If you’ve ever typed “worldschooling UK” into Google at 2 a.m., terrified but excited, this is for you.
We’re a completely normal British family who deregistered our boys (now 4 and 7) and turned the world into their classroom. No teaching qualification. No rigid curriculum. Just real life, real learning, and a lot less stress than the traditional UK school system.
Download our Free Worldschooling Starter Pack (printables + weekly template)
What worldschooling actually looks like for a British family (not the Instagram version)
Worldschooling isn’t “homeschooling on a beach”. It’s using travel as the backbone of education while still meeting UK legal requirements (more on that below).
Is worldschooling legal in the UK?
Yes! 100 % legal.
Once you deregister your child, you’re responsible for providing a “suitable education” under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996. Travel counts. Thousands of British families do it every year.
Our dead-simple weekly worldschooling rhythm (works for ages 3–10)
Monday–Friday, 1–2 hours of intentional learning, the rest is life:
- Morning basket (10 mins) – Yoto daily, day and weather
- Maths (15–20 mins) – real-life: counting money at markets, measuring ingredients
- Literacy (15–20 mins) – reading menus/signs, writing postcards, journaling
- “Big Lesson” of the week – history/geography/science tied to where we are (temples = ancient history, volcanoes = science)
- Everything else = play, museums, cooking, conversations
Free resources we actually use every week
- BBC Bitesize (still brilliant abroad)
- Twinkl & Education.com (British curriculum aligned)
- Local life (best teacher of all)
Worldschooling UK: Sample Week in Thailand
- Monday – Creating a brochure of our weekend (Art & English)
- Tuesday – writing shopping list and working with a budget (English & Maths)
- Wednesday – Buddhist temple visit → drew the chedi and researched history
- Thursday – Local Home Ed science class
- Friday – Local clean-up → environmental chat about habitats
Common worries British parents have about worldschooling UK
“Will they fall behind?”
Our boys are ahead in some areas, “behind” in others. Universities care about well-rounded humans, not Year 4 SATs.
“What about GCSEs?”
We’ll either do IGCSEs online, or go the unconventional route. Plenty of options.
“What do Ofsted say?”
Nothing. Once deregistered, they have no power.
Ready to try worldschooling with your kids?
Grab the exact resources that saved our sanity:
→ Free Worldschooling Starter Pack (printables, weekly planner, book list, legal checklist)
Inside you get:
- Our editable weekly worldschooling template
- Age 3–10 book list (British authors + world classics)
- Printable passport stamps & country research sheets
- “How to explain worldschooling to worried grandparents” script
Yes – Send Me the Free Worldschooling Starter Pack
British families are leaving the UK education system in record numbers. Your child doesn’t have to sit at a desk to become brilliant.
See you on the road, Lauren, Roy & the boys ✈️🌍