Contact us
If you’re thinking of enrolling your child at Wolsey Hall Oxford and you’d like to know more about what we do or how to enrol, please get in touch. We’re ready to enrol new students throughout the academic year.
Homeschooling with Wolsey Hall
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What subjects can my child study through Wolsey Hall Oxford?
Wolsey Hall offers courses for families wanting their children to complete IGCSE or A level qualifications in a range of subjects. We also offer Lower Secondary courses for children aged 11 – 14 and Primary courses for children aged 4 – 10. -
How many subjects should my child study and are any compulsory?
There is no minimum number of subjects required for you to study with us. However, at Lower Secondary and IGCSE we recommend studying at least English, Maths and Science. -
What qualifications will my child receive at the end of their course?
For IGCSE or A level your child will receive a certificate from the examination board (either Cambridge (CAIE) or Edexcel depending on the subject). This will indicate the grade that your child has obtained. For Lower Secondary students, we provide an end-of-course report based on your child’s performance on the course in the key areas of English, Maths, and Science. -
Can my child study from outside the UK?
Yes, absolutely! We have students in over 120 countries and if you have a reliable Internet connection your child will be able to keep up with their studies wherever they are. -
What happens when my child starts their course?
You and your child will receive profiles of your child’s Tutors who will email to arrange a welcome call. Your child’s course books will be despatched. Within the UK, course books normally arrive within 3 working days. Outside the UK we arrange for courier service where possible, which normally takes between 3 – 6 days, depending on the country in which you live. Your child will get access to our online learning environment and its resources as soon as they are enrolled, so they can begin studying right away. Your child’s Student Progress Manager will develop an individual study schedule for your child based on the time they have available for study. Your child will have a clear structure within which to work. -
Are there any online lessons?
Our key aim is to provide a flexible, enjoyable, varied and multi-media method of studying that helps to develop independent learners. Our courses do not include any timetabled online lessons as students work through course materials at their own pace. However, all of our courses include enrichment and enhancement video content to complement, extend or test knowledge. Many courses also include subscriptions to a wide variety of educational and interactive materials. Many Wolsey Hall courses include quizzes to test knowledge and every module has an assignment that is marked by our fully qualified UK trained and experienced Tutors who provide detailed and encouraging feedback. -
What is the online learning environment like?
Canvas contains your child’s course resources and is easy to use. You will be able to access it separately from your child, as an “observer”. This means that you can see the feedback your child gets from their Tutors and all the available resources. Among the resources on Canvas are: 1). The syllabus for the subject(s) being studied – here you will both be able to see the topics covered in the course and for IGCSE or A level courses, how your child will be assessed. 2). The Programme of Study for each subject, which shows your child the topics covered before each assignment and the reading required. 3). The assignments. Your child submits these to their Tutors online via Canvas and will receive grades, together with helpful feedback, within 3 – 5 working days of submission. This rapid turnaround helps to keep your child feeling supported and motivated throughout the course. 4). A wide range of online resources and links, such as interactive websites, videos and tutor-prepared materials, all of which complement the course books. -
What computer equipment will my child need?
Our courses are held on our learning platform Canvas, so students will need a computer to access the course materials. An internet connection is also required although you can download lessons and work offline for some of the material -
How long will a course take?
How long a course will take depends largely on your child’s prior knowledge of a subject, and how quickly they learn. But we estimate, on average, that your child should allow up to 150 hours of study for an IGCSE subject and 500 hours for an A level subject (250 hours for AS and 250 hours for AL). Put another way, students generally take IGCSE courses over 6-12 months (for up to 4 subjects) or 12-24 months (for 5 – 8 subjects). Students normally take A levels over the course of two years. We offer Lower Secondary courses over one year and your child should comfortably be able to take up to six subjects during that time. -
Can students fast track through their studies?
Our students study at their own pace, so for some this can mean progressing through their courses quicker. While we recommend 8 or 9 months of study for Primary and Lower Secondary courses or 2 years for IGCSE or A Level courses, students have the flexibility to study faster than this if they would like to. -
What assignments will my child have to complete?
For Primary and Lower Secondary courses, students have regular assignments to complete which will be marked by their tutor. For IGCSE and A level courses, assignments are designed to prepare students fully for their exam. These assignments do not count towards the exam grade, but they are assessed, and your child’s Tutor will provide extensive feedback. In many cases the assignments are based on previous exam papers, so they are an excellent opportunity for your child to practise answering the kinds of questions they’ll face in the exam. -
What is the deadline for applying?
There is no deadline to apply for Primary or Lower Secondary and you can start them at any time during the year. Students can also apply to start IGCSE and A Level courses when they would like to, as long as there is enough time to study and complete the courses before their intended examination date. -
What happens if we need to extend our course term for a non-examination course?
If a Pre-Examination Year (Lower Primary, Upper Primary or Lower Secondary) student has been unable to complete their courses within the 12 month course term, then we are able to offer an extension of three months per course as we want to encourage your child to complete their courses and move on in an age-appropriate way wherever possible. The decision as to whether to allow the extension is at the discretion of Wolsey Hall and will be based on whether the student can finish the course within three months. The fee for an agreed extension will be £100 per course, to enable students to focus on the courses that most need their attention. -
What happens if we need to defer our IGCSE or A Level exam dates?
