Key Facts
| Free national resources | Oak National Academy, BBC Bitesize, national curriculum programmes of study on GOV.UK, Hwb in Wales, CCEA in Northern Ireland |
|---|---|
| Exam materials | Specifications, past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports from each exam board |
| Council support | Welsh and Scottish guidance encourages councils to offer access to facilities and exam centres |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
Home education resources in the UK range from free national lesson libraries and exam board materials to libraries, museums, local groups and paid courses. A family does not need to spend much to cover the core subjects well, since many of the best resources are free, and the main task is choosing a manageable set and using them consistently. Below are the free resources by type, how to use exam board materials, where to find community and social support, and when paid resources and tutors are worth considering.
Free lesson libraries and learning platforms
| Resource | What it offers | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Oak National Academy | Free lessons, slides, worksheets and quizzes following the national curriculum in England | A structured spine for primary and secondary subjects |
| BBC Bitesize | Short explanations, videos and quizzes for every key stage, with versions for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland | Revision and quick explanations |
| Khan Academy | Free practice and video lessons, strongest in mathematics | Mathematics practice at the child's own pace |
| National curriculum documents on GOV.UK | The programmes of study for each subject and key stage in England | Planning what to cover each year |
| Hwb | The Welsh Government's digital learning platform | Families in Wales, where councils facilitate access where possible |
| CCEA | Curriculum and qualification resources for Northern Ireland | Families following the Northern Ireland curriculum |
| Education Scotland | Information on Scotland's curriculum framework | Families in Scotland |
These platforms are designed for schools as well as families, so they come with a sequence of lessons. Following one platform's sequence for a core subject, such as mathematics, and using others for variety is usually more manageable than switching between many.
Exam board resources
For children working towards GCSEs, IGCSEs or A-levels, the exam board's own website is the most important resource. Boards publish the specification, which lists everything that can be examined, along with past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports, usually free. The examiner reports explain where candidates lost marks, which helps a parent who is new to a subject see what examiners look for.
Choosing the specification and board early, ideally once a child is about two years from the exams, lets the family match textbooks and practice to it. The GCSEs for home-educated children page explains how to choose boards, and the exam centres for private candidates page covers finding a centre.
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Enquire about this tutorLibraries, museums and the outdoors
- Public libraries lend books, audiobooks and often e-books free, and many run reading challenges, clubs and study spaces. A library card also gives access to online reference resources in many areas.
- Museums and galleries include many national institutions that are free to enter, and many offer learning resources, workshops and sessions for home-educated groups.
- Historic sites and nature reserves give real settings for history, geography and science, and some offer educational visits for home-educating families.
- Local sports and leisure facilities may offer daytime sessions, and in Wales and Scotland the government guidance encourages councils to give home-educated children access to council facilities on the same basis as school pupils.
Community and social support
Home education groups are one of the most useful resources, both for children's social contact and for parents' practical advice. Groups organise meet-ups, shared lessons, sports, trips and exam advice, and many families find them through local social media groups or national organisations. Education Otherwise is a long-standing national charity supporting home-educating families, and in Northern Ireland, Home Education Northern Ireland helped develop the Education Authority's home education guidelines.
Councils can also be a source of support. The guidance in Wales and Scotland encourages councils to offer support such as access to facilities, careers advice and exam centres, and many councils in England publish information for home-educating families, including lists of local exam centres.
Careers and further education
The National Careers Service offers free careers advice in England, and Careers Wales offers it in Wales. Colleges also run open events and taster sessions, and many accept home-educated students from 16 onto full-time courses. The A-levels for home-educated students page covers the options after 16.
When paid resources are worth it
Free resources cover most needs up to the early secondary years. Paid resources tend to be worth the cost in three situations:
- Structured courses for exam years, such as distance-learning GCSE or IGCSE courses, where the course includes marked assignments.
- Subject-specific textbooks that match the exam specification, which are often the clearest way to cover a course.
- Tutors for specialist subjects, such as sciences, modern languages or further mathematics, or for exam technique in the final year, where a specialist can teach what a parent prefers not to.
The home schooling costs page sets out typical costs, and the online homeschooling page compares online schools with tutor-led home education.
Building a simple resource plan
| Stage | Core resources | Additions |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | A lesson library for mathematics and English; library books; outdoor learning | Museums, groups, a mathematics practice platform |
| Lower secondary | A lesson library for core subjects; national curriculum documents for planning | Science kits, language apps, groups for shared lessons |
| Exam years | The exam specification, past papers, mark schemes and a matched textbook | A distance-learning course or tutor for specialist subjects |
The home education curriculum page suggests what to cover at each age.
Related guides
- Home schooling in the UK: the law, deregistration and how to start
- Home education curriculum by age
- Online homeschooling: online schools and tutor-led home education
- Home schooling costs
- Home schooling funding
- Pros and cons of home education
Tutoring for home-educated children with Taylor Tuition
Families who home educate often combine free resources with a tutor for the subjects a parent prefers not to teach, particularly in the exam years. More than half of our tutors hold Qualified Teacher Status and around three in five hold a master's degree or doctorate, and tutors who work with children hold an enhanced DBS check, and most are registered on the DBS Update Service.
Sessions run online for families across the UK and internationally, and in person in central London. Fees start from £50 per 50-minute session and depend on tutor level and subject; there is no registration fee and the initial consultation is free.
Read more about our home education tutors, or send an enquiry and we reply with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- What free resources are there for home education in the UK?
- Oak National Academy and BBC Bitesize offer free lessons across the curriculum, Khan Academy is strong for mathematics, and exam boards publish specifications, past papers and mark schemes free. Libraries and many museums are free too.
- Do I have to follow the national curriculum when home educating?
- No. Home-educated children do not have to follow the national curriculum, although many families use it, or a lesson library that follows it, as a planning guide.
- Where can I find home education groups?
- Through local social media groups, national organisations such as Education Otherwise, and other families. Groups run meet-ups, shared lessons, trips and sports.
- Are paid home education resources worth it?
- Free resources cover most needs up to the early secondary years. Paid courses, matched textbooks and specialist tutors are most useful in the exam years and for subjects a parent prefers not to teach.
- Does the council provide resources for home education?
- Councils have no general duty to provide resources. The guidance in Wales and Scotland encourages councils to offer support such as access to facilities and exam centres, and many English councils publish local information.
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