How do I compare online schools during a phone call?

Use the same checklist of questions on every provider and compare the answers side by side. Pay attention to how specific and transparent the answers are, vague responses are usually more revealing than wrong ones. The best schools will answer these proactively without being asked.

What is the difference between an online school and a homeschool curriculum?

An online school provides teachers, lessons, assessments, timetables, and academic support, so your child attends a school, just digitally. A homeschool curriculum provides content such as textbooks, worksheets, and videos that parents or tutors deliver. The distinction matters for the level of parent involvement required day to day. If you work full-time, a teacher-led online school is typically more practical than a parent-delivered curriculum.

How do I choose between the International British, Pearson Edexcel, CAPS, and IEB curricula?

It depends on where your child plans to study after school. The International British and Pearson Edexcel routes are globally recognised and strongest for international university applications. CAPS is the most direct route to South African universities, and the IEB follows the same CAPS content with more rigorous assessment. Speak to a consultant for guidance tailored to your child.

How much should online school cost?

Fees vary significantly depending on curriculum, grade level, and what is included. Expect to pay more for schools that provide live teaching, teacher-marked assessments, and dedicated academic support. Always ask what the total cost includes: tuition, textbooks, exam fees, exam centre fees, and device requirements.

Can my child switch from a traditional school to online school mid-year?

Yes. Mid-year transfers are common and most online schools have processes to handle them. The key is ensuring a smooth academic transition: confirming which curriculum your child will follow, how completed assessments transfer, and whether any content gaps need bridging. The earlier in the year you switch, the simpler the process.

How much parent involvement does online school require?

This varies enormously between providers, and it is one of the most important questions to ask. Some online schools are fully teacher-led: your child follows a timetable, attends live lessons, submits work, and receives feedback without you needing to manage the process. Others require parents to supervise lessons, print materials, enforce deadlines, and sometimes mark work. Neither approach is wrong, but you need to choose one that matches your availability.

What if I am stuck between two online schools?

Ask both providers the same questions and compare the specifics. Then ask for a demo lesson or platform walkthrough from each, because the daily experience matters more than the marketing. Finally, check independent reviews on platforms such as Trustpilot, HelloPeter, and Google Reviews for real parent experiences.

A parent smiles at her phone in a blue armchair beside an oversized yellow notebook

How to choose an online schoolTen questions to ask before you enrol

Q: Are online school qualifications accepted by universities?

Yes, provided the school is properly accredited and the examinations are administered by a recognised body. The qualification is what matters to universities, not whether it was earned online or in a classroom. A CAPS National Senior Certificate from SACAI or the IEB, a British A Level, or a Pearson Edexcel A Level are all fully recognised regardless of how the student studied.

An online school should give your child qualified teachers, a timetable, marked work and a route to recognised exams. Some providers sell recorded course content under the same name. Put these ten questions to every school you consider and compare the answers side by side.

Book a free consultation See the ten questions

Updated 27 October 2026

What counts as an online school

An online school employs teachers who teach your child to a timetable, mark their work and prepare them for recognised exams. Recorded course providers and homeschool curricula supply learning material, and a parent or tutor fills in the rest.

What you get	Online school	Recorded course	Homeschool curriculum
Who teaches	Qualified teachers employed by the school	Pre-recorded lessons, sometimes with tutor support for a fee	A parent, or a tutor you hire
Timetable	Set by the school, with scheduled lessons	Your child works at their own speed	Set by your family
Marking	Teachers mark written work and give feedback	Automated quizzes, with teacher marking as a paid extra on some courses	A parent marks the work
Exams	The school prepares your child and guides exam entry	Your child enters as a private candidate	Your family arranges exam entry
Parent’s role	Routine and encouragement	Planning, supervising and checking work	Teaching

Check the law where you live. In some countries a child at an online school counts as home educated, so you may need to register with your local education authority. Our homeschooling guides by country set out the rules.

Ten questions to ask every online school

Ask each school the same questions and write the answers down. Specific answers you can check are a good sign, and vague ones are a warning.

Who accredits the school, and can you check it yourself?

Ask for the name of each accrediting body and the school’s centre or registration number, then look it up on that body’s own website. Accreditation of the school as an institution, such as Cognia, is different from approval to run an exam board’s qualifications, such as Pearson Edexcel. South Africa’s NSC runs through assessment bodies that Umalusi accredits, such as the IEB and SACAI.

A good answer: named bodies and a number you can check on each body’s own website.

Does a teacher teach live, or is the course recorded?

Some schools teach timetabled live lessons, some sell recorded lessons and some offer both, subject by subject. Both can lead to the same exams, but they ask different things of your child. Ask which subjects are live, whether lessons are recorded for revision and how your child asks a teacher a question between lessons.