A student can defer their examination date within the course term for an administrative fee as long as the new exam sitting date is not more than two years (for IGCSE or full A Level, but one year for AS level) from the initial Access Date. In the first three months from the Access Date, no fees are payable for exam deferrals. After the first three months from the Access Date, the following fees apply: £50 per course for 1-3 courses; £40 per course for 4-6 courses; £35 per course for 7 or more courses. Please note that if a change of course syllabus necessitates new books or additional assignments to be completed, additional charges will apply. -
Can IGCSE/A level students extend their courses if needed?
Yes, it is possible to extend IGCSE, AS and A Level courses. From 1 April 2024, extension fees are as follows: Extension fees for Exam courses forming part of the initial course bundle: One course – £200 to extend to the next available sitting, £400 to extend by up to two exam sittings (up to 12 months in total) Two or more courses – £200 per course which covers extending up to two exam sittings (up to 12 months in total) Extensions for Exam courses which have been added after the initial course bundle: A bespoke quote can be provided for any student who wishes to extend one or more courses which have been added as additional courses to a pricing bundle after the initial Access Date. -
What happens if I want to change year group of study for a subject?
Students who enrol on a year group subject and need to change year group for the same subject can do so in the early stage of their course (and within three months of Access Date) if academically required. Please note that the expiry date of new course remains the same as the expiry date of the old course. There is no fee for this change if it is made within 45 days of the Access Date; the fee is £50 if the change is made between 45 days and three months from Access Date and no more than one assignment has been submitted; the fee is £100 if the change is made between 45 days and three months from the Access Date and two or three assignments have been submitted. If the course you are moving to has a higher fee than your existing course, the difference is payable in addition to the administrative fee. If the course change requires new books, you are responsible for the cost of new books and postage. -
What happens if I want to change my subject to a different one in the same year group?
Students can change subject at the same level (eg if their future academic pathway changes) within three months of the Access Date. Please note that the expiry date of the new course remains the same as the expiry date of the old course. There is no fee for this change if it is made within 45 days of the Access Date; the fee is £100 if the change is made after 45 days and no assignments have been submitted; the fee is £200 if up to three assignments have been submitted. If the course you are moving to has a higher fee than your existing course, the difference is payable in addition to the administrative fee. If the course change requires new books, you are responsible for the cost of new books and postage.
Guide to the UK education system
Exams and centres
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How does my child enter for their exams?
You will need to apply to an exam centre for your child to take their exams for IGCSE and A level (there are no exams for Lower Secondary courses). We regret that we can’t do this for you, but your Student Progress Manager will be able to help and advise you about examination arrangements. -
How do we find an exam centre?
In the UK the Cambridge and Edexcel exam boards have centres throughout the country. Outside the UK your child can usually sit their exam(s) at your local British Council office or at an International School. Please ask for a list of centres in your region. We recommend that you contact your chosen centre before your child begins their course to make certain that you know where they will be able to sit the exam from day one. We can advise you on this if you have any questions.
Support
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What kind of support will my child get from Wolsey Hall?
It’s very important to us that your child feels supported throughout their course. This support will come from three sources: 1). Tutors. Your child will have a Tutor for each subject. Tutors will assess and grade their assignments. We also invite you and your child to arrange a Skype call with their Tutors before starting the course. This is a “get to know you” call and will give you and your child the opportunity to ask Tutors any questions they might have about the course itself. Your child can then contact their Tutors via Canvas throughout the course. It’s important to note that Tutors do not give “online tutorials”, and their primary role is to provide feedback on assignments. 2). Student Progress Managers (SPM). Your child’s SPM will be their, and your, key link with Wolsey Hall Oxford, dealing with any administrative issues such as changing your child’s study schedule, helping you to find an exam centre, or anything else on which you or your child need advice. 3). You! Parents have a critical role to play in homeschooling their child. When parents are involved in their child’s education and work with their children on a regular basis, the homeschooling experience will be much more successful. -
How much support do I need to provide my child?
It’s vital for parents to be involved with and be supportive of their child when educating at home. Exactly how much involvement varies. Students at Lower Secondary, for instance, will probably need more guidance than those studying for IGCSE and A levels, but there are a number of important ways that you can help: 1). There are certain to be times, however good the course and however bright the child, when the going gets tough. At these times you can offer your child encouragement and discuss the issues that they are finding difficult – there may be tangible actions you and your child can take to improve the situation. 2). You can encourage your child to contact their Tutors or Student Progress Manager. Sometimes students are reluctant to do this, but it’s what our team is there for! 3). You can ensure that your child has a daily and weekly timetable for studying each subject. Children find having a structure within which to work helpful when they’re learning at home. A timetable agreed between you and your child will provide that much-needed structure to the day and can prevent you both from feeling overwhelmed by the task at hand. 4). You can review progress with your child, relative both to their study timetable and their Wolsey Hall assignment schedule, at the end of each day and week. This will ensure that any potential problems are spotted early and allow you to gauge how well your child is doing and if there are any aspects of the course that are proving difficult. Don’t forget, too, that you have access to Canvas as an “observer”, so you can monitor progress this way. -
What happens if my child falls behind with their work?
If you feel your child is falling behind with their work, you can contact your Student Progress Manager to rearrange your child’s assignment schedule. If there are further complications please do let the Student Progress Manager know as soon as you can so we can work with you to find a suitable solution -
Who are your Tutors?
We’re proud of our team of fully-qualified and experienced Tutors. They come from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds, but they all have one thing in common: a love for their subject and a passion for passing it on to their students. -
How often can my child contact their tutors and how often will they meet them?
Your child can contact their tutors at any time via email. They will have a video call where they meet them at the start of the course. For Primary students they can also meet with their tutors after each assignment is submitted. Lower Secondary students can meet their Tutors at the start, middle and end of their courses.
