JennyD Posted April 13, 2016 Posted April 13, 2016 From The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/apr/12/home-schooling-parents-education-children-england Quote
ScoutTN Posted April 13, 2016 Posted April 13, 2016 From The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/apr/12/home-schooling-parents-education-children-england Interesting. I wonder if the majority of NT homeschooling students there handle the testing for university entrance as well as the boy in the story? :seeya: Good morning, JennyD! 1 Quote
Bluegoat Posted April 13, 2016 Posted April 13, 2016 I am not surprised, my general news reading gives me the sense that UK schools are very much following the lead of American ones, becoming test focused, and developmentally inappropriate. Quote
Laura Corin Posted April 13, 2016 Posted April 13, 2016 Interesting. I wonder if the majority of NT homeschooling students there handle the testing for university entrance as well as the boy in the story? :seeya: Good morning, JennyD! It's not easy. As we have no transcripts, the only documentation of 'high school' studies is a test in every subject, each test being made up of two or more papers, so that you have to be working to a particular curriculum and get permission to take the exams in a school. I put Calvin through three GCSEs (normally taken at 16) and it wasn't easy. A levels (normally taken at 18) are a further problem because of the need to have practical science assessments, which many schools won't do for external pupils because of liability concerns. Quote
ScoutTN Posted April 13, 2016 Posted April 13, 2016 It's not easy. As we have no transcripts, the only documentation of 'high school' studies is a test in every subject, each test being made up of two or more papers, so that you have to be working to a particular curriculum and get permission to take the exams in a school. I put Calvin through three GCSEs (normally taken at 16) and it wasn't easy. A levels (normally taken at 18) are a further problem because of the need to have practical science assessments, which many schools won't do for external pupils because of liability concerns. I knew it was difficult and exam-driven. Kinda takes away the point and the freedom of homeschooling high school, doesn't it? I am glad the US has more flexibility. Quote
Laura Corin Posted April 13, 2016 Posted April 13, 2016 (edited) I knew it was difficult and exam-driven. Kinda takes away the point and the freedom of homeschooling high school, doesn't it? I am glad the US has more flexibility. It's not a new thing. And yes, there isn't much freedom in it, although there are university foundation years for mature students/those who missed getting the required grades and which stand instead of school exams. My mother took (national) School Certificate exams in the late 1930s and I took O levels and A levels in the late 70s. To be honest, it's hard for us to wrap our heads around the idea that people would leave school with a transcript only, or with a transcript and an SAT/ACT. It all seems so vague, coming from this system. I do wonder if the relative lack of externally-assessed markers of achievement fuels the extremes of resume-building for university entrance in the US. Edited April 13, 2016 by Laura Corin 1 Quote
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