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Elective Home Education (EHE) Resources and Other Information

1. General Information

  • Suffolk County Council

01473 265139?

  • Home Education Advisory Service (HEAS)

 371854

  • Education Otherwise

 478 6345

PO Box 3761, Swindon, SN2 9GT.

  • EdYourself: The Home EducationConsultancy
  • Home Education UK
  • Home Educators
  • Yahoo User Groups

 - Advertises local voluntary groups, including the Rock Project which is held in Essex. The regular bowling and swimming group for teens meets at Leisureworld in Colchester.

 - Networking for home educators throughout the region.

 - Members exchange information about EHE events and meetings in Essex, and offer support, advice and encouragement to other Home Educators.

  • Online Groups

Home Education Essex – a group for Essex home educators on Facebook.

Home Education Suffolk – a group for Suffolk home educators on Facebook.

Sudbury Home-Ed Activities - a group for Sudbury’s home educators on Facebook.

Home Ed Beccles, Bungay, Halesworth and surrounding areas. Groups and activities for this area are listed on this Facebook page.

A Twitter group (inspirED@home) arranges EHE meetings and trips.

2. International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) & General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)

IGCSEs - have no coursework and are offered by the following examination boards:

  • Edexcel - 

Cambridge International Exams (CIE) - 

  • AQA (iGCSE’s are called AQA Certificate) - 
  • IGCSEs have also been offered at online schools such as First College UK ( and InterHigh ( Online schools do not generally provide examination centres).

Registered examination centres for IGCSE (parents are advised to check current fees)

  • The Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies ( - 1, Salisbury Villas, Station Road, Cambridge CB1 2JF. Email: .
  • 3A Tutors in Bristol (tel: 01179109931) is also a registered exam centre for external candidates for GCSE, IGCSE and ‘A’ level - 

Suffolk Schools - please ring your local high school and ask if they are currently willing to accept external candidates, as the situation can change yearly. Schools that have accepted external candidates in the past include:

  • Alde Valley School (

?

01728 830570

  • Stoke Academy, Ipswich (Maths Edexcel Linear A only) 

Alison Farthing (Exams Officer) ?

  • Thomas Gainsborough School in Great Cornard near Sudbury

Contact ?

In addition, the schools below have been known to accept external candidates on an individual basis:

  • Kesgrave High School (01473 624855)
  • Mildenhall Academy (01638 714645)
  • Bungay High School (01986 892140)

New GCSEs

New GCSE’s (graded 9-1) are being phased in from September 2015 over three years. Coursework and controlled assessments are not going completely. They will be taken out of some subjects. Consequently, examinations in more subjects may be open to electively home educated students in the future.

The following link provides further information about GCSEs on offer and which subjects are still subject to coursework/controlled assessments:

Other sources of exam information

Useful introductory information on exams can be found at the home educator’s exams wiki ( on the Ed Yourself website ( Other information is available from organisations such as Education Otherwise at 

3. DISTANCE LEARNING (KS3, IGCSE/GCSE & ‘A’ Level)

Most GCSE distance learning providers have now converted to the IGCSE where GCSE coursework is required. Exam centres are not always signposted.

  • The National Extension College - 18 Brooklands Avenue, Cambridge CB2 2HN.  ?.

The reported cost is approximately £300 per subject, plus exam entry fees. Reportedly there are discounts for members of HEAS and for courses ordered online. To enquire about courses: 0800 389 2839.

  • ICS Learn- 

0800 056 3893 (Free phone Mon-Fri 8.30am to 6.30pm).

  • Oxford Open Learning-

Contact Sue Ray 01865 798022 or at ?

KS4 and KS3 courses for 11-14 year olds and advice on home education practicalities.

  • Oxford Home Schooling- 

Provides Home education courses & Home schooling resources covering a range of Qualifications in Key stage 3, GCSE & A level courses.

  • Wolsey Hall Oxford: The Home Study College-
  • Catherine Mooney Courses - 

A personal approach to studying IGCSE English Language and/or English Literature from home. The course is very structured and supported and is geared towards children from 12 onwards.

