In recent years, homeschooling has become a more popular and accepted form of education. For parents and guardians who want to tailor their child’s education to suit their unique strengths and interests, homeschooling can be a great alternative to traditional school settings.

If you are considering homeschooling your child, you’re in the right place! In this blog post, we’ll explore the must-know details when it comes to homeschooling, online learning, and how you can tailor your child’s educational journey to create a fulfilling and stress-free experience.

Can Anyone Homeschool Their Child in the UK?

Quite simply, the answer is yes! 

Homeschooling is legal in the UK, and anyone can take on the role of an educator for their children. That’s not to say that taking on this role is an easy decision and it’s important to understand what homeschooling involves.

What Does Homeschooling Involve?

Homeschooling is heavily focused on providing a tailored and personal education for your child. It involves creating and maintaining a curriculum that suits your child’s individual needs, strengths, weaknesses, and interests. 

Ultimately, you as a parent or guardian will have the freedom to choose from various online courses, resources and other educational materials.

Personalised Homeschooling with Online Learning

Arguably, one of the biggest advantages of homeschooling is the flexibility it offers. Online learning (or distance learning) has become a popular tool for homeschooling parents and guardians. 

Nowadays, it’s an easy process to find a wide range of online courses and resources that can create a successful and personalised education for your child.

Many distance learning providers offer accredited courses that suit the different ages and levels of a child, much like what they would experience at school. At NEC for example, we offer a range of GCSE, Functional Skills and A level courses.

Assessments and Evaluations

When taking on the responsibility of homeschooling, assessing your child’s progress is essential. If you are aiming to prepare your child for GCSE or A level exams, having a clear idea of your child’s progress, strengths and weaknesses will be a huge help. 

There are multiple ways to monitor their learning outcomes:

1. Tests: Some parents and guardians choose to have their children take practice tests, similar to mock tests that they would experience in a traditional school setting.
2. Portfolio Assessments: Keeping a portfolio of your child’s work, including essays, projects, and artwork, to showcase their progress can be another great indicator in how your child has progressed over a particular period of time.
3. Online Learning Platforms: Many online learning platforms offer progress trackers or online portals where you can see your child’s performance and provide feedback. Distance learning providers will often offer tutor support included in their course services who will be able to support you.

Who Monitors Homeschooling in the UK?

When homeschooling in the UK, it’s the responsibility of your local council to monitor your child’s homeschooling education. At times, they may request information about your child’s education, but this doesn’t mean you are required to follow the national curriculum.

If your child is currently at school, you should tell the school if you plan to educate them at home. The school must accept if you’re taking your child out completely. They can refuse if you want to send your child to school some of the time.

If your child is attending school because of a school attendance order, you must get permission from your local council before you can educate them at home. – Gov.uk

Why Do People Choose to Homeschool?

Many parents and guardians want to tailor their child’s education to meet their specific needs and interests. Homeschooling allows a more child-focused curriculum that can encourage a more positive and successful educational experience for the child.

Homeschooling also provides a great deal of flexibility in scheduling, making it easier to accommodate other activities and travel experiences that may be important to their parenting style.

For many parents and guardians, the decision to homeschool and enrol their child on distance learning courses can be due to mental health, long-term illnesses and more. It’s important to keep in mind that this style of education can help suit many individual needs.

There’s no denying that homeschooling is a legitimate and increasingly popular educational option. It allows parents and guardians to provide personalised and tailored education to their children, which can have a positive impact on the child’s mental health and overall lifestyle. 

With a multitude of online resources and courses available, you can embark on this educational journey with confidence.

If you’d like to find out more about how NEC can help you homeschool your child and meet their needs, get in touch today at 0800 389 2839 or send us an email.