Hove Micro-School to offer parents peace of mind

Rachel Ammari will initially teach up to four children from her home in Boundary Road in Hove.

The 28-year-old has previously taught at Hove Junior School in Portland Road and Benfield Primary School in Portslade, and recently spent two years teaching in Miami, where the concept of micro-schooling is well known.

Rachel decided to launch a micro-school in Hove after speaking with parents in the area, as a way to offer peace of mind to families worried about their children returning to classrooms amid the coronavirus pandemic.

She said: “Micro-schools are typically set in home environments and cater for just five to ten children.

Hove Micro-School

“I carried out a small survey and informally interviewed parents in Hove as I know how anxious people are about sending children back to school.

“Lots of parents are even thinking about home-schooling their children, even though they don’t have teaching qualifications.

“With the fear of Covid-19 resurfacing during the winter months, I can provide a safer alternative for parents and children of primary school age, who are worried about returning to mainstream schooling too soon.”

Rachel said there has been an increase in parents looking for spaces at private schools as a result of the pandemic.

She said: “Parents are worried that state schools will not be able to help their children catch up enough after all the time off.

“I wanted to offer a service which private schools cannot offer. With a ratio of four to one, children will make accelerated progress throughout the year and they won’t have to worry about social distancing measures that other schools will have to put in place.”

Rachel will also offer afterschool club tutoring sessions and has received a lot of interest since she launched the idea two weeks ago.

She said:”I’ve got one parent who is so worried about Covid-19 that she will not send her children even to my micro-school, but she wants me to have a laptop open so her boys can dial in to lessons.

“It’s been really interesting to hear what parents are looking for at the moment.”

Rachel Ammari

Hove Micro-School will initially cater for four children between the ages of eight and 11. The school will open on Monday.

The base rate is £80 per day, which comes to £4,800 per term, but Rachel is happy to “discuss options”. The base rate for tutoring is £35 per hour, but a price plan can be worked out for regular sessions.

As well as having lessons in Rachel’s home, pupils will benefit from spending time outside with visits to the beach and green spaces.

Rachel said: “I’m very interested in forest school teaching and will be taking the children on lots of trips into the community, so they won’t be stuck indoors.

“One of the most exciting parts is the ability to design the curriculum around the needs and interests of the children. It’s a collaborative project and parents can input directly into their children’s learning.”

Rachel is holding an open morning at Hove Micro-School tomorrow.

For more information, visit www.hovemicro-school.com.