Guest Blogs

Homeschooler Andrew’s experience of studying IGCSE Chemistry

Last year, we shared Andrew’s experience of how homeschooling was helping him to balance education and family commitments. We caught up with Andrew to…

National Extension College: Bringing education to you

For over 60 years, National Extension College (NEC) has worked towards the goal of transforming lives and opening up new educational possibilities for people…

Why study Classics as a teacher?

The Classical Association is offering five bursaries for state sector teachers to study A level Classical Civilisation flexibly with NEC. Bursary recipients will be…

The benefits of offering Classics to your students

The Classical Association is offering five bursaries for state sector teachers to study A level Classical Civilisation flexibly with NEC. Bursary recipients will be…

Is education the answer to social mobility? The contribution of the National Extension College.

All political parties talk loudly about their commitment to social mobility and levelling up, but progress over the last decades has been dire and…

Why study A level Geography?

To celebrate the launch of NEC’s online interactive A level Geography, we spoke to lead tutor Alison Leadbetter about why she loves the subject…

National Poetry Day 2021: a whistle-stop tour through NEC English tutor Colin’s favourite poets and poems

Thursday, 7 October is National Poetry Day. To celebrate, we challenged NEC English tutor Colin to pick a favourite poem…  Phew! This is the…

How is bookkeeping done differently in the digital age?

Whether you are running your own business, wanting to develop skills for a career as a bookkeeper, or wanting to support your family business,…

Working together for our students

In 2016 the National Extension College became Tutors & Exams‘ first learning partner. Since then we have been working together to make booking exams…

Finding the motivation to study

Anna Ellis completed A level Religious Studies with NEC this month and is currently studying with the Open University. She has qualifications in teaching…

Other articles...

How I learnt to love learning

Today’s guest blog is written by Chris Holligan, Professor of Education at The University of The West of Scotland. Chris details how his life…

A home educator’s journey – Part 8: Studying GCSE Maths

Anna and Lucy are a mother and daughter who are sharing their experiences of online distance learning and home education. In this edition of…

A brief history of NEC and broadcasting

Tonight (April 25th) at 9pm, BBC 4 will be broadcasting a new hour long documentary ‘Happy Birthday OU: 50 Years of The Open University’….

Happy 50th Birthday OU!

‘We are thinking rather of the people who cannot turn up regularly for ordinary classes, above all of married women housebound by their children,…

English Language Day 2019

23rd April has special resonance in England. It’s St George’s Day (England’s patron saint) as well as the traditional date on which to celebrate…

A home educator’s journey – Part 7: GCSE Revision at home

This post was originally published on April 17th 2019 and updated on March 23rd 2020. Anna and Lucy are a mother and daughter who…

How to study maths

What is Maths? People often talk about maths as if it were a great mystery. ‘I can never understand maths.’ ‘You can do maths!…

Second-chance learning in prison

About the author: David Breakspear was released from prison in June 2017. While there, with the help of funding through organisations like The Prisoners’…

Our top 5 April Fools’

To celebrate April Fools’ Day we’ve been looking back on some of our favourite pranks and hoaxes. Here are 5 of the best: BBC…

World Poetry Day 2019

Today’s guest blog celebrates World Poetry Day and is written by NEC tutor Tracey Jones.  World Poetry Day is a celebration of poetry in…