Homeschooling is a growing educational choice for families in the UK. As the number of homeschooled children increases, so does the need for qualified teachers able to provide excellent at-home instruction tailored to support students’ development and achievement.
This guide covers key steps to launch your career as a certified homeschool teacher in the UK, enabling you to share your passion for teaching while empowering homeschooled pupils to thrive.
Understanding Homeschooling in the UK
To determine if becoming a certified homeschool teacher aligns with your professional goals and abilities, first understand key aspects of home education in the UK:
Flexible, Personalized Approach
Homeschooling allows tailoring instruction around children’s specific learning needs and interests. Without the restrictions of rigid school-based curriculums, lessons can deeply engage different learning styles using diverse, creative methods.
Growing in Popularity
Homeschooling is legal across the UK but not yet extensively practiced compared to countries like the US. Still, numbers rise annually – almost 60,000 UK homeschooled students in 2021 versus just over 34,000 in 2016.
Varied Motivations
Families choose homeschooling for reasons like religion, special needs accommodation, health issues, bullying concerns, learning struggles in traditional settings or simply wanting more personalized education for their child’s talents.
Requires Dedication
Homeschooling places extensive responsibility on parents overseeing lessons, or certified teachers if they hire external tutors. It takes strong commitment, organization and communication between the instructor and parents to create an enriching experience tailored to the individual pupil.
Benefits of Becoming a Homeschool Teacher
For qualified teachers, specialized training to become certified homeschool instructors allows:
Customized Approaches
With one student or just a few children, you can deeply personalize lesson content, topics of focus, activities and teaching tools to match and nurture each leaner’s strengths, challenges, interests and future ambitions.
Flexible Schedules
Many homeschool teachers set their own part-time hours. You may teach students from one household or a few families on schedules you all arrange jointly. No rigid school terms or standard weekday routines are required.
Varied Settings
Instruction can take place in students’ homes, online, outdoors around the community, on field trips – wherever optimal learning can happen using local resources. Every day provides new, engaging environments.
Specialization
Focus your instruction on specific subjects you feel most passionate about, without needing to cover all standard national curriculum topics if not desired by parents. Specializations suit different comfort levels.
One-to-One Connection
With just one or a couple students, homeschool teaching fosters exceptionally close, caring student-teacher bonds. Guiding the same children through multiple ages and grades is deeply fulfilling.
Certification Requirements for Homeschool Teachers
No universal mandatory qualifications exist currently; parents may choose tutors as they wish. However, certification demonstrates your credibility, educational knowledge and teaching competence to families.
Two main options provide recognized homeschool teacher credentials – these align with the training required for teaching roles in standard UK schools:
PGCE + QTS Route
A Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) qualifies you to achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) – meeting full Department for Education teaching standards. Universities offer specialist PGCE courses focused on home-based education.
Level 5 Diploma Route
This advanced teaching diploma equals higher education achievement. While not providing QTS, it signals deep commitment to educational best practices for personalized instruction. Various institutions provide accredited online and in-person diplomas focused on homeschool teaching.
Certification requires an undergraduate degree, DBS safety check, observations, lesson planning, assignments and teaching practicums tailored to individualized approaches.
Programs prepare you to confidently facilitate diverse subjects, support special needs, design custom curriculums and evaluate progress working with families.
Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Homeschool Teacher
Follow these key steps to become a certified homeschool instructor in the UK:
1. Earn Your Bachelor’s Degree
An undergraduate degree develops core knowledge to teach various subjects effectively while demonstrating academic ability. Common majors include education, English, mathematics, sciences, history, geography, languages, art or music.
2. Complete a Specialized Teaching Certification
Enroll in an accredited PGCE, diploma or certificate program focused on home-based instruction. Tailored content trains you to teach one-on-one and assess progress without standardized exams.
3. Get Vetted for Child Safety
Apply for an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check confirming you can safely work with young people. Most families require homeschool teachers have recent cleared DBS certification.
4. Market Your Homeschool Teaching Services
Create a website, print flyers or partner with local groups to promote your certified homeschool teaching services. Highlight your specializations, credentials, flexible scheduling and customized approaches.
5. Continuously Develop Your Practice
Keep enhancing techniques through continual development training, conferences, peer collaborations, mentorships and certifications in new approaches like learning outdoors, emotional support strategies and more.
Homeschool Teaching Opportunities in the UK
Various paths exist to begin instructing homeschooled pupils with your specialized certification:
Independent Tutor
Self-employ as a private homeschool tutor setting your own rates and schedule. Find clients through your marketing and local networks. Offer personalized instruction at students’ residences or agreed community locations.
Tutor with Agencies
Join homeschooling support agencies who match accredited teachers to families seeking qualified instruction. Agencies provide vetted clients, handle admin, offer resources and training while letting you focus on teaching.
Small Group Classes
Instruct small groups of same-age homeschooled students together on set days to socialize learners while sharing your skills. Arrange class days/timings with parents.
Online Instructor
Use virtual platforms to instruct students remotely via engaging video lessons, interactive learning tools and games. Offer flexible scheduling and topics parents request.
Over time, growing networks, reputation and expanded certifications allow progressively advancing from part-time to full-time homeschool teaching roles should more responsibility be desired.
Salaries for Homeschool Teachers
Many new homeschool teachers begin tutoring part-time before increasing hours; few support families solely as full-time income initially.
Hourly rates often fall around:
- £25-35 per hour for entry-level independent tutors
- £35-70 per hour for certified tutors with some years experience
- £100+ per hour for vastly experienced, specialized tutors
Factors like location, credentials, teaching hours, subjects and working privately or with agencies impact earnings.
By tutoring 20+ hours per week for multiple families at average rates, certified homeschool teachers can potentially earn an excellent part-time income over £40,000 annually. Those instructing 35-40+ hours per week full-time reach projected salaries exceeding £55,000 per year.
5 Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Homeschool Teacher in the UK
What’s the main qualification needed to teach homeschooling in the UK?
How do I create a homeschool curriculum in the UK?
What subjects will I teach as a homeschool tutor?
Is teaching homeschooling isolating?
What are the biggest rewards of homeschool teaching?
Conclusion
Driven by your passion for inspiring children’s achievement, let specialized training open up personally meaningful teaching roles guiding homeschooled pupils one-on-one. Blend best educational practices with creativity tailored around individuals.
If seeking a flexible, engaging career helping self-directed students thrive in environments where they feel empowered focus, becoming a certified homeschool teacher enables making a profound difference through personalized instruction crafted around the capabilities and promise of each exceptional young mind.