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GUIDANCE ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH PARENTS MAY CHOOSE TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME

APPENDIX 1

The following information sets out some of the options available to home educating families who wish to provide opportunities for their children to study for recognised qualifications outwith school. This is not an exhaustive list, but sets out the main options available and provides contact details for relevant organisations. The information contained here is also liable to change from time to time.

STUDY OPTIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Enrolment at a Further Education College

Some colleges may, at the discretion of the Principal, be willing to accept children of school age for full and part-time courses. This approach has the advantage that all the work and entry for qualifications is organised by the college, but it does require at least some attendance at classes which will not appeal to all home educating families. If a student enrols at a FE college, their parents will be liable to pay all of the course fees themselves unless the education authority is willing to provide funding. Colleges also have the discretion to waive fees, which they tend to do for low income families in accordance with Scottish Further Education Funding Council's fee waiver policy.

Self-Study

Many home educating families prefer not to enrol for attendance at a further education college, and choose instead to work independently towards qualifications. Because of compulsory internal assessment components, there are many subjects and qualifications which are not available to external candidates unless an appropriate arrangement can be made with an approved centre which meets with the examining board's requirements. Some centres and examining boards may be willing to accept coursework which has been marked and authenticated by a private tutor.

Families who study for qualifications from home will need to:

• contact the relevant examination board to find out about their requirements;
• register with an approved centre for their child to be presented for the qualification; and
• pay a registration fee for each subject their child will take.

It may also be possible for a group of home educators to consider seeking approved status in their own right. Further information on this can be obtained from the SQA (contact details below).

Correspondence Courses

Correspondence courses can be an option for students who prefer to work independently, though they will be required in most cases to follow a structured curriculum and programme of work. Correspondence courses offer a wide range of qualifications at different levels and the organisations offering these courses will advise about arrangements which need to be made for registering with an examination centre and for marking and authenticating coursework. The cost of this option varies depending on the organisation and the qualification chosen, but can prove expensive.

There are an increasing number of organisations offering open and distance learning courses. The following contacts provide a useful start in finding a suitable course and organisation:

• The Open and Distance Learning Quality Council (ODLQC) is an independent body which accredits open and distance learning courses. The ODLQC produces a free information leaflet which lists all approved organisations and their courses.

• The Association of British Correspondence Colleges (ABCC) is a voluntary association of colleges which comply with a code of ethics.

• The British Association for Open Learning (BAOL) promotes quality and best practice in open, flexible and distance forms of learning. BAOL members work to a code of practice for open learning and are listed on the BAOL website.

ALTERNATIVE QUALIFICATIONS

The internal assessment component of many UK qualification courses such as Standard Grades, National Qualifications and GCSEs can restrict the choice available to home educated students. The following qualifications have, however, been identified as particularly suited to home study students as they are not dependent on internal assessment and moderation.

National Christian Schools Certificate (NCSC)

The National Christian Schools' Certificate (NCSC) provides a graduated series of certificates, ranging from Level 1, which is equivalent to 5 GCSEs (grades A*-C), through Level 2, which equivalent to 2 AS/A2 passes, and culminating with Level 3, which is equivalent to 3 AS/A2 passes (grades A-C). There is also an Honours Certificate, which awarded to pupils who show exceptional performance. Examinations are conducted at home under the supervision of parents, but the NCSC Board has strict moderation procedures to ensure the validity of results. The course is highly structured and requires a minimum pass mark of 80 per cent for each module test. During the course of 2004, the NCSC is to be superseded by the International Certificate of Christian Education, which will have very similar content and standards to the NCSC Certificate programme.

EXAMINING BOARDS

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)

The SQA is the national body in Scotland responsible for the development, accreditation, assessment, and certification of qualifications other than degrees.

The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA)

The AQA is one of three unitary examining bodies in England incorporating the now merged Associated Examining Board and the Northern Examinations and Assessment Board. The AQA also has responsibility for the City and Guilds' GNVQ qualification.

Oxford Cambridge & RSA (OCR)

OCR is one of three unitary examining bodies in England incorporating the RSA (Royal Society of Arts), UCLES (University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate), and MEG (Midland Examining Group).

Edexcel

Edexcel was formed in 1996 by the merger of BTEC and the University of London Examinations and Assessment Council (ULEAC). Edexcel is one of the main examination boards for England and Wales.

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