Making Connections
We believe learning should be engaging, challenging and fun.
Examinations matter, and we take them seriously, but education is about far more than collecting qualifications. We want students to understand ideas, ask questions, make connections and develop the confidence to think for themselves.
Our subjects help students understand the world around them. Whether analysing a poem, exploring a historical event or debating a political issue, students are encouraged to think critically, communicate clearly and engage thoughtfully with different perspectives.
We specialise in the Liberal Arts because these subjects help students make sense of the world and their place within it. By exploring language, culture, society, history and ideas, students develop the analytical, creative and communication skills that support success both within and beyond the classroom.
“All knowledge is connected to all other knowledge.
The fun is in making the connections.”
Arthur Aufderheide
Why Families Choose Us
Families come to Nexus Educate from a wide range of backgrounds. Some have chosen home education from the start, whilst others arrive after difficult experiences in school. Some are looking for academic challenge; others are seeking flexibility, confidence or a renewed enjoyment of learning.
Whilst every family’s journey is different, many tell us they chose Nexus Educate because we understand both education and home education. They value the combination of subject expertise, examiner knowledge and personalised support. They appreciate our clear feedback, structured courses and high expectations. Most of all, they tell us that their children enjoy learning with us. Below are six key reasons parents tell us they stay with Nexus Educate.
Qualified Teachers
Examiner Insight
Small Group Learning
All Nexus Educate courses are taught by qualified, experienced teachers and subject specialists. We only teach subjects we have studied to degree level ourselves. We teach topics we know and love, drawing on years of classroom experience to deliver lessons that are engaging, challenging and accessible.
All our teachers are current or former examiners. We understand not only what students need to know but also how examination boards assess their work. This allows us to provide clear guidance, accurate feedback and practical strategies for examination success.
Our classes are deliberately small. This allows teachers to get to know students as individuals, encourage discussion and provide the support and challenge each learner needs to progress. Every student has the opportunity to contribute, ask questions and develop confidence in a supportive environment.
Personalised Feedback
Home Education Expertise
Flexibility and Adaptability
Feedback is one of the most important parts of learning for students and teachers, and it is central to our practice. We provide detailed guidance, celebrate success and identify clear next steps for improvement. Students understand what they are doing well, where they can improve and how to move forward with confidence.
As home educators with over ten years' experience working with home-educated families, we understand the opportunities and challenges that home education can bring. Our courses are designed to provide the flexibility, individuality and independence that many families value.
Every learner is different. Some thrive in live lessons, whilst others prefer a more independent approach. We offer a range of learning pathways, including live online courses, independent courses and short programmes, allowing families to choose the option that best suits their needs.
Who We Are
'The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.'
Plutarch
We are passionate about liberal arts education. We love our subjects. We think our subjects are important and interesting, and we want to share what we know. We want our students to enjoy lessons, ask questions, discover answers and look forward to every class. We want every student to reach their desired academic destination, enjoy their learning journey and, at the same time, appreciate the scenery along the way.
We are dedicated, hard-working professionals who view teaching as a vocation. Established by an experienced senior teacher, university lecturer, examiner and home educator, Nexus Educate combines professional expertise with intimate knowledge of the practicalities of home learning. As parents of home-educated children, we understand the challenges involved in studying and gaining qualifications outside school. We know how students learn, the obstacles that can prevent learning, and the practicalities involved in preparing for exams. Our own experiences as home educators have played a significant role in the development of Nexus Educate, the courses we offer and the methods we use.
As professionals with years of practical experience supporting students from diverse backgrounds with a range of social, emotional and educational needs, our approach is tailored to realising the potential of every student. The educational theorist Thomas Carruthers once described a 'good teacher' as someone who 'makes himself progressively unnecessary', and it is our ultimate aim to equip students with the skills, knowledge and confidence to succeed independently. We work hard to achieve this aim in all we do.
Our Idea: The Nexus Educate Approach
When we founded Nexus Educate, our mission was clear: to provide home-educated students with a dynamic and engaging learning experience that goes beyond just listening to online lectures and completing tasks in isolation. The idea was to have the best of both worlds: a programme that includes the best of what we have seen in schools but with all the benefits that home education provides.
We designed our programme based on:
🔹 What we know works best for student engagement
🔹 Our extensive experience in teaching and curriculum design
🔹 A variety of teaching methods tailored to individual learning styles
We built our courses to be differentiated, accessible, adaptable and as personalised as possible.
💡 Our IDEA is at the core of everything we do:
🔹 Individuality | Discovery | Enthusiasm | Achievement
✅ Individuality: Learning that adapts to each student’s needs
✅ Discovery: Encouraging curiosity and exploration
✅ Enthusiasm: Making learning engaging and enjoyable
✅ Achievement: Helping students reach their full potential
Our aim is to provide the kind of learning we want for our own children and ensure that Nexus Educate students don't need to compromise on quality to study from home.
INDIVIDUALITY
Every student is different. Each has different strengths, interests, goals and ways of learning. We get to know our students and provide the support and challenge they need to succeed.
DISCOVERY
Curiosity lies at the heart of learning. We encourage students to ask questions, explore ideas and make connections between subjects, concepts and experiences.
We love our subjects and believe that enjoyment matters. When students are genuinely interested in what they are learning, confidence, commitment and achievement often follow.
ACHIEVEMENT
We have high expectations and provide the guidance, feedback and encouragement students need to achieve their personal goals, whatever those goals may be.
ENTHUSIASM
Teaching You Can Trust
Behind every Nexus Educate course is a commitment to professional standards, ongoing development and high-quality teaching. Here are some of the ways we ensure our students receive the support and expertise they deserve.
Nexus Educate is committed to maintaining the highest professional standards. Membership of The Tutors’ Association requires enhanced DBS checks, verified Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), references and evidence of professional practice. In addition, all Nexus Educate teachers are personally known to our founder, observed in their teaching and subject to rigorous quality assurance. Regular safeguarding, SEMH and literacy training ensures students receive both expert teaching and appropriate support.
Educational requirements change, and so do examination specifications. Nexus Educate teachers attend regular exam board training, keep abreast of developments in educational practice and have their marking moderated where required. Many also work as examiners, providing valuable insight into assessment standards and examiner expectations. This helps us prepare students effectively and ensure our teaching reflects the latest syllabus requirements.
Great teaching is both an art and a skill. Our teachers have built their expertise over long careers in education and have been regularly observed, assessed and supported by senior leaders, expert practitioners and OFSTED. All Nexus Educate teachers have a proven track record of strong student outcomes and high-quality teaching. Many have also trained other teachers as subject leaders, university lecturers or leading practitioners.
Qualified & Experienced
At Nexus Educate, we only teach subjects we have studied to degree level or beyond. Our teachers are qualified educators who understand both their subjects and how students learn. Alongside Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), our team holds a range of advanced qualifications, including master’s degrees, postgraduate diplomas and leading practitioner status. We maintain our expertise through ongoing professional development, ensuring our teaching remains current, effective and engaging.
Monitored & Assessed
Up To Date
Registered Professionals
Our Lead Teacher
Our teaching, planning, resources and results have been scrutinised by Ofsted on numerous occasions during our time in schools, and reports cite our 'outstanding teaching'.
Nexus Educate is led and managed by Laura Howard, a former head of faculty, senior teacher and university lecturer with a genuine passion for teaching. Over a career spanning thirty years, she has taught, trained teachers and examined Liberal Arts subjects for each of the UK exam boards at GCSE, IGCSE and A Level. For the last ten years, she has worked as an independent consultant in schools across London, advising, training teachers, raising achievement and teaching students with a range of abilities from a variety of backgrounds.
Ofsted reports on departments Laura has led comment on her 'very good management' and 'excellent schemes of work'. Laura managed and mentored the Secondary Teacher of the Year 2017, a media studies teacher in a South London comprehensive, and led and managed English and literacy in the 2017 School of the Year. Work improving literacy, English and attainment in the school was described in an article in the Times Educational Supplement, quoted opposite.
'...a story of commitment, hard work and a steadfast belief in not just improving students academically but personally. Teachers realised that by supporting students to pursue their existing passions, they could transform their academic achievement...that it managed to nurture unique talents alongside rigorous teaching... is a rare achievement.’
TES 2017
Laura, with students Toby and Daisy Widdows at the Eduqas Moving Image Awards. View Toby's winning film extract on our blog.
Bringing Liberal Arts Learning to Life
info@nexuseducate.org
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