  • Exam Tuition - 

Online distance learning resources for KS4 exam preparation. Less costly than some traditional correspondence packages. 0800 096 0024

  • Little Arthur Independent School - The Little Arthur Independent School (in the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall) offers distance learning for KS3/4 (11-16) in maths, science, English and IGCSEs. Packs cover a year’s work in the core subjects and assignments can be sent in to be marked within the cost of the pack. It is an approved University of Cambridge International Exam Centre. 
  • Structured Home Learning - IGCSE packs covering 2 years’ work.
  • Distance Learning Centre - A variety of courses (e.g. IGCSE, A Levels etc.) can be found at  Equine Studies can be found under the ‘Animal Care Courses’ section.
  • Private Tuition:
  • Colchester Tutorial Centre -offers 1-1 tuition in a broad range of GCSE subjects 34a Wellesley Road, Colchester, CO3 3HF. 01206 769911
  • First Tutors - The First Tutors website helps find private tutors. 
  • Kip McGrath EducationCentres -private tuition and online revision courses (ages 5-16). 0845 3762048/0845 3629592 
  • Step Up Learning- centres in Bury, Newmarket and Cambridge.  01284 706070, 01638 660044 01223 480046.

Interactive Online Revison linked to National Curriculum

BBC - KS4 and SATS revision at other Key Stages. 

  • Times Tutorials - Online revision exercises in English, maths and science for 5 to 16-year olds. Includes facilities for separate access for parents and students, so parents can monitor progress. £1 subscription for 14-day trial. 

4. FURTHER EDUCATION:

(incl. college provision for home-educated young people aged 14-16)

  • Otley College

 785543

Offers a 2-year part-time pre-16 Vocational Programme to young people in ‘Year 10’.

Certificated courses on offer, including Animal Studies and Horse Care.

  • Suffolk New College

 01473 382200

Currently offers a range of full-time diploma courses at L1, L2 & L3 in subjects such as Art and Design, Engineering, Computing and Vocational Skills, with the added possibility of a one-year course in functional maths and English GCSE. Those parents interested in applying for courses in this age range are invited to contact Student Support on 01473 382738?

For additional information and support, contact Julie Barry, a parent willing to act as liaison between the college and EHE families. ?

  • Suffolk One

 556600

  • West Suffolk College, Bury St Edmunds

General Enquiries -01284 701301 Course Information -01284 716333

Offering courses from September 2014 to young people from 12+ including GCSE’s and NVQ’s. ? or

  • East Coast College

From the summer 2017 Lowestoft College and Great Yarmouth College have merged forming a

federation as East Coast College. East Coast College will operate from two campuses in

Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth.

Lowestoft College Campus0800 854 695

Great Yarmouth Campus0800 854 695

  • Easton and Otley College

The college offers a pre-16 Vocational 2-year programme for 14-16 year olds educated at home.

For further information, see links below:

01473 785543Email: ?

  • Other Useful Resources

Useful for reinforcing basic skills, especially at secondary level. Materials are free.

Free online material in preparation for higher education.

Further Education/Careers Information for Young People

National Careers Service- information and advice helpline, (open every day 8.00am – 10.00pm). 0800 100 900

  • The Source - The Source website provides access to information and advice on courses, jobs, apprenticeships, careers, money, housing and health for young people in Suffolk. 
  • Text ‘Chathealth’ on 07507 333356 for a confidential School Nurse text messaging service which offers free advice to young people aged 11-19. 24/7 availability for all health matters (no voicemail facility available).

5. CHRISTIAN HOME SCHOOLING/BIBLE STUDIES

  • International Certificate of Christian Education (ICCE)

Graduated series of certificates from GCSE to A2 equivalent.

The European Academy for Christian Homeschooling (TEACH), Marantha House, Unit 5, Northford Close, Shrivenham, Swindon,Wiltshire, SN6 8HL.

01793 783783 or ?

  • Christian Home School -
  • American Christian home-schooling sites offering a variety of commercial resources for all ages:

 -Bob Jones University Press

  •  Free online resources for younger children
  •  - Free Bible Study resources for children
  •  Free Bible courses for children 2-16
  •  - Apologia Science

6. NATIONAL CURRICULUM PUBLICATIONS

7. CITIZENSHIP

  • BBC - Excellent ideas for teaching Citizenship at KS3 (11-14).

General Knowledge/Current Events- ‘First News’, weekly, illustrated newspaper aimed at young people approx. 7-14 years of age. 

  • Suffolk Family Learning -Courses available to help parents to support children’s learning at the primary stage

8. BOOKS

  • Suffolk Libraries Information - including venues, facilities and children’s activities.

Parents can borrow ‘Topic Boxes’ containing up to 30 books from their local libraries on a 17-week loan with no fines.The cost for this is £35 per year. To access this facility, please request a self-service card at your local library or contact Krystal Vittles on ?)

Suffolk Libraries offer a FREE digital magazine service that is available to anyone with a library card.For further information visit

Books and authors - 

Over 25000 bestselling author bibliographies with all the latest books, covers and descriptions.

  • Franklin Watts- ‘Sparks’ books for young children. Short stories with black and white illustrations based on historical periods and events.
  • Scholastic- ‘My Story’ – a series of books based on historical events from different periods told through the eyes of an individual.
  • Kingfisher - ‘My Side of the Story’ – historical fiction series viewing various key event from 2 different and opposing perspectives.
  • Bookshops -Young Browsers Bookshop, 33 The Thoroughfare, Woodbridge, IP12 1AH. Has previously offered 10% discount to home educators. 01394 382832

9. SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS/GIFTED AND TALENTED

  • Brainwaves Education Ltd, Glemsford – offers courses for parents, dyslexia assessment and specialist dyslexia and literacy tuition. 
  • SEN Teacher – free SEN resources.
  • Learning Development Aids - Books, educational games and equipment to support parents and children with learning difficulties. 

?

  • Activities Unlimited - offers events, activities and short breaks to disabled children and children with SEN. 
  • Memory training - a computerised memory training programme.

Resources to support literacy and numeracy development

  • Toe by Toe-‘A Highly Structured Multi-sensory Reading Manual for Teachers and Parents. Used in schools to support children with literacy difficulties, including dyslexia. (Can be ordered from Amazon).
  • Sound Foundations Books – Books designed by tutors to be used by parents. Packs available include ‘Dancing Bears’ (phonological skills/decoding) and ‘Apples and Pears’ (spelling/letter formation). 
  • Speed Up: a Kinaesthetic Programme to Develop Fluent Handwriting
  • Ruth Miskin Reading Books from Read Write Inc. –includes activities to support reading/phonological skills. The Ruth Miskin website also shows other resources such as her handwriting cards and ‘Speed Sounds’. 
  • Alpha to Omega - phonics-based course updated by ‘Dyslexia Action’. 
  • Multi-Sensory Learning - Multi-sensory literacy resources.
  • The Indigo Dyslexia Centre -Green Duck, Western Way, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3SP. 0845 347 9322 
  • Power of 2 - Numeracy resources such as ‘Plus 1’; an individualised numeracy course which is worked through with the ‘coach’ and the pupil. 
  • Numicon - A multi-sensory maths resource using structured shapes to represent numbers.
  • NRICH Mathematics - Maths challenges and puzzles across the key stages.

Supporting young people with ASD

  • WidgetSymbol resources. Download free images to aid learning about feelings and routines.
  • Autism Suffolk - 01473 632700 or ? order ‘The Little Blue Book’, a unique Guide to Services which give a helping hand to families of children with ASD, including Asperger Syndrome.

Gifted and Talented

  • Potential Plus UK - an independent charity which works with families to support children with high learning potential (gifted and talented). 

SENDIASS

  • Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service orSENDIASS(previously Parent Partnership) is a confidential and impartial support and advice service for parents, carers, children and young people (up to 25 years) on issues related to Special Educational Needs and disability.

01473 265210during office hours Monday to Friday.?

10. FOCUS ON EARLY YEARS & PRIMARY EDUCATION

Popular interactive activities and games for young children.

Online games and interactive activities to help young children develop reading skills

(6-month free trial).

free primary resources for the Early Years.

Free printable primary teaching materials for early years & KS1 (you will need email).

Includes useful link to list of word families for developing knowledge of common spelling ‘strings’.

Home education family-run site and blog for young children with focus on arts and crafts and other practical learning ideas.

  •  - RMeasimaths – also used in schools.
  •  - ‘Wordshark’ and ‘Numbershark’ – educational software to support the development of phonic and spelling skills, also maths skills for lower primary children (approx. Years R to 4). Games are easy and fun to play.

Comprehensive range of workbooks in core subjects from the Early Years to KS2. KS2 series of books entitled ‘Understanding Maths’, ‘Understanding English’ and ‘Understanding Science’ are particularly popular.

‘@school is an easy to use and child friendly website organised around the UK National Curriculum for primary education at home or school at Key Stage 1 (KS1) and Key Stage 2 (KS2). @school provides online tests, interactive exercises, worksheets, pictures and much more based on curriculum subjects including KS2 Maths, KS2 Numeracy, KS2 English and KS2 Science.’ (email address & subscription required).

  •  (Annual Subscription).
  •  -IXL Learning.

Maths online practice KS1-KS4 and English practice up to Year 7.

The Hamilton Trust Website offer literacy and numeracy plans to support teachers of pupils up to Year 6.

  •  - For younger primary pupils.

Foundation, KS1, 2 & 3. You need an email to register but resources are free.

Free teaching resources for Foundation and Primary.

Primary interactive resources

Worksheets and activities up to Year 6. Mainly maths but also some English supporting phonic development. 50% discount to home-educators.

  •  - ‘Homeschoolshare’ is a US site with free ‘lapbooks’ – illustrated resources from which children can create their own booklets on a wide range of subjects. Material for Early Years included.

Good source of educational information and games – updated regularly. Particularly good for humanities.

  •  - BBC Bitesize;a good tool for revision of National Curriculum topics for all the key stages.
  •  (online maths and literacy games for ages 3-14).

 American online primary home-schooling resource.

  •  Mathematical explanations and interactive activities (4-16 years).
  • New Heinemann Maths – highly visual and well-structured primary maths textbooks, order by year group. Available on Amazon.

This site aims to bring together a range of free resources discovered on the Internet, which can be used for teaching Maths in the UK (KS1 – KS4).

Questions from KS1 to ‘A’ Level. Children can compete with other young people worldwide to enter the ‘Mathletics World Hall of Fame’. Reduction on annual subscription to home educators. Also used in schools.

Obtain a free download of ‘Timez Attack’, an educational software program designed as a video game, which teaches and reviews multiplication tables.

Resources specifically for teaching English. Includes A & C Black worksheets.

Includes interactive science activities at KS3 and above.

Educational events and online ideas & activities to support environmental science. Foxburrow Farm runs monthly home education events for children under 13. (01394 380113)

  • The Usborne Pocket Science Collection – 24 books (Primary) 

11. BOOKS AND TEACHING PACKS TO SUPPORT THE CURRICULUM

Literacy at KS1

  • ‘Jolly Phonics’ - a multi –sensory approach to teaching literacy, as used by many primary schools. 020 8501 0405  ?

Books/resources can be ordered via 

Handwriting

  • Charles Cripps ‘A Hand for Spelling’. Workbooks to support handwriting/spelling at KS2.
  • ‘Handwriting’ by Pippa Chudley ISBN 1-84370-041-7 Order ref: 0417
  • ‘The Handwriting Activity Workbook’ published by Multi-Sensory Learning Ltd. 01604 505000
  • ‘Write from the Start’. A programme to develop fine motor and perceptual skills necessary for effective handwriting.

Spelling

  • Schonell’s ‘Essential Spelling List’ ISBN 9780174244936 (For children up to 12).Can be obtained on Amazon.
  • Andrew Brodie ‘Spelling Today’ (Series of age-related workbooks, age 5-10 years).
  • Andrew Brodie ‘Ten Minute Spelling Tests for ages 10-11’ (A & C Black).
  • Schofield & Sims Springboard Books KS1 & 2.
  • The Usborne Book of English Spelling - ISBN 978-0-7136-7167-4 (A good guide to spelling rules for parents. Can be downloaded on  )

Other

Curriculum packs including teaching plans and resources to support the National Curriculum from Foundation to GCSE: “Each pack contains all the resources and planning for a full year's work (two years' work in the case of the IGCSE study packs).”

KS2 English, Maths and Science

  • Dorling Kindersley do a range of workbooks endorsed by Carol Vorderman, which are popular with both parents and children and are staggered across the Key Stage by year group. They are entitled ‘Maths Made Easy’, ‘English Made Easy’ etc.

KS3

  • Collins ‘Easy Learning’ range of KS3 Workbooks and Revision books in English, maths and science. Free materials, such as answer sheets, are available online to support this series.
  • Letts ‘101 Red Hot English Starters’ KS3 ISBN 978-1-84085-704-7.
  • Lonsdale ‘Essentials’ at KS3 offer a Coursebook and Workbook in the core subjects for the different year groups at this key stage (Years 7-9).
  • Heinemann Impact Maths – Pupil Textbooks for Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9.
  • Pearson Exploring Science KS3 Textbooks for Years 7,8 & 9.

Maths Made Easy papers and KS tests – good for revision

12. ONLINE LINKS TO DIVERSE TEACHING MATERIALS

Usborne Internet-linked books. Order from an online catalogue. Highly recommended by parents to support science and humanities.