Home Schooling Resources UK: Best Free and Paid Options in 2025
Are you looking for quality home schooling resources UK families can rely on? With more parents choosing to teach their children at home, knowing where to find good materials has never been more important.
We’ve put together this guide to help you find the best resources for home schooling UK children of all ages, including many free home schooling resources UK options that won’t stretch your budget.
Key Takeaways
- Free Resources Available: Learn about the wide range of free home schooling resources UK families can access, including BBC Bitesize, Oak National Academy, and local library services.
- Resources for Different Ages: Discover home schooling resources UK KS2 and beyond, with options for early years through to secondary education.
- Special Educational Needs: Find out about targeted resources for children with special educational needs and how to access appropriate support.
What Are Home Education Options in the UK?
Home schooling UK resources come in many forms. When families choose to home educate, they take on the responsibility for their child’s education. The good news is that there are plenty of resources for home schooling UK families, both paid and free.
In the UK, home education is legal and doesn’t require parents to follow the National Curriculum, though many choose to use it as a guide. Home educating parents have the freedom to choose teaching methods that work best for their children.
The UK Government’s guidance on Elective Home Education provides official information about your rights and responsibilities when teaching your child at home.
Free Home Schooling Resources UK Parents Can Use
Many families are looking for home schooling resources UK free options to keep costs manageable. There’s a wealth of free materials available online and through community services.
BBC Bitesize offers free lessons across all subjects and key stages with interactive activities, videos, and quizzes. We’ve found their resources particularly helpful for explaining tricky concepts in a way that younger children can understand.
Oak National Academy provides thousands of video lessons across the curriculum. Their structured approach makes planning much easier, especially for parents new to home education.
Your local library is an incredible resource that often gets overlooked. Beyond books, many libraries offer online resources, educational DVDs, and even learning games that can be borrowed for free.
Twinkl has a free membership level with printable worksheets and planning materials that cover many curriculum areas. Their resources are colourful and engaging, making learning more fun.
Khan Academy offers free courses in maths, science, and more for various age groups. We especially like their maths content for older students studying for GCSEs.
These free resources can form the backbone of your home education program, especially for families on a budget.
Best Home Schooling Resources UK for Different Key Stages
Finding age-appropriate materials is essential for effective home education. Here’s what’s available for different stages:
Early Years Resources
For younger children, resources that make learning fun through play are ideal. CBeebies games and activities provide a great starting point for early learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework can guide your approach to teaching little ones.
Phonics play has some free access content that’s brilliant for learning to read. We’ve seen children make amazing progress using their games and printables alongside regular reading practice.
Numberblocks and Alphablocks resources support early maths and literacy in a way that young children find engaging. These characters have become firm favorites in many home educating households.
Sensory play materials help develop fine motor skills and cognitive development. Simple items like playdough, water beads, and rice can provide hours of valuable learning experiences.
Home Schooling Resources UK KS2
Home schooling resources UK KS2 are abundant as this is a popular age range for home education.
CGP workbooks, while not free, are affordable and provide structured learning materials that align with the National Curriculum. We find them particularly good for maths and English.
BBC Bitesize KS2 materials cover all the subjects your primary age child needs to learn. Their interactive format helps keep children interested in the topics.
Prodigy Maths Game (free basic version) turns maths practice into an adventure game that children actually want to play. It adapts to your child’s level, providing just the right amount of challenge.
Literacy Shed offers inspiring visual prompts for creative writing. Their short films spark imagination and help children develop storytelling skills.
Mystery Science provides ready-to-teach lessons with hands-on activities. Their approach to science is both practical and thought-provoking.
Secondary Education Resources
For older students working towards GCSEs and beyond, the resources become more specialized.
GCSE Pod provides curriculum-matched videos for exam preparation. We’ve seen great results from students who use this platform regularly to reinforce their learning.
Seneca Learning offers free interactive courses across many GCSE and A-Level subjects. Their quizzing approach helps with knowledge retention.
Free access to past papers from exam boards like AQA helps students become familiar with exam formats and question styles.
FutureLearn provides free courses from universities and cultural institutions. These can be excellent for expanding knowledge beyond the standard curriculum.
YouTube channels like Free Science Lessons offer clear explanations of complex topics. Many home educating parents find these invaluable for subjects they’re less confident teaching themselves.
Supporting Special Educational Needs
Many families turn to home education because their children have special educational needs that aren’t being met in school. Finding the right resources can make all the difference.
The National Autistic Society provides guidance specifically for home educating parents with autistic children. Their resources help create learning environments that work with rather than against autistic learning styles.
For dyslexic learners, programs like Nessy and Reading Eggs provide structured, multisensory approaches to literacy. Barrington Stoke books are specially designed to be dyslexia-friendly while still being age-appropriate.
Children with ADHD often benefit from movement breaks, Pomodoro timers for focused work periods, and hands-on learning tools. The structure of home education can be tailored to accommodate their need for movement and variety.
For dyscalculia, concrete maths manipulatives and specialized programs like Numbershark can make mathematical concepts more accessible. Visual and tactile approaches often work better than abstract explanations.
Remember that home educators can request an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessment if needed, which can provide additional support and funding for resources.
Online Communities for Home Educators
Connecting with other home educating parents can be truly invaluable. We’ve found that the support and shared wisdom of experienced home educators makes the journey much easier.
Home Education UK Facebook groups are active communities where you can ask questions, share resources, and find moral support. Different groups cater to various approaches to home education, from structured to unschooling.
