[Edit (30 Jan 2017 16:19): A Facebook group titled Home Ed – Exploring UTCs has been set up for home educators interested in the option mentioned in this post. Please note that this group is only open to home educating families.]
I’ve been in touch with the head of the university technical college (UTC) opening in Westminster in Sep 2017 (http://www.utcolleges.org/utcs/the-sir-simon-milton-utc/) and she is willing to engage with home edders in a forum to discuss what UTCs can offer our kids now and in the future. As far as my research goes, UTCs are for 14-19 year-olds and provide facilities for attendees to undertake GCSEs, etc for onward progression to unis, work or apprenticeships. At the moment (for my kids), it is either one of these places or doing the exams at home.
What I will like to gauge is the number of people interested in the aforementioned forum and if an online meeting place is preferable to a physical setting. If online, does anyone have suggestions for a good software, or is a secret Facebook group ideal? If physical setting, it will probably be in London.
If all goes to plan, the kids can, hopefully, stay in touch and provide peer support to each other.
Please contact me via phoenix.debola@yahoo.co.uk or drop a comment below if you are interested and/or if you have any suggestion(s) on forum type/venue.
Thanks
Phoenix
HE Hub 
Paula H
Feb 22, 2017 @ 08:25:30
Hello.. I am 90% on the way to homeschool my daughter who is 15 at the moment (yr 10). The only hesitation on 10% of decision is thinking of how to support her or get her involved in the practical side for her science. She is currently taking a triple science in school and looking to go down the scientific or medical path in the future. Could this UTCs be a good source for her? It sounds like it! How can we enroll her to it and how would it fit into the HE life? Could you please advise? Thanks.
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Phoenix
Feb 22, 2017 @ 12:24:11
Hi Paula, thank you for getting in touch. I think the best thing to do is to attend an open day/evening at a couple or more UTCs. We are checking out the Southbank one in April alongside a couple of other families, not because it is our chosen college but because I want to see what a typical one is all about. You mention practicals – incidentally, this is one of the reasons why I’m exploring the UTC option (they are fully equipped and have industry partners for experience and networking) though it must be said that a lot of home ed kids fly through science igcses without a need for college. IGCSEs practicals are not assessed at exam level so preps are normally done at home or in groups. Re UTC and HE, I see one as an extension of the other. In fact, it is having the best of all worlds – the expense is borne by the college/government and we will round out the rough edges at home. Since HE isn’t funded at any level, it doesn’t really matter how it is done. At the moment, UTCs are very receptive to HE kids and with most being newly established, cliques aren’t yet formed. There is a Facebook group for HE families exploring UTCs – the link is either in the main post or in FAQs – that you may want to consider joining. Hope this helps. All the best, Phoenix
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laurence lee
Jan 30, 2017 @ 13:21:17
This sounds fantastic ! As you say, it’s either or for us too ? My son is 12, but it is a constant niggle to get things moving RE, GCSE.
This is another option to look Into.
Kind wishes !
Kim
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Phoenix
Jan 30, 2017 @ 13:46:40
Thanks, Kim. I think it’s a good option to look into. Apart from the onerous costs of IGCSEs, not to mention the resources needed for science subjects, UTCs seem (on the face of it) an excellent route. It will be great (as well) to have a home ed contingent so that kids starting this year can support and provide feedback to future students.
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