How to teach Chemistry at home: a guide for home educators

Chemistry is one of the most rewarding subjects a home educated student can study, because it delves into why everyday materials behave the way they do, how reactions release and absorb energy, and how atoms bond to form the enormous variety of substances around us.

But, it’s also fair to say Chemistry has a bit of a reputation for being difficult, abstract, and heavily reliant on memory. We’ll explore whether that’s fair.

This guide covers how to teach Chemistry at home from KS3 through to A-level, including free resources that can help home educated students at each stage, and a realistic assessment of where specialist live teaching makes a measurable difference.

What makes Chemistry different from the other sciences

Chemistry sits between Biology and Physics in both its demands and its character. It requires strong recall of specific reactions, definitions, and symbols, alongside the ability to apply mathematical reasoning to calculations involving moles, concentration, titrations, and rates of reaction.

To succeed in Chemistry, neither pure memory nor pure logic is sufficient on its own. This combination can make Chemistry feel demanding to teach at home without a subject background.

To achieve top grades in Chemistry students need to understand the ‘why’ behind each reaction rather than simply memorise outcomes, because exam questions increasingly ask students to apply knowledge to unfamiliar contexts rather than reproduce familiar facts. 

Teaching Key Stage 3 Chemistry (Years 7, 8 and 9, ages 11 to 14)

At Key Stage 3 (KS3), Chemistry is