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Learning resources for adults
The Skills Toolkit - National Careers Service
Want to learn a new skill while at home? Find free, high quality digital and numeracy courses in The Skills Toolkit.
Digital and numeracy skills are amongst those that are most sought after by employers, and can help you progress in work and boost your job prospects. Digital skills can be anything from using social media and staying safe online to coding, programming or digital marketing.
You can choose from a selection of high quality courses put together in collaboration with experts. Find a level and time to study that’s right for you. The Skills Toolkit makes it easy for you to boost your skills.
Explore free online courses with The Skills Toolkit
OpenLearn - free online courses
Produced by The Open University, a world leader in open and distance learning, all OpenLearn courses are free to study. They offer nearly 1000 free courses across 8 different subject areas. Courses are available to start right away.
Sign up for an OpenLearn course
University of Oxford - Department for Continuing Education
Structured as weekly online meetings, their online courses take place in a virtual learning environment. Class sizes are kept small (capped at 32 students, or 20 for creative writing) to maximise interaction between students and the tutor. Courses are normally 5-10 or 20 weeks in duration.
Search Department for Continuing Education online courses
University of Oxford Podcasts
A collection of podcasts on various subjects by the University of Oxford.
Listen to University of Oxford Podcasts
Saïd Business School - online programmes
Online programmes designed for a diverse audience. Their online campus enables you to engage and interact with a global cohort of like-minded professionals and innovators.
Visit the Saïd Business School website
Skillshare
Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes for creative and curious people, on topics including illustration, design, photography, video, freelancing, and more.
Join Skillshare to watch, play, learn, make, and discover
Future Learn
Access hundreds of courses. Get access to high quality learning wherever you are, with online courses, programs and degrees created by leading universities, business schools and specialist organisations.
Sign up on the Future Learn website
Toastmasters International
Gain confidence and skills in public speaking: Toastmasters has three clubs in Oxford along with others across the county. Many of these are currently having their meetings online.
Visit the Toastmasters International website
London Drawing Group
Lots of different online drawing classes available with London Drawing Group, open to everyone, with a pay as you can donation.
See all upcoming courses on their Eventbrite page
Open Study College
For many adults and youngsters, their GCSE grades aren't at a sufficient level for the job that they want. Open Study College offers them the opportunity to improve these grades, via a range of home learning courses.
Visit the Open Study College website
ICS Learn
Provides online learning courses to thousands of individuals and businesses in hundreds of countries around the world who are looking to improve their skills and workplace performance.
CoursesOnline
A course finder website that enables learners to compare the learning courses on offer from training providers across the UK. Suitable for those at any level, from undergraduate to experienced professionals.
Visit the CoursesOnline website
IT Online Learning
Training courses for those looking to improve their IT skills - coding, programming, cyber security etc.
Visit the IT Online Learning website
The Fitness Group
Courses that cover gym instruction, personal training, and fitness. The courses available start from under £20 per month and can be studied either online or in-person.
Visit The Fitness Group website
Learn a language
Duolingo
Learn a new language with Duolingo. Free, bite-size lessons that feel more like a game than a textbook, and that's by design: Learning is easier when you're having fun.
Learn a language with Duolingo
Italian with Agata
“My Italian courses are fast and furious.” Agata offers beginner to advance courses in Italian. One to one lessons or group classes are also available.
Learning resources for kids and parents
BBC educational TV shows
The BBC is to deliver the biggest education offer in its history across more of its platforms. It will bring together BBC Two, CBBC, BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer and online to deliver a new education offer to children, teachers and parents as a third national lockdown begins. Various live and on demand shows that support the primary and secondary school curriculums.
See the BBC website for details
Mumsnet - home learning resources for children of all ages
There are lots of websites out there to help children revise and learn more creatively. Everybody learns differently so, to help you find the best options for your child, Mumsnet have created a list of the most innovative, well-designed and widely-used sites, according to Mumsnet users.
Mumsnet - best online learning resources for children
Creation Theatre Company - online drama club
Creation Theatre Company is launching a 12-week online drama club for 5-10 and 11-16 year olds. Join them on an enchanting journey where we’ll meet fantastical creatures and incredible characters whilst exploring 12 classic stories. Book your place today for your child or grandchild and they can take part from the comfort of home.
Join Creation Theatre Drama Club
Pegasus Theatre - SPARK sessions
Pegasus has gone digital! To keep young people involved and engaged with the arts, they've commissioned their SPARK supported artists to help create a digital series of workshops and Q&As.
These short sessions are interactive and creatively stimulating - the perfect way to keep your creativity flowing whilst you're at home.
Schedule of events on Pegasus Theatre Facebook page
BBC Bitesize
BBC Bitesize offers resources for a broad range of subjects from KS1 through to GCSE. Lessons are delivered to younger children through engaging videos and games and older children can access concise notes followed by tasks to test their knowledge. Best of all, BBC Bitesize is completely free.
BBC Bitesize - learning resources for children
BBC Teach
Whether you're at home or at school, you can use BBC Teach for free. It's home to thousands of free curriculum-mapped videos, arranged by age-group and subject.
BBC Teach - curriculum-mapped video resources
CBeebies
CBeebies helps pre-schoolers learn whilst they play fun games, watch clips, sing songs and make things with their favourite CBeebies characters and shows.
Learn through play with CBeebies
The Maths Factor with Carol Vorderman
Let Carol teach your child Maths during this difficult period. For children aged 4-12 years - matched to the National Curriculum.
Let's go live with Maddie and Greg
Maddie Moate and Greg Foot host regular live science-themed shows for kids. The live show will stream on YouTube and will be available to view on demand afterwards.
Watch episodes on the Maddie Moate YouTube page
Wildlife Q&As with Steve Backshall
Re-watch lessons with wildlife expert Steve Backshall on his YouTube channel.
See Steve Backshall's YouTube channel
Dance classes with Oti Mabuse
Strictly Come Dancing's Oti Mabuse live streams dance classes for children and adults on her YouTube channel.
Watch classes on Oti Mabuse's YouTube channel
Science Museum learning resources
Discover activities to support a range of curriculum topics for use in the classroom, in museum galleries and beyond.
Home learning resources from the Science Museum
The Royal Institution - Christmas Lectures
Started by Michael Faraday in 1825, and now broadcast on national television every year, the Christmas Lectures are the UK's flagship science series.
Watch past series of The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
National Geographic - Kids
For facts geared toward kids and ideas on how to occupy their minds while they're out of school, visit National Geographic Kids.
Visit National Geographic Kids
Adventures in Familyhood - virtual field trips
20 virtual field trips to take with your kids. Virtual field trips are a great way to expose children to new places. Including lesson ideas, activities and book suggestions to extend the learning for each type of destination.
Visit the Adventures in Familyhood website
NASA image and video library
If you are interested in space exploration and footage of our universe, NASA have made their entire media library publicly accessible.
Into Film - film guides
Into Film shows offers film guides designed as informal discussion prompts for after viewing a film. These guides also feature extension activities that children and young people can take part in on their own.
TED-Ed
Engaging educational TED talks for students, educators and parents.
To support the millions of students, parents and teachers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, TED-Ed is working with expert educators and TED speakers throughout the world to create and share high-quality, interactive, video-based lessons on a daily basis.
Learn computer programming for kids
Blockly Games
Blockly Games is a series of educational games that teach programming. It is designed for children who have not had prior experience with computer programming. By the end of these games, players are ready to use conventional text-based programming languages.
Start learing programming skills with Blockly
Scratch
With Scratch, you can learn to program your own interactive stories, games, and animations — and share your creations with others in the online community.
Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively.
Start learing programming skills with Scratch
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