A good answer: a timetable you can see, with the live and recorded parts named for each subject.

Who are the teachers?

Ask what qualifications the teachers hold and whether each one teaches their specialist subject. For South African curricula, ask whether teachers are registered with the South African Council for Educators (SACE).

A good answer: the teachers’ qualifications and the subject each one teaches.

Who marks the work, and what does feedback look like?

External exams reward extended written answers, so your child needs written work marked by a teacher as well as quizzes. Ask who marks assignments and ask to see an example of marked work with comments.

A good answer: a teacher marks written work, and the school shows you a marked example.

What does a normal week look like?

Ask for this term’s timetable for your child’s grade or level: which subjects run on which days, when assessments are due and when exams fall. If your family has to build the schedule, the provider is selling a course and a parent or tutor will need to run it.

A good answer: this term’s timetable for your child’s grade, shown to you on the call.

Which exams will my child sit, and who handles entry?

Ask which qualification your child will finish with, where they will sit the exams and who registers them. International GCSE and A Level students at online schools often sit papers as private candidates at a registered exam centre, and families pay the exam entry fees through that centre.

A good answer: the exam board, a nearby centre and the registration deadlines, in writing.

How much will a parent need to do each day?

Some online schools run the day: your child follows the timetable and gets help from teachers. Others expect a parent to supervise lessons and chase deadlines. Ask the school: if both parents work full time, can my child follow this on their own?

A good answer: a clear split between what the school does and what you do.

What happens when my child falls behind?

Ask how the school spots a problem and who tells you about it. Then ask what help follows, such as extra sessions or tutoring, and whether it costs more. A parent view that shows attendance and marks makes problems harder to miss.

A good answer: a named contact who calls you early, and a price for any extra help.

What will a full year cost?

Tuition is one line of the bill. Ask for every other line: registration fees, textbooks, exam entry and exam centre fees, a suitable device and internet, tutoring or learning support, and what you owe if you pay monthly, pause or withdraw.

A good answer: a written quote for the year, exams included, with the cancellation terms.

Can I see how the school works before I pay?

Ask for a consultation that walks you through your child’s timetable and a sample of marked work, and ask whether the school runs open days or events where you can meet the staff. A school that offers nothing but “enrol and see” is asking you to take a lot on trust.

A good answer: a walkthrough of your child’s timetable and marked work, before any payment.

Compare schools in four steps

Start with the qualification

Decide which qualification your child needs next, then shortlist schools that teach towards it.

Ask the ten questions

Put the same questions to every school and keep the answers in one place.

Check the evidence

Verify accreditation with each body and read reviews on more than one independent site.

Involve your child

Show your child the timetable and the learning tools, and plan a normal day together.

Six warning signs on a consultation call

One of these may have an innocent explanation. Several on the same call are a reason to keep looking.

Accredited, with no body named

A school that can’t name its accrediting body or give you a number to check has told you nothing you can rely on.

No timetable before you pay

If nobody can show you a week of lessons for your child’s grade, ask why.

Vague answers about teachers

“Experienced tutors”, with no qualifications or subjects named.

Live lessons that turn out to be a weekly Q&A

Recorded videos with an optional call on top, sold as live teaching.

No written cancellation terms

You should know the notice period and what happens to fees before you sign anything.

No way for parents to see progress

If the only way to see marks or attendance is to ask your child, problems surface late.

How to check an online school’s accreditation

Accreditation means an outside body has checked the school, and every legitimate body publishes who it accredits or approves. Ask which bodies apply to your child’s curriculum, then check each one yourself.

The school as a whole

Cognia is a US-based non-profit accreditor that serves more than 40,000 public and private institutions in over 100 countries and territories. Its accreditation looks at how a school is run and how it teaches, whatever curriculum it follows.

Source: Cognia

British exam boards

Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge International approve centres to teach and run their qualifications, so ask for the centre number. A school can also prepare students without being an exam centre for that board, and your child then sits papers as a private candidate at a registered centre.

South Africa’s NSC

Umalusi, the council that quality-assures South Africa’s school qualifications, accredits the assessment bodies that examine the NSC, including the IEB and SACAI. An online school teaching CAPS or the IEB in Grades 10 to 12 should tell you which body it registers learners with.

Source: Umalusi

US diplomas and college sport

For an American High School Diploma, check the school’s accreditation, such as Cognia. If your child hopes to play college sport in the US, check that the courses are NCAA approved.

CambriLearn’s accreditation. CambriLearn is accredited by Cognia and Pearson Edexcel (centre number 94888) and registered with SACAI and the IEB. The US K-12 pathway runs through sister school Score Academy Online, which offers NCAA-approved courses. International British Curriculum students sit Cambridge International exams as private candidates at registered centres. See the accreditation details

Match the school to your child

The same school can suit one child and frustrate another. Weigh each answer against how your child learns and how your family lives.

