEdders can tell you about, but you need to be aware.

For English Lang I think the issue would be interpreting the mark scheme accurately to know where to improve.

I have no idea how you would do practical subjects like Drama or Food tech.

There is a Home Ed board on MN and local facebook groups.

I agree with that they need social interaction. Unfortunately her lack of self confidence and self esteem is causing her to judge herself negatively in comparison to her current friends. She's been told that if homeschooling does happen she will have to join sports clubs, and do plenty of extra cirricular activities. At 14 she's been waiting several years to be old enough to volunteer for the Red Cross (min 15) so that will happen in the new year which I hope will bolster her confidence.

Other local schools do not have a great reputation. She's seen how new kids are treated at her school and has tried to help them by befriending them. She doesn't want to be in their shoes and move to a school with established friend groups and being the outsider. Frankly, it's a tough one. There are some private schools around who have a great reputation but that's outside my ability.

Thanks for the reply, appreciated.

Yes. Sciences are a must for her. I'll check those boards, thank you.

If you can get the sciences and maths sorted, I would homeschool. Warn her that she’s going to have to be self starting though. If she can’t knuckle down on her own (with your help and guidance) then send her to a different school.

Can you afford online school?

For Sciences most home ed pupils take iGCSEs. These don't have a Foundation and Higher tier and have less restrictive practical requirements, so should be more accessible in terms of being able to access the full grade range. You can still take A level sciences following iGCSEs.
Many secondary schools don't make a decision about whether to enter pupils for Foundation or Higher tier at the start of Y10, but leave it until closer to the exams. So this is poor practice in my opinion.

That is tough. I. must admit, I would try a new school first before home-ed.

Have you looked if there are Scout Explorer groups in your area? DD really loves her pack and there are several teens who didn't come via Scouts/Guides. I find it good as it's a great envrionment to learn without the usual pressure of grades/exams/progress you see with dance or martial arts.

You need to talk to home educators not people with an opinion but no knowledge!

All my DC have been home educated and two of them have done GCSEs at home. It is very doable and there is a vast amount of info and support available online. They have gone on to sixth form and then university.

Try to see if you can find out how much is going on in your area for home ed teens. Having said that, as long as your DD can get some social contact via clubs or activities, that might be enough.

good luck!

It is possible and ideal if you're balancing CAMHS appointments and the beginnings of school refusal. The two most important things are your child not needing special circumstances for exams as you're unlikely to get them and having the ability to study at home - how was online studying during Lockdown? If your child needs to be in a school to learn, you will struggle with homeschooling. Your LA may be able to provide tutors if they're under CAMHS. You will need to have a good understanding of the subjects and find a school or location that takes External Candidates in those subjects. For Eng Lang I would recommend AQAs website as it includes mark schemes and test papers for free.