Distance learning schools for GCSEs

[KeepingTrying]

Hi,

I wondered if anybody has experience of using any of these distance learning schools?

https://www.tutorsandexams.uk/our-learning-partners/

I'm looking for an organisation that would allow me to teach my son at home from books, but would check that we are keeping pace and organise access to exams at a local school if possible.

There are so many options here that I don't know where to start and would be glad to hear if anyone has tried any.

We may go back to the local school, but my son is out of school with anxiety at the moment. It's not clear if he will be able to remain on roll, so I'm looking into other options just to be sure.

GCSE computer science seems to be the hardest problem because it has a teamwork component so doing it at a private exam centre is tricky.

Thanks!

We used Kings Interhigh. You usually sit exams in the regional exam centres Tutors and Exams run, but it is possible to sit at a local school too - in either case you make all the arrangements. We actually sat from home, using a new system Pearson trialled with Kings last year.

You don't need to teach them at all as it's all taught live but also recorded so you can go back and review, or do the lesson later if you have appointments or having a bad day.

We didn't look at Computer Science as she wanted to drop it anyway, but Art for example is a City & Guilds to avoid the end exam issue.

PM me if you like?

My daughter is in King's Interhigh after they sadly bought out her far superior online school (myonlineschooling) when she was halfway through her GCSEs.

In my experience King's Interhigh are only interested in money and they've done an appalling job of integrating DD's previous school, don't seem to care much about whether she passes her GCSEs.

I'm fully expecting her to have to do a foundation year at college as she's having a crappy year 11 after doing brilliantly in year 10 with myonlineschooling.

So I'd avoid Kings Interhigh, personally.

None of the distance learning providers really provide the type of support you are looking for.
You do have to book and pay for your own exams (very easy).
You can have a “portal style” distance learning course where a tutor marks work.
Or a “live class” style where they deliver a weekly lesson and mark work.

Hi @FlowerBarrow How do you get the portal style option? That sounds good.

If you can locate the home ed exams wiki you will find absolutely everything you need on there. You can try Wolsey Hall (expensive but very professional), Pembrokeshire Online (very thorough tutor support). I know there are many more, NEC might be one, Oxford something might be one. Absolute Maths you can purchase prerecorded self study courses with computer marked assignments.
If you Google the T&E “partners” many will offer prerecorded courses as well as live.

Thank you very much, I will try that.

After several years of severe anxiety and being unable to get into school,my DD is now doing A levels via Wolsey Hall. She is thriving under their method of teaching which is exactly as you describe: books and online resources are provided with the back up of specialist teachers and your own "personal" tutor to oversee everything. You do have to book your own exams as mentioned before and I'm not sure how Computer Science would work. I would highly recommend you look into them and have a conversation. We did look at Kings Interhigh but my DD would not cope with having to participate in online classes so distance learning was the way forward for us.

Hi @UniversallyChalleneged123 ,

That sounds good, thanks. I just look at the website and it says it does include videos and online tools. Is there a lot of that? The problem my son has been having is that school videos are too alarming for him, and we are finding that we need to stick to books and just a few online things that I pre-screen to see that they are safe for him. I think that it would be a big gamble for us to pay privately to use an organisation that has required videos and online tools. I'd be interested to know what they are like.

Thanks!

For self study portals (like Wolsey), videos only means a link eg to khan academy or YouTube to further explain a section of the book. The courses are almost entirely book based. Wolsey you can see full course samples on their website

Thanks, I'll have a look. Book based is totally what we need.

It is expensive I agree and not something we had ever considered before, but we were totally backed into a corner due to DD's anxiety and yet desire to not be left behind. There is so little help for families who find themselves in these situations.

It is very much book based - as @FlowerBarrow mentioned, the videos are generally links to factual YouTube videos that back up the topic being studied. My DD did not do GCSEs through Wolsey so I would advise you to look thoroughly through the course content on the website and talk to their advisors.

It has been the right move for us and our DD is doing well, but do research to see if it is right for your family.

I know how hard it is to be going through this as a mum and as a family - sending you so much strength and know that you are not alone, there are many of us sadly in the same situation

It might be better to do a mix and match approach, for variety and to save money (eg maths should be doable just with a good textbook). We did one course with Wolsey Hall, and found it good with very thorough feedback. There is also learntec for computer science, they do a self-paced option and your son would study for the IGCSE rather than GCSE as no coursework.

Thanks so much for your encouragement, this is all really good to know.

I have been looking at the course samples on wolsley hall and they do have a lot of videos so it's good to know they are optional.

Would it be okay to ask what your plan is for getting access to a GCSE exam in computer science? I looked at the home ed wiki and it says we need to do the cambridge iGCSE exam, but I can't figure out where to do that without an epic trip to London. I think that would be quite difficult for us.

I asked my son what he thinks about wolsley hall but at the moment everything is "no" and it's hard to get him to understand that there needs to be a "yes" to something if he is to have some kind of future. Obviously telling him that is not going to lessen his anxiety to it's all bit complicated.

Wolsey hall is literally book study
Cambridge igcse - should be no need to
go to London, there are many other centres (prob try home ed exams wiki). You’d just need to double check whether the new Cambridge spec for paper 2 requires a computer at the exam centre as not all Centres can Offer this.

Thanks, that's great to know that it's all book study. That is what we need.

I did look on the exam wiki, but couldn't find a cambridge CS exam nearby. I will try again.

I just realised there might be a place, so I have written. I think I misunderstood the website before.

Hi,

I talked to King's interhigh and they do still do exams at home but wouldn't allow us to educate ds ourselves from books. It's a real shame because he can't engage with screens at the moment. The home exams would have been great.