Families who move or live abroad

Look for international qualifications with exam centres in many countries, and check lesson times against your time zone.

Athletes and performers

Ask how recorded lessons and deadlines fit around training and travel, and whether courses are NCAA approved if US college sport is the goal.

Children who need learning support

Ask about exam access arrangements, such as extra time, and the deadlines to apply. SACAI, for example, does not accept new accommodation applications in the Grade 12 year.

Families where both parents work

Choose a school that runs the timetable and the marking, and shows you attendance and marks without daily supervision.

Powered by CambriOS

Four connected school experiences, working as one school.

See CambriOS

CambriCampus

The live school day: timetabled lessons with qualified subject teachers, the campus your child logs into every day.

CambriPathways

Six curriculum pathways, with subject choices and qualifications to suit your child’s next step.

CambriCommunity

Clubs, events, meetups and study groups for friendships outside lessons.

CambriCommand

The parent view: attendance, progress and standing, visible as the week runs.

Common questions from parents

Accreditation, recorded lessons, costs and switching schools.

Talk to a consultant

How do I know if an online school is accredited?

Ask the school to name each accrediting body and give you its centre or registration number, then check that number on the body’s own website. Look for institutional accreditation such as Cognia, exam board approval such as Pearson Edexcel and, for South Africa’s NSC, registration with an Umalusi-accredited assessment body such as the IEB or SACAI.

Can my child study A Levels online with recorded lessons only?

Yes. Some providers sell recorded A Level courses, and the exams are the same papers sat at a registered exam centre. The difference is support: without live lessons your child needs the discipline to keep pace, so check who marks practice papers and who answers questions.

Do online schools offer trial or demo lessons?

Some do, free or paid, and others offer a consultation or open day instead. Whatever the format, ask to see your child’s timetable and an example of marked work before you pay. CambriLearn offers a free consultation and runs open days and events for families.

How do I work out the total cost of an online school?

Add every other cost to tuition: registration fees, textbooks, exam entry and exam centre fees, a suitable device and internet, and any tutoring or learning support. Then check the payment terms and what you owe if you withdraw mid-year. Ask each school for a written quote for the full year.

What is the difference between an online school and homeschooling?

An online school provides the teachers, timetable, marking and exam preparation, and your child attends lessons online. Homeschooling with a curriculum package means a parent or tutor does the teaching. In some countries both count as home education in law, so check your local registration rules.

Can my child switch to an online school mid-year?

In most cases, yes, but exam pathways have deadlines. At CambriLearn, children can start the International British, Pearson Edexcel and US K-12 pathways, and CAPS up to Grade 9, at any point in the year. CAPS and IEB in Grades 10 to 12 follow registration windows set by SACAI and the IEB.

Are online school qualifications accepted by universities?

Universities assess the qualification and the grades. International GCSEs and A Levels from Pearson Edexcel or Cambridge International, an NSC examined by the IEB or SACAI, and an accredited American High School Diploma carry the same standing whether your child studied online or in a classroom. Check each university’s entry rules for the subjects and grades it needs.

How much parent involvement does an online school need?

It depends on the school. If teachers run the timetable, lessons and marking, a parent’s job is routine and encouragement. If the provider sells recorded content, a parent plans the week, supervises and checks work. Ask each school to spell out the split.

What are the best online schools in South Africa for CAPS?

Look for schools that teach live with qualified teachers, register Grade 10 to 12 learners with an Umalusi-accredited assessment body such as SACAI or the IEB, and publish their full fees. CambriLearn teaches CAPS in English, its Afrikaans equivalent KABV and the IEB pathway, and our comparison pages set it against Teneo, UCT Online High School, Think Digital Academy, Impaq and Brainline.

Put CambriLearn through the ten questions

Book a free consultation and ask us every question on this page. A consultant will show you your child’s timetable and how marking works.

Book a free consultation See school fees

More guides for parents

How CambriLearn works

The school day, live lessons, specialist teachers and the parent view.

Read the guide

How exams work

Exam boards, centres and registration for each pathway.

Read the guide

University pathways guide

Entry rules for universities in South Africa, the UK, the US and Europe.

Read the guide

Comparing schools? See CambriLearn against Teneo, UCT Online High School, Think Digital Academy, and Impaq and Brainline. Parent reviews from every source sit on our ratings page.

We checked this guide on 27 October 2026. Accreditation and registration rules differ by country and change over time, so confirm a school’s status with the accrediting body before you enrol. Sources: Cognia, Umalusi and CambriLearn’s exam arrangements. CambriLearn is accredited by Cognia and Pearson Edexcel and registered with SACAI and the IEB.