Oxford Home Schooling and Tuition

The Flexible Way To Learn

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Online A Level Courses

Studying for an A level with Oxford Home Schooling

A level courses remain the “Gold Standard” of the British education system. At Oxford Home Schooling we pride ourselves on providing you with the learning experience you need to study a subject you love in depth and the tools to allow you to excel in your final examinations.

A Level Home Education

Each of Oxford Home schooling’s A level courses has been written to a specification set by either the AQA or Edexcel/Pearson examination boards.

This means that the A levels you take with us are the same A levels that you would sit in any other school. They offer exactly the same academic weight and are accepted by the same universities and UCAS. Many institutions recognise the commitment required to achieve an A level at home and regard it as a greater achievement than one gained in school.

A levels are particularly well suited to home study. Students are mature enough to organise themselves and they have clearer goals and often greater incentives to do well than younger students. Many of our A level students are able to study while also earning money, if not a living, in a paid job.

A Level study requires maturity and a deeper interest in a subject which is particularly suited to home schooling and those students who already have experience of independent study.

How are A levels structured?

A levels have gone through structural changes in the last few years. The A levels that Oxford Home Schooling offer are aimed at a single final exam and there is no longer a requirement to progress from AS to A2 level. Students will usually sit the full A level exam at the end of the course with no AS in between.

Having said that, the examination board specifications have been designed so that students may sit an AS level only, should they wish. They are now a stand-alone qualification and the marks that students obtain in them cannot be carried forward to their full A level grade

FAQs

Why should I choose Oxford Home Schooling for my child's Key Stage 3 study?
  • Oxford Home Schooling is a long-established educational company that prides itself on
    • treating every student as an individual
    • excellent customer service
    • comprehensive, quality courses.
  • We’re rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot by students who have studied with us.
  • We provide online and printed resources so you can study your way – other providers do not give you that choice.
  • We make it easy for you to home-educate your children with our flexible schedule, tutor support, and subscription-based payment plan.
  • Every year we help hundreds of children who have left mainstream education obtain the qualifications they need to progress and achieve their goals. A firm foundation at Key Stage 3 is vital. 
Are there any exams for Key Stage 3 Courses?

No.

KS3 courses are the building blocks designed to prepare your child to begin studying for GCSE, which is formally examined.

With no exams to worry about, your child can take as much or as little time as they need to assimilate the basic principles in KS3. This can be a time in school when gifted children become bored and troublesome if they find it all too slow and easy while others may be put off learning if they have not had time to grasp the first principles of a subject. Oxford Home Schooling has the flexibility to cope with both of these extremes and every child in between.

Is there an age limit for KS3?

There isn’t a specific age requirement to start a Key Stage 3 course but we strongly recommend that the pupil is a minimum of 10 and preferably 11 when they start the GCSE course and also that they are academically capable of starting the course.  If the student is not 10 before they start, we may have difficulty allocating you a tutor. There is no upper age-limit. 

 

When can I start?

You may take out a subscription and start any time of the year you like. The earlier the better! The important thing to think about is the context of secondary education as a whole and the objectives you have as a family. 

Once you have taken out a subscription, you will get access to your course online immediately and (optionally) your printed course materials will arrive a few days later.

Is it necessary to start with a Year 7 course?

No. Students may jump in at Year 8 or Year 9 instead. If a student has already completed Year 7 (or Year 8) within a school environment, they find they were repeating skills and knowledge already acquired. But any course makes assumptions about prior knowledge and our Year 8 courses do assume the prior knowledge that comes from a Year 7 course. Our Year 9 course, similarly, assumes knowledge from both Year 7 and Year 8. So it may take a little while to adapt.

Will completion of the KS3 course (to Year 9) put me in a good position to start my GCSE studies?

This is one of the main objectives of our KS3 courses.  Some of our GCSE and International GCSE courses may go back briefly to first principles  for the benefit of those who are new to the subject but a student’s chances of success are hugely enhanced if they have achieved a firm grounding at KS3 first. 

 

Are any additional textbooks or external resources required?

The courses are largely self-sufficient so no additional textbooks should be required. The exception, perhaps, is English, where students will need to acquire certain novels, plays and poetry books. Access to the internet is advantageous at all levels of education, including KS3. Our science courses assume access to various very basic items of equipment for home-based experiments, usually under parental supervision.