Home education vs public school

Eir25

Hi guys I'm 17 yrs old and I've been home educated all my life. I've been thinking about going into school for sixth year and sitting leaving cert. But I'm getting different advice from everyone and so I'm a little lost in what I should do now... hope someone can make things a little clearer for me. Thanks, Eirinn

spurious

By school do you mean a real school, or a grinds place?
Most schools would want people enrolling for LC to complete the 2 year course with them.

Did you sit a Junior Cert.? How did you get on in it?

Depending on what subjects you want to sit, that might influence where you can apply to.

The alternative would be to continue home schooling and sit the Leaving as an external student, which has implications for subjects with a practical component.

Socially, I would imagine attending school would be healthier, but if you have been out of it all your life, will you be able to deal with the (in some cases) petty rules and childish behaviour of some 'students'?

Eir25

spurious wrote: »

By school do you mean a real school, or a grinds place?
Most schools would want people enrolling for LC to complete the 2 year course with them.

Did you sit a Junior Cert.? How did you get on in it?

Depending on what subjects you want to sit, that might influence where you can apply to.

The alternative would be to continue home schooling and sit the Leaving as an external student, which has implications for subjects with a practical component.

Socially, I would imagine attending school would be healthier, but if you have been out of it all your life, will you be able to deal with the (in some cases) petty rules and childish behaviour of some 'students'?

Yes normal school. I sat the junior cert in the local school but only the actual exams. Not the mocks or anything. I got on grand mostly As so I wasn't slacking or anything on study. The subject I've done through "5th year" at home are 3 compulsory plus music biology french Spanish and Japanese. I'm not so much worried about the points or whatever. I know I'd be able for it from home so ability isn't really a problem as such. Just it's more of a social thing as in I get lonely at home where there's no class competition or that and the bit of banter. I've been teaching in various schools so I know all about the behaviour and that so it's only a mater of ignoring it really.

spurious

Finding a school that allows you do two language classes (other than English and Irish) might be an issue - though where I did my Leaving a million years ago allowed it.

I don't know if you're male or female, but I think large girls' schools would be more likely to offer the two languages thing. Large schools for girls rather than schools for big lasses.

Remember for a normal school, you have to follow the timetable. They are not staffed or insured to have students come and go as they please, so you'll need to find somewhere does your subjects. Japanese you will have to continue doing yourself. For the companies that run grinds places, they will let you come and go, but you pay silly money for them and unless your homeschooling has been very poor, I doubt their note-based way of 'teaching' would suit you.

Just a matter of ringing or calling around places I suppose. They might ask you to do some sort of test or write an essay to gauge your standard.

Bazinga_N

spurious wrote: »

Finding a school that allows you do two language classes (other than English and Irish) might be an issue - though where I did my Leaving a million years ago allowed it.

I don't know if you're male or female, but I think large girls' schools would be more likely to offer the two languages thing. Large schools for girls rather than schools for big lasses.

Remember for a normal school, you have to follow the timetable. They are not staffed or insured to have students come and go as they please, so you'll need to find somewhere does your subjects. Japanese you will have to continue doing yourself. For the companies that run grinds places, they will let you come and go, but you pay silly money for them and unless your homeschooling has been very poor, I doubt their note-based way of 'teaching' would suit you.

Just a matter of ringing or calling around places I suppose. They might ask you to do some sort of test or write an essay to gauge your standard.

Just to add that some PLC colleges (probably just the big ones really) offer Leaving Cert course for just one year and they tend to be very accommodating for subject options! They're not overly expensive to attend either, in comparison to the grinds schools.

Eir25

spurious wrote: »

Finding a school that allows you do two language classes (other than English and Irish) might be an issue - though where I did my Leaving a million years ago allowed it.

I don't know if you're male or female, but I think large girls' schools would be more likely to offer the two languages thing. Large schools for girls rather than schools for big lasses.

Remember for a normal school, you have to follow the timetable. They are not staffed or insured to have students come and go as they please, so you'll need to find somewhere does your subjects. Japanese you will have to continue doing yourself. For the companies that run grinds places, they will let you come and go, but you pay silly money for them and unless your homeschooling has been very poor, I doubt their note-based way of 'teaching' would suit you.

Just a matter of ringing or calling around places I suppose. They might ask you to do some sort of test or write an essay to gauge your standard.

I am fluent in the two languages anyway so those won't be a problem. I'll research into what my local school can do and see how it goes. Thank you so much.