Home Schooling

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…

Why Should Children Learn Computer Programming?

As we stand today, it’s undoubtedly more important than ever to be able to navigate and explore the use of technology with ease. It’s…

Why is it important to study maths?

In today’s world where technology is so openly available, it’s easy to assume that maths skills aren’t as in high demand and worth continuing…

Why Study an AS Level?

An AS level (Advanced Subsidiary level) acts as a great stepping stone between GCSEs and higher education. Yes, A levels are typically more well…

What is an AS level?

Have you come across AS level courses, but have no idea what they are? In this blog post, we’ll explore the ins and outs…

Mia’s NEC experience and her pursuit of knowledge

There are a number of reasons why students decide that distance learning is a suitable form of education for them and their needs. In…

Andrew’s experience: How homeschooling helps balance education and family commitments

Arguably, one of the biggest benefits to online and distance learning is the freedom it allows students to study at a time and place…

How to Create a Positive Home Learning Environment for Distance Learners

In recent years, distance learning has increased in popularity and has proven itself to be a great and successful alternative to traditional education. Whether…

Homeschooling: How to Personalise Your Child’s Education

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…

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Studying Online?

When it comes to studying, traditional school and educational settings aren’t the only options for students. With distance learning becoming more and more popular,…

Other articles...

Changing keys: from jazz guitar at a conservatoire to an engineering degree at the University of Sheffield

Toby left school with a string of A*s at GCSE, but the experience of suffering a bereavement during his exams led him to abandon…

National Work Life Week 2021: finding time for professional development 

National Work Life Week, established by the not-for-profit Working Families, takes place every year between the 11th and 15th of October. It is a…

NEC moves house: bigger premises and a brighter future

The National Extension College (NEC) is delighted to announce its expansion and relocation to new premises in the village of Sawston, Cambridgeshire.  Since its…

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…

The STEM home educator’s guide to navigating Biology Week and World Space Week

STEM educational weeks are only marginally better than buses: you wait for one and then suddenly it’s both Biology Week and World Space Week…

Rediscovering self-belief through A level History of Art

When NEC student Rosa decided to give herself a second chance at further education, it was not for lack of success the first time…

Why study A level Economics?

In March 2016, we published a blog post outlining the benefits of studying Economics or Business at A level. The points we made remain…

Common misperceptions of distance learning

One common misperception is that distance learning students teach themselves, simply watching videos online. However, our courses, whilst flexible in the time that you…

How to stand out on LinkedIn as a student – NEC’s ten-step guide

Logging on to LinkedIn as a student can feel daunting. As the self-described “world’s largest professional network” with over 774 million members dotted across…

Why study psychology and sociology?

Psychology and sociology are fascinating subjects for anyone interested in human behaviour and how we act within society.  A level Psychology focuses on big…