Why are a growing number of parents seeking the ‘gold standard’ of online education for their children?
At the time of writing, UK newspapers are carrying stories related to rising numbers of school refusals as a result of mental health issues such as anxiety. The plight of school refusers’ parents leads them to bribery and all manner of desperate acts each morning and many, we are told, are turning to the private sector including online education.
Choosing Alternative Provision
In 2023, there were approximately 30,000 children in the UK receiving alternative education services. This represented a slight increase from the previous year. Of these children, a majority were males (around 60%) and a significant proportion were from disadvantaged backgrounds. Many of the children in alternative education had special educational needs or disabilities, with around 40% of them having an educational health and care plan (EHCP). In terms of remote or online learning, it is difficult to provide an exact number as the enrollment in online schools can vary greatly and is growing by the week.
The Growth of Online Schools
What we can tell, however, is that there is a growing trend towards online schooling by talking to teachers who work with school-aged children remotely and through a variety of forums. While it is clear that a high number of these educational professionals were converted to the benefits of online schooling during the pandemic, our conversations with these teachers are telling. There are many- teachers, parents and students- who will simply tell us that it is not only a useful alternative to the mainstream but a better choice for a growing number aside from those identified above. Essentially, more are coming to view quality online provision as a desirable choice rather than an alternative born out of necessity. ‘The key to realising that online education is the way forward is to stop apologising for it and see it for what it can actually be, what it already is in many cases- the gold standard’, says freelance online Science teacher, Lucie Eaglesmith.
Online Education enables families to reshape their lives
Forward-thinking, astute families clearly feel the same way. With post-COVID employers recognising the socio-economic benefits of enabling colleagues to work remotely, families are able to reappraise the shape of their lives. One or more parents working remotely means that home education has become a real choice. If online schools can really be ‘the gold standard’, then the perception of remote learning will shift from that of a secondary alternative to traditional school and become a viable choice for the majority. Many are taking steps in that direction in different ways. It is notable that students and parents are increasingly turning to online resources and channels with literally hundreds of thousands of followers to consolidate or, in some cases, improve upon what is delivered in face-to-face lessons. Some may suggest that such online forums are ideal for revision and cannot replace good old-fashioned teaching. ‘Mr. Bruff’, the GCSE English Youtube revision supremo, not only has 394, 000 subscribers tuning in to his Youtube channel as the summer examinations approach but can even be heard echoing down the corridors of English departments worldwide. What does this tell us?
