Why more families are choosing online school this September
As the school year draws to a close, families across the UK are using the summer to think about what September should look like for their child. More parents than ever are choosing online learning as a flexible alternative to a traditional school day, and the numbers back that up.
Why families are choosing online school right now
Home education is becoming a mainstream choice
The latest figures from the Department for Education show around 126,000 children were in elective home education at the autumn 2025 census, nearly 13% more than the year before. Home education is no longer a fringe decision, it's becoming a mainstream choice for a growing number of UK families.
What flexible learning means for family life
For many parents, choosing a flexible model of education means more time together as a family, a learning pace that suits their child, less stress around the daily school run, and a calmer school day overall. This can be especially valuable for children with additional needs, or those juggling school around sport, performing arts or travel.
A structured middle ground
We hear from a growing number of parents who like the idea of a blended model: some structure and live teaching, without the rigidity of a traditional school day. A properly structured online school can offer exactly that. Children still follow a clear timetable, join live lessons and learn from qualified teachers, while families get more flexibility day to day. Done well, it means a child gets the benefits of learning from home without parents needing to take on the role of teacher themselves.
When the decision follows a difficult year
For some families, the decision comes after a difficult financial year. Since VAT was introduced on private school fees in January 2025, independent schools have lost around 30,000 pupils. Others are making the decision to homeschool a child who hasn't settled into traditional schooling, against a backdrop of persistent absence, which reached 19.05% of pupils nationally across the 2025/26 academic year.
For these families, the question is usually the same: would a calmer, more personalised education help their child settle again, or does keeping things as they are make more sense?
What parents ask us first: An interview with our principal
To help answer that, we put the questions parents ask us most to Ajla Duckollari, founder, principal and director of our school.
Is online school as academically rigorous as a traditional school?
“Yes. Our students sit the same Pearson Edexcel qualifications, IGCSEs and International A Levels, as students in traditional schools. We've had students complete their GCSEs with us and move successfully into physical schools for sixth form, and A Level students who've gone on to receive offers from Russell Group universities. Wherever a student's path takes them next, whether that's staying with us through to university or moving into a traditional setting partway through, the results hold up.”
Won't my child miss out on social interaction?
“It's one of the most common worries we hear, and a fair one to raise. We build social interaction into the model deliberately. Live lessons involve real classmates and real discussion, and we run clubs, events and extracurricular activities designed to build community across a genuinely international student body of over 30 nationalities. For students who struggled socially in a traditional classroom, or who are athletes, performers or have additional needs, the online format often removes social barriers rather than creating them, letting them engage on more comfortable terms.”
How much structure is there day to day?
“Students follow a full, structured timetable. Live classes, extracurricular activities and clubs are all built into the school week, just as they would be in a traditional school. This is intentional, students consistently tell us they value having a clear routine and pace to their studies, rather than being left to organise their own learning. Online doesn't mean unstructured or self-paced, it means the same rhythm and accountability as a traditional school day, delivered live.”
How is safeguarding and wellbeing monitored?
“We treat safeguarding with the same seriousness as any accredited physical school. We have a dedicated SENCo and safeguarding policies that cover both online-specific risks and standard duty-of-care requirements. Because lessons are live and teachers see students regularly, staff are well placed to notice changes in behaviour, engagement or wellbeing, with clear escalation routes if concerns arise. All staff are DBS-checked as part of our safer recruitment practice.”
Are the qualifications recognised the same way?
“Yes. Students sit the same Pearson Edexcel IGCSEs and International A Levels as students anywhere else, awarded by the same exam board under the same regulations. These are internationally recognised qualifications, accepted by universities and employers globally.”
If you'd like to talk through whether online school is the right fit for your child, get in touch with our admissions team, we're happy to answer any other questions you have ahead of September.