Local home education meetup groups organize regular gatherings where children can socialize and parents can chat. These face-to-face connections are gold for both children and adults.
Education Otherwise forums provide a wealth of information from long-term home educators. Their collective experience is an amazing resource for those just starting out.
Home Education Advisory Service offers guidance and support to families considering or already committed to home education. Their practical advice helps navigate the administrative aspects of home education.
Planning Your Home Education Approach
When starting with home schooling UK resources, it’s helpful to think about your approach. Every family’s journey is different, and what works for one child might not work for another.
Consider how structured you want your days to be. Some children thrive with a timetable similar to school, while others learn better with a more flexible approach. We’ve found that most families land somewhere in the middle, with some structure but plenty of room for following interests.
Think about which curriculum areas to focus on. While literacy and numeracy are foundational, home education allows you to spend more time on subjects your child is passionate about. This can lead to deeper learning and greater motivation.
For practical subjects like science, consider how you’ll provide hands-on experiences. Kitchen science experiments, nature studies, and visits to museums can all enrich your science curriculum.
Many home educating parents use planning sheets to organize their weeks, while others take a more responsive approach. The Education Otherwise website offers sample schedules and planning tools that can help you find your rhythm.
Subject-Specific Resources
Here’s a breakdown of quality resources by subject:
Maths Resources
White Rose Maths offers free planning sheets and videos that break down mathematical concepts step by step. Their approach focuses on deep understanding rather than just memorizing procedures.
Conquer Maths is a subscription service that provides comprehensive coverage of the maths curriculum. We like how it tracks progress and identifies areas where more practice is needed.
NRICH from Cambridge University provides mathematical problem-solving activities that develop critical thinking skills. Their resources encourage children to think like mathematicians.
Science Resources
Finding good science resources that balance theory with practical work is important for a well-rounded education.
CLEAPSS provides safety guidance for home experiments. Safety should always come first when doing practical science at home.
MEL Science kits (subscription) deliver monthly experiments with all materials included. They’re not cheap, but the quality of the experiments and supporting materials is excellent.
Science Sparks website offers ideas for experiments using household items. These are perfect for younger children who learn best through hands-on exploration.
The Royal Society’s education resources include activities developed by leading scientists. They’re a great way to bring cutting-edge science into your home school.
English and Literacy
Oxford Owl provides free ebooks and reading activities. Their staged reading scheme helps children progress at their own pace.
Teach Your Monster to Read makes learning to read into a game. It’s particularly good for reluctant readers who need extra motivation.
The Literacy Shed uses short films as prompts for writing. Visual storytelling can help children who find starting a piece of writing challenging.
National Literacy Trust resources include activities for developing reading and writing skills at all ages. Their website has sections for both parents and educators.
Learning Through Fun Activities
Education doesn’t always need to look like formal learning. We’ve found that some of the most valuable learning happens through everyday activities and play.
Cooking involves maths (measuring, timing, adjusting quantities), science (chemical reactions, states of matter), following instructions, and often geography and culture too. Plus, you end up with something tasty at the end!
Gardening teaches biology, patience, and responsibility. Watching seeds grow into plants gives children a tangible connection to the natural world and the satisfaction of nurturing living things.
Board games develop numerous skills including strategy, turn-taking, and often maths or language depending on the game. Games like Scrabble, Ticket to Ride, or even chess can be educational powerhouses disguised as fun.
Building projects, whether with Lego, woodwork, or recycled materials, involve measurement, physics, design thinking, and problem-solving. These hands-on activities often engage children who might resist more traditional learning approaches.
Nature journaling combines observation, art, and science. Regular time spent outdoors noticing and recording seasonal changes fosters a connection with nature that textbooks alone cannot provide.
Overall
Finding quality home schooling resources UK families can use doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Start with the free resources mentioned above, join local groups for support, and remember that learning happens everywhere – not just from formal educational materials.
Whether you’re looking for home schooling resources UK KS2 or materials for younger children or teenagers, there’s something available for every age and learning style. The beauty of home education is the ability to tailor resources to your child’s needs and interests.
Many home educating parents mix and match from different sources rather than following one program exclusively. This flexibility allows you to create a rich, varied educational experience that works for your family.
The most important thing is to keep the joy in learning. When children are engaged and curious, education becomes a natural part of life rather than something imposed from outside. With the wealth of resources for home schooling UK families available today, you have everything you need to create a meaningful educational journey for your child.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is home schooling legal in the UK?
Yes, home schooling (often called home education) is completely legal in the UK. Parents are responsible for ensuring their children receive a suitable full-time education, but this doesn’t have to be in a school setting.
Do I need qualifications to home educate my child?
No formal qualifications are required to home educate your child in the UK. Many home educating parents have no teaching background but successfully educate their children using available resources.
Do home educated children take exams?
Home educated children can take exams such as GCSEs and A-levels as private candidates. They don’t have to take SATs or other school assessments, but many families choose to use informal assessments to track progress.
Can I get financial help for home education resources?
Unfortunately, there’s no direct government funding for home education in the UK. However, you can access many free home schooling resources UK options, and your local library is an excellent source of free materials.
How much does home education cost?
The cost varies greatly depending on your approach. Using mainly free resources and library books can keep costs minimal. Some families spend a few hundred pounds per year, while others invest in complete curriculum packages costing more.
Can home educated children go to university?
Yes, many home educated students go on to university. They typically take GCSEs and A-levels as private candidates or complete access courses. Universities are generally welcoming to home educated applicants.
