How much does Homeschooling really cost and should you do it?
Not surprisingly, homeschooling is becoming the latest trend. Our records show that 4 in 10 parents are considering making the move official to start homeschooling their children; but it’s not a debate on the efficacy of homeschooling that stumps most families. The real question on everyone’s lips is: how much does homeschooling cost? Well, let’s find out.
Why is homeschooling becoming so trendy?
Since the pandemic broke out (yep, that old chestnut) schooling kids from home became mandatory. Parents had no other choice but to adapt to the situation and implore the skills of the Google teacher. It was definitely a culture-shock to say the least.
About 5 months into this transition, many families started to notice a few changes. When parents weren’t pulling their hair out, wishing for 5 minutes of silence and praying for schools to reopen, they were observing their children’s wellbeing. After speaking with parents, they said that homeschooling actually reduced the rates of anxiety and stress that pupils normally feel. Children were thriving; they felt safer, calmer and happier, and their academic performance got better.
Ironically, something that parents dreaded is now being taken on by many voluntarily. Go figure!
How much does homeschooling cost?
You might be sitting there wondering “but how much does homeschooling really cost?” – and the reality is, it depends. Now, before you groan and stop reading this blog, let us explain. Homeschooling costs from around £250 a month to £2000 a month. When the average private school year costs £9000, maybe it’s worth sticking around to find out more?
The difference in price to start homeschooling depends on four factors: parent involvement, resources and materials, types of tuition, and number of children. Read on for the full break down.
Parent involvement
The cost of homeschooling will fluctuate according to how involved your role is. For instance, if you’re a parent that wants to be really involved in your child’s education, then you might only want to hire one or two private tutors to help with subjects that you’re not very confident in.
However, if you’d rather sit back, relax, and hand over the control to the experts, then hiring a full-time tutor will be your best bet. The good news is that despite the misleading title of “expert”, that doesn’t necessarily mean “expensive”. Many of our tutors cost from £20 per hour, with years of experience under their belt, top-tier teaching qualifications and a degree in their field. So you’ll be able to find someone that matches your budget.
The level of your involvement also ties into your expectations of your child, too. If you’re hoping that your child will be at a KS2 level of reading by age 6, or have mastered the timetables by age 8, it’s probably worth hiring a tutor to help.
Homeschooling resources and materials
Typically, when you send your child to school – even if it’s a public state school – you’re looking at spending £2000 a month. Shocked? It’s not that much of a brain teaser. Think about the cost of school dinners, uniforms, trips or excursions and stationery. It easily racks up.
The truth is, you can still give your child the full schooling experience, without breaking the bank. Many museums offer free entry, like the Natural History Museum or the Science Museum, so you’ll only need to pay for travel costs. You can also buy materials (like writing pads, pens and highlighters) in bulk on Amazon, so that you’re fully stocked. The price of subject textbooks will be the most costly, although you can buy these second-hand online or find them at your local library.
What you absolutely will need access to is a stable wireless connection and a computer. Whether it’s for research or assignments, a lot of schoolwork is now done online. Not only is it more convenient, but also helpful if you are keen to hire an online tutor. The latter is definitely something to consider if your child prefers the safety and security of home comforts.
Types of homeschooling tuition
Another important factor involved in the cost of homeschooling is the type of tuition. Here at Tutor House, for example, we provide a full homeschooling package; this includes exams, statutory assessments, access to state-of-the-art equipment and qualified, professional tutors. At a base price, this can cost up to £2000 a month.
If your child is in their exam year, (particularly GCSEs and A-Levels) you may find that the cost of taking exams privately is a bit pricey. Indeed, the average cost to take each exam is around £100 per subject. So if your child is taking 9 GCSE’s, you’re looking at £900 just on exams. So we recommend that you look into homeschooling tuition services that take this into consideration.
Number of children
It goes without saying, but the more children you have, the more homeschooling will cost. However, it will still be considerably cheaper than outsourcing to either a private or state school. This is because you can obviously recycle and reuse textbooks and resources, obviously saving on the cost of uniforms.
Sometimes you can buy monthly family passes (two parents and two children) which allow admissions into museums, zoos, leisure centres and sports facilities.
Is homeschooling worth it?
Finally we come to the million dollar question: should you homeschool your child? Considering that home educating in the UK is relatively new, it’s hard to track the data. What we can say is that there are several benefits of homeschooling, from improved wellbeing and preventing bullying, to more flexibility and one-to-one support.
If your child has learning difficulties, or they express an interest in subjects that aren’t covered on the school curriculum, then homeschooling is a great option. They’ll receive a personalised lesson plan that suits their needs, instead of learning at the same pace of a classroom of 30 pupils. This attention and subject accessibility will make their learning much more enjoyable and interactive.
It’s also much more fun to learn with a passionate tutor (or parent!) that has insight into material not taught in schools, which definitely creates a more open-minded learning experience. So in short, homeschooling is definitely worth it.
Another thing worth noting is that homeschooled children don’t lack a social life. In fact, they join clubs, sports groups, art classes and more, just like any other school kid. Here they meet friends for life instead of convenience. Studies show that children felt much happier being homeschooled, mainly due to the better balance between school and socialising.
Key takeaways
As we come to the end of this blog, what we want you to take away are three main things. The cost of homeschooling is cheaper than traditional school; there is more flexibility from both educational and personal perspectives; and children receive a more tailored learning plan that benefits their future. So, if the idea of home education is tickling your fancy, you’re not alone. Get in touch today for a free consultation.
