Tips to support home education
1. Keep it simple
Aim to support your child’s education with a small number of high-quality resources that you can keep coming back to as part of a weekly routine. This familiarity will help both you and your child get to grips with the challenge of home education with greater confidence.
2. Find your home education routines
Consistent routines are important for supporting behaviour and creating a new rhythm for home education. You could share this video on supporting routines with your child. Talk to them to help them plan their new routines and share the strategies you are using at home too.
3. Look for the positives
When your child is engaging with home education, try and catch them doing things right and praise this behaviour. Celebrate their successes, whether that is:
- concentrating well
- reading skilfully
- working hard on a tricky activity
4. Encourage planning and reflection
A helpful study tip is to talk through with your child a ‘5-minute plan’, before they begin an activity, to try and make sure they understand what they need to do.
5. Support your child to manage their own education
After you have decided upon a high-quality resource, support your child to get organised and to best manage their time. Talk to them about:
- how long they may need to complete a task
- what resources may be required
- how confident they feel about the task
6. Encourage your child to talk about what they are studying
Every child will gain from talking about their education and positively sharing your interest. For older children in particular, encouragement and interest is more important than any direct involvement in what they are studying. You could use the TRUST technique to help you talk with your child about their education.
Further advice from the Government
Information, guidance and support for parents and carers of children who are learning at home.
Supporting your children's education during coronavirus (COVID-19)
