Our GCSE and IGCSE courses
Oxford Home Schooling’s suite of GCSE and International GCSE courses has been specially designed and developed to serve the needs of home schooling students aiming to obtain qualifications that will enable them to progress to A Level, apply for vocational courses, or enter the world of work.
GCSEs and IGCSEs are widely recognised as the first step in mastering a particular subject and achieving a GCSE or IGCSE indicates that not only does the student have a sound general knowledge of a subject but also that they can apply themselves to learning. Both qualifications provide excellent preparation for the next stage in life.
We can offer you a choice of 6 GCSE and 14 IGCSE courses as shown in our menu.
GCSE or IGCSE?
Contrary to what some people may think, in reality there is no longer any significant difference between a GCSE and an ‘I’ or International GCSE and, as an academic qualification, the IGCSE is equivalent, grade for grade, to GCSE.
Both GCSE and International GCSEs offer progression to A Level, BTEC vocational courses, and other similar qualifications that are equally recognized by the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) but IGCSE has the advantage of being widely available for examination overseas as well as in the UK.
Oxford Home Schooling GCSE courses are mostly written to cover the AQA examining board specifications, so you can be sure that when your child sits an examination, they have been thoroughly prepared and that the qualification is identical to that taken in state schools and colleges up and down the country.
The International GCSE is widely recognized by higher education institutions and employers around the world. International GCSEs are offered to students in over 150 countries and they have gained popularity in the UK as a qualification which is often preferred to GCSEs by many prestigious independent schools. World-wide over 1.5 million students enter for exams every year. Over 300 independent schools in the UK now offer either the Cambridge IGCSE, or, as we do, the Edexcel International GCSE. In 2024 there were over 135,000 UK entries for the Edexcel International GCSE exams.
Ready to study one of our GCSE or IGCSE courses? Apply Now
Need more information? Enquire Now
Online Course? Paper Based? Somewhere in between? It’s your choice!
All of our GCSE students receive:
- Traditional printed learning materials
- Access to our online resources with on-the-go access to all your regular lessons
- Support from the same fully-qualified teacher online and by phone throughout the course
- Mock exam test papers
- The option to purchase extra one on one support if required
How much does it cost?
Our GCSE course fees start at £395
You can pay in full or our easy payments scheme allows you to enrol on one of our Online GCSE courses with just a 20% deposit. The remaining balance is then payable in eight monthly, interest-free instalments of £39.50.
Visit our fees page for more information
Tutor Supported
You will receive support from a fully-qualified tutor holding either a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or a degree in education. This support includes:
- Marking all assignments for the course
- Written answers to specific study problems
- Tutor contact via phone and email at mutually convenient times
- Mock exam practice
- The option to purchase extra one to one support
- When you embark on a course, you will agree an examination date or dates with your Student Adviser. Your support period lasts up to this examination date.
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Biology IGCSE
The International GCSE Biology course matches the content of the Edexcel 4BI1 specification
£395
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/IGCSE-business-link-shutterstock-377884705-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
Business IGCSE
designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in Business (4BS1) exams
£395
More Details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/IGCSE-Chemistry-Link-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
Chemistry IGCSE
designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in Chemistry (4CH1) exams
£395
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/IGCSE-Economics-Linkshutterstock_577571743-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
Economics GCSE or IGCSE
designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in Economics (4EC1) exams
£395
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/IGCSE-English-link-shutterstock-153405227-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
English GCSE or IGCSE
designed to prepare students for either:
the Edexcel International GCSE in English (4CH1) exams £395
or
the AQA GCSE in English (8700) exams £495
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/IGCSE-English-Literature-link-shutterstock_128438426-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
English Literature IGCSE
designed to prepare students for either;
the Edexcel International GCSE English Literature (4ET1) exams
or
the AQA GCSE English Literature (8702) exams
£395
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/French-IGCSE-Link-shutterstock-134998481-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
French IGCSE
designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in French (4FR1) exams
£445
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/IGCSE-Geography-Link-shutterstock-280139102-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
Geography IGCSE
designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in French (4FR1) exams
£445
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/IGCSE-German-Link-shutterstock-332508059-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
German IGCSE
designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in German (4GN1) exams
£445
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/IGCSE-History-Link-shutterstock-112703050-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
History IGCSE
designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in History (4HI1) exams
£395
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Human-Biology-Link-shutterstock-270051275-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
Human Biology IGCSE
designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in Human Biology (4HB1) exams
£395
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Maths-IGCSE-Link-shutterstock-88436311-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
Maths GCSE
designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in Maths (4MA1) exams
£395
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Physics-IGCSE-Link-shutterstock-88436098-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
Physics IGCSE
designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in Physics (4PH1) exams
£395
More details....![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/GCSE-Psychology-link-shutterstock_216947332-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
Psychology GCSE
designed to prepare students for the AQA GCSE in Psychology (8182) exams
£395
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Science-IGCSE-Link-shutterstock-192753410-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
Science IGCSEs
designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in Science (4SS0) or Double Science (4SD0) exams
£395 or £745
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/GCSE-Sociology-link-shutterstock_196843532-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
Sociology GCSE
designed to prepare students for the AQA GCSE in Sociology (8192) exams
£395
More details...![](https://content.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Spanish-IGCSE-Link-shutterstock-252583759-300x169.jpeg?x40773)
Spanish IGCSE
designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in Spanish (4SP1) exams
£445
More details...FAQs
Why should I choose Oxford Home Schooling for my GCSEs?
- Oxford Home Schooling is a long-established educational trust that prides itself on
- treating every student as an individual
- our friendly and experienced customer service
- the quality of our courses
- We provide online and printed resources so you can study your way – other providers do not give you that choice.
- We’re rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot by students who have studied with us.
- We make it easy for families to home-educate with our flexible schedule, tutor support, and interest-free payment plan.
- Every year we help hundreds of children who have left mainstream education obtain the qualifications they need to progress and achieve their goals.
- Oxford Home Schooling is part of a not-for-profit trust so you can be sure that your course fees are spent on either your child’s tuition or on improving our courses.
- We want you to be comfortable with your choice before taking such a big step and so we encourage questions and discussion before you start your journey with us. We certainly do not employ any high-pressure sales techniques and you will find that our friendly and experienced staff are always available to give help and advice in person on the ‘phone or by email if you prefer.
When can I start studying for a GCSE?
You can enrol and start any time you like, the earlier the better. The important thing to think about is when you wish to sit your exam so you can give yourself plenty of time to work through your materials and revise successfully.
The examinations for most GCSEs are held in May/June time but there are also Maths and English exams in November. IGCSEs are held twice a year, once in the Summer and once in November. Our cut-off for enrolment for the Summer sittings is mid-November the previous year and, for the November series, mid-March in the same year. Students who start the course from scratch usually give themselves much more time than this to study but they do not usually take the full two years required in school.
Once you have enrolled, you will get access to your course online immediately and your printed course materials will arrive a few days later.
Is there any reason why I should choose GCSE rather than IGCSE, or vice versa?
Not really as there is no difference in the way they are seen in the world of education. We offer both GCSE and IGCSE in some subjects but this is mainly historical and these days you will find the most choice in IGCSEs.
When we talk about them, the terms GCSE or IGCSE are interchangeable. The topics required and the standards expected for different grades are often indistinguishable.
How do I know if my child is ready to start a GCSE course?
This very much depends on the maturity of your child and, of course, Oxford Home Schooling is very flexible.
There are Maths geniuses who can pass a GCSE at the age of 11 but that same child may not have the emotional maturity needed to cope with some of the arts subjects.
In school, children begin studying for GCSE in year 10 at the age of 14 or 15 and they normally take two years to complete. There is no flexibility for those children who may not be quite ready or for those who are so far ahead they could complete straight away.
If you have followed our Key Stage 3 programme, you can be confident that your child is ready for GCSE. If you have not but you have been home schooling, you have given the student a broad base of knowledge and they feel ready, then they probably are. This is something that home schooling parents are in a position to judge and we can advise.
What if my child has already started GCSE in school?
We have many children who come to us because, for a huge variety of reasons, school is no longer an option.
Many will have already started their GCSE years and hope to carry over their work from school. Whether this is possible or not depends on a lot of things and our experienced advisers will be able to help you decide.
It is an inconvenience that there are several different exam boards offering choices of specification and although Maths and to an extent some sciences have the same general content, the order that they are studied can vary significantly. It is even more complex with Humanities as subject content and books studied may vary a great deal.
For these reasons and especially if they have been troubled at school, in most cases, your child will probably benefit from starting the course again.
Do you require any proof of study or tests to enrol?
No, anyone can start a GCSE course from as young as 11 to any age at all.
No tests are necessary to start a GCSE course, but if you are not fluent in reading and writing English, you will find the courses demanding.
For their own sake we also prefer our students to be at least 13 years old when they start, but our admissions department does have some discretion in exceptional cases.
How much do exams cost?
This very much depends on which type of exam centre you choose and also, where you live.
Every centre has to charge the exam board entry fee for each subject. In 2024 this was £48 for a GCSE and £50 to £54 for an IGCSE but on top of this, all centres will add an administration fee.
If you are lucky enough to locate a helpful local school then they may only charge you a nominal admin fee of £25 to £50. If you live in London or have to use a commercial private exam centre then the admin fee can be anything up to another £300 per subject; quite a difference!
Some of our competitors who are tied to an associated exam centre can also charge for exams by the paper rather than by subject. This can leave you with a very hefty bill, especially for exams like Maths GCSE or Science where there are three papers.
There is no denying that getting the best deal requires time and effort, but luckily while we cannot book exams for you, we have agreements with some centres that will give discounts to our students and we are on hand to help and advise as much as possible.
Where do I sit exams?
You can sit exams as a Private or External candidate at numerous centres throughout the UK, either local schools or colleges or at a private centre. How far you have to travel to sit an exam is actually a matter of luck. There may be a helpful centre in your local neighbourhood or you might have to go to your nearest big city. Certain subjects, particularly foreign languages, are tricky because of the oral element and you do need to be prepared to travel.
Unlike many of our competitors we do not restrict our students to an associated exam centre. We can give you information on around 30 centres around the UK where you will certainly find an exam place for any subject and booking is quick and easy, often with a discount for our students. If you are prepared to search and you find a helpful local school or college, you may get a better deal.
We have an exam centre map in the Student Hub on our web site which shows you our “guaranteed centres” and also those centres who have helped our students in the past. Please remember that circumstances change all the time and if you are looking for a bargain you will need to devote some time and effort to shopping around. Our knowledgeable advisers have lots of useful tips.
How will my child be taught?
This is an important question for all home schooling organisations and you should look into what everyone is offering very carefully; in the world of on-line education not all is at it seems, or as parents can sometimes be led to assume.
We are not just a website. Our office is staffed by real and friendly people and our tutors are the same.
We provide our GCSE students with an individual tutor, fully qualified to teach their subject and who will remain with their students throughout the study period. Those tutors alone will provide support, answer questions and mark your work. You will be able to build a relationship with them, email them and work out mutually agreed contact times for when you need to speak.
Our system relies on self-study and individual motivation, combined with the aid of a tutor for when you hit a problem. We do not claim that your child will be taught all their lessons by their tutor, either remotely or otherwise, but our “additional service” can provide longer periods of individual tuition when you need it. If you are looking for a tutor to teach every lesson individually, you will be looking at another realm of expense.
What we provide is unique to your child because our structured framework of lessons covering all aspects of a specification is delivered at home within your own time-frame. We do not believe that educating a youngster can successfully be given over to a laptop and a remote teacher, so if your child takes on one or more of our GCSE courses someone at home will also need to be available to encourage them. Our parents tell us that they often end up learning as much as their child and what a surprisingly enjoyable experience it is!
What about SEN?
Many of our students have some form of special educational need or other problem which affects their daily lives and it is often why they are no longer in school. We understand the problems this can cause and we try our best to help but we cannot claim to be specialists in this field. If your child has a SEN diagnosis, our tutors will do their best to accommodate them but they are not generally special needs teachers and therefore, to get an understanding of what we can and cannot offer, you should discuss your requirements with the student adviser before enrolling.
When it comes to sitting exams, the easiest option is to book with one of the private exam centres who have the ability to offer access arrangements. Tutors and Exams for example have centres around the country and a specialist SEN team who can get exam board permission for most arrangements.
If you believe that your child will be entitled to special arrangements in exams but you do not have a formal diagnosis, please be aware that most access arrangements will not be available without one. Many private exam centres can offer help and we also have an assessor available who can advise students who live in the Midlands. Julie Jones – jcjassessmentservices@outlook.com.
Are the courses suited to children who would prefer an online classroom?
It cannot be denied that if asked, most children would initially opt to study online. However, in an age of Instagram, YouTube, Tik Tok and all the other online diversions, we still have a paper-based exam system which requires skills that are not are not necessarily developed by digital learning.
Unlike much screen-based learning, our courses require students to fully engage by actually reading the materials. This in itself is a skill which requires concentration and comprehension and both are extremely useful habits to develop for future exams!
Parental feedback tells us that OHS courses have the twin advantages of preparing students to cope when put in a room with a paper-based exam and our method of study actually reduces the amount of time their children spend looking at a screen.
Many of our courses also do have some digital content and of course there is a wealth of additional online material which is freely available and can be used to supplement all subjects. Extensive links to the best free content are given in each course.
Ready to study one of our GCSE courses? Apply Now
Need more information? Enquire Now
Meet Our Tutors
I have been an English teacher in mainstream secondary schools for the past 16 years. During this time, I have taught key stage 3, key stage 4, and key stage 5 across all ability ranges. I teach both English Language and English Literature at GCSE and for the past 10 years I have been an English Literature GCSE examiner.
I am excited to work with you during the time you are studying and to provide any advice, support, and guidance that you may need. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with any questions no matter how small.
Rowena Mitchell
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