Families log on to virtual schools that offer private education ‘at lower price’
GROWING numbers of middle-class parents are choosing to enrol their children in a new generation of ‘online schools’ amid concerns over the state of Scotland’s education system.
More pupils than ever before are officially ‘home-educated’ – almost 2,000 in the past academic year, latest figures show.
In most cases, parents opt to remove their children from traditional schools then conduct lessons themselves in their homes.
But a new trend sees parents pay to sign up their youngsters at ‘virtual academies’, with lessons provided by online teachers. The academies can be far cheaper than traditional private schools.
Research by The Scottish Mail on Sunday indicates the number of pupils being schooled at home has almost trebled, from only 679 in 2017/18 to 1,924 in 2021/22.
Experts believe the move is partly driven by concerns over the standard of education in Scottish schools. Fears over bullying and the normalisation of online learning during the Covid pandemic are also said to be a factor.
Yesterday, education expert Professor Lindsay Paterson said: ‘During Covid, parents realised
‘Many parents are dissatisfied with Curriculum for Excellence’
schools were not giving them enough support and they had the ability and resources to teach their own children.
‘Unfortunately the Scottish Government still refuses to accept that pupils suffered a loss of learning during the pandemic. Many parents and teachers were also dissatisfied with the 2010 Curriculum of Excellence which failed to provide students with a systematic basis of knowledge.’
At the start of the pandemic, most schools closed to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which led to compulsory home learning.
Some pupils enjoyed online classes and in response, businessman Hugh Viney founded Minerva’s Virtual Academy in 2020. It has 250 students on the roll, 20 from Scotland, each paying £6,950 a year. Mr Viney said: ‘A significant minority of children loved learning from home during the pandemic. These families came to us for schooling in 2020 and never looked back.’
The school operates like a university, with students expected to teach themselves material in advance using digital resources then attend online lessons to consolidate their knowledge, a practice known as ‘flipped learning’. Students attend only two to three hours of teacher-led lessons each day, with the rest of their time filled with self-guided learning.
After-school clubs begin at 3pm while once a week pupils discuss their progress with a personal mentor and parents are sent regular reports. Children also practise mindfulness during a weekly wellbeing session. Twice a term, pupils are invited on a school trip. This term, 65 students will tour the Royal Courts of Justice in London before visiting an ‘escape room’. Mr Viney admitted this style of education is ‘not for every child’, adding: ‘We are here for the kids who are self-motivated.
‘Parents need to take responsibility for their child’s education if they are sending them to our online school. However, children can learn at their own pace and rewatch lessons if they are struggling, while bright pupils can race ahead.’
Another option is King’s InterHigh, an online school founded in 2005 for pupils aged 7-18, which has around 100 Scottish pupils. Annual fees for the virtual classes are £2,901 at primary level, £4,301 for lower secondary and £5,220 for senior secondary pupils. Fees at traditional private schools are far higher than those at online alternatives. At Gordonstoun, fees are £13,500 to £39,900 for day pupils and £26,850 to £46,500 for boarders.
But Professor Paterson warned digital schools could leave pupils isolated. He said: ‘Online resources are great for learning but the idea that students don’t need face-toface teaching is simply wrong.’