a student preparing for her IGCSE exams from home

Finding the right online school can be tricky. Today, parents and students can choose between hundreds of institutions. While some of these are reputable, others are unequipped to provide a quality education to students.

For starters, prioritise experience and expertise. Select an institution that has at least 15 years of experience. Additionally, are they equipped with the right expertise, i.e., teachers? Ideally, your online school should have a team of MA/MSc/PhD teachers who deliver well-structured, comprehensive, and engaging online lessons.

Last but not least, your selected institution should also provide the right resources to students. What are these? And why are they so important? Our education specialists will list these tools and discuss their significance in detail. Keep reading, take notes, and feel free to ask us questions towards the end of the blog. Let’s begin.

1. An Online Library of Resources

a student revising at home using online resources provided by her school

Top-ranked online schools equip each student with access to a vast online library of resources, including previous catch-up lessons, PowerPoint presentations, videos, study guides, worksheets, past papers, and many other supplementary resources.

These tools help students learn and revise better once their classes end for the day. You’ll also get to prepare for upcoming lessons and stay on top of things.

Online repositories are regularly updated with quality resources. Teachers and education specialists work closely to determine the most useful and appropriate resources. Ensure your online school provides a quality repository filled with beneficial resources, not filler resources.

Many low-rated online schools skimp on quality and add many fair-to-middling resources to their library. These end up doing more harm than good. If you’re an older student at the IGCSE or A Level stage, explore the resources yourself. You can also ask your parents to take a look. The library should be comprehensive, well-organised, and easy to use.

2. An Independent Curriculum

Today, most online schools have departed from the national curriculum, which is deemed too prescriptive and subject to political change. Most online schools, but not all. Some institutions are still using the national curriculum. Since it lacks comprehensiveness, students don’t gain a nuanced perspective of their lessons. Their learning experience lacks academic breadth and depth, preventing them from performing well on examinations. Make sure your online school uses an independent, interdisciplinary, well-rounded curriculum.

Recommended: Cambridge Home School Online’s Curriculum

3. Excellent Teaching Support

 a teacher delivering an online lesson

This resource isn’t just important; it’s imperative. Qualified, conscientious, and committed teachers inspire students and equip them with the knowledge they need to secure top grades. Your institution should ideally boast a team of MA/MSc/PhD qualified subject specialist teachers who are extensively trained. As they deliver engaging, immersive, and comprehensive lessons, you’ll cover more ground and perform better in the classroom.

At Cambridge Home School Online, our MA/MSc/PhD qualified teachers are carefully interviewed by a team of education specialists. We also run thorough background checks to ensure our teachers have a spotless track record. Once they join CHS Online, they undergo rigorous training. Owing to our assiduous approach, our students attend classes taught by some of the most qualified, experienced, and capable teachers across the UK.

4. School Counselling

As online schooling gains more traction, its focus on mental health has been applauded. Online schools offer students a controlled amount of flexibility, enabling them to achieve a healthy school-life balance. Students aren’t overworked. They receive balanced, comprehensive, and effective lessons that help them perform exceptionally well on examinations. Since they aren’t required to commute to/from school physically, they save ample time.

Students also waste a lot of time shuffling in and out of conventional classrooms. By the time they return home, their energy levels are low. They cannot focus on extracurricular activities like playing sports, exploring new interests and hobbies, developing new skills, and socialising with their friends. Since online schooling is more flexible, it allows students to make time for themselves, their interests, their friends, and new passions they wish to explore. Students grow personally and socially.

Make sure your online school is flexible, not rigid. Additionally, they should also provide a very valuable resource: school counselling. At CHS Online, our students receive one-on-one success coaching and pastoral support from our teachers. We acknowledge and carefully understand the problems students face today, including academic stress, anxiety, and burnout. These issues are correctly addressed to help students stay on track.

5. Booster Classes

Booster classes are another valuable resource provided by most top-rated online schools today. During their school holidays, many students attend summer camps. To make things easier, many online schools have now started offering their own version of summer camp.

At CHS Online, we offer booster classes during the summer vacation. While we cover academic ground, we also ensure that students have a lot of fun! By combining education with skill-building and entertainment, we help students a) become more knowledgeable, b) get a head start before school begins, and c) thoroughly enjoy themselves.

Our students have fun with their peers, learn new things, and stay busy. This additional resource is very important for younger students. However, older students can also make the most of it and sharpen their skills before their IGCSE and A Level examinations.

an older student receiving support and guidance from his teacher

At Cambridge Home School Online, we provide a quality Cambridge online education to students living in the UK, Europe (including Western Russia), Central Asia, Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East.

Take a closer look at our four homeschooling programs: Primary Prep/Key Stage 2 (ages 7 to 10), Lower School/Key Stage 3 (ages 11 to 13), Upper School/IGCSEs (ages 14 to 16), and Sixth Form/AS & A-Levels (ages 17 to 19).

Whether you’re interested in online primary schools in the UK, online classes for secondary education, IGCSE schooling, or A Level programs, CHS Online should be your top consideration. Explore the following links to begin your journey:

We’re ready when you are! If you have any questions, feel free to speak with our chatbot. With over 20 years of experience, we’re committed to helping students succeed across the globe. Let’s help you achieve academic excellence wherever you are.

FAQ

What should parents look for when choosing an online school?

Parents should prioritize institutions with significant experience, at least 15 years, staffed by teachers with advanced qualifications (MA/MSc/PhD), that provide a well-structured curriculum and comprehensive teaching support.

How do online schools ensure the provision of quality educational resources?

Reputable online schools offer a vast online library of resources, including a variety of study materials and past papers, which are regularly updated to ensure students have access to the best learning tools.

Why is an independent curriculum important in online schools?

An independent curriculum offers a more comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to learning, providing students with a broader academic perspective and a deeper understanding of their subjects, which is essential for success in examinations.

How does Cambridge Home School Online support students’ mental health and well-being?

Cambridge Home School Online ensures a balanced and flexible learning environment, coupled with one-on-one success coaching and pastoral support, to address issues like academic stress, anxiety, and burnout.

What are booster classes, and how do they benefit online school students?

Booster classes, offered by top-rated online schools during school holidays, help students reinforce their knowledge, develop new skills, and enjoy educational and fun activities, providing a productive break from the regular academic routine.

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