Courses and Learning

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 - Oxford at Home series

The University of Oxford has launched a new #OxfordatHome series  - free weekly talks about everything and anything they research - from Rembrandt’s early life, to biomedically engineered bubbles, to Shakespeare's plague work.

Visit the University's Oxford at Home pages

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

History for adults: an evening class on Jack the Ripper

Spread over three classes you will become a Ripper detective. As well as the classes, you’ll receive vital new clues and information daily on murders, suspects and the taunting Ripper letters that Jack is sending you, to discuss and develop your theories.

Visit the Oxfordshire History teacher 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. 

Visit the ICS Learn website

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


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. 

Email Agata for details


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.

The Maths Factor is FREE for everyone (usually about £2 per week) to support continued learning at home for the duration of the UK schools closure period.

Join The Maths Factor today

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.

Explore space with NASA

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.

See Into Film film guides

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.

Visit the TED-Ed website

Oxford Teaching Trust courses

Various courses available including philosophy symposiums and art, run by local educators.

Visit the Oxford Teaching Trust website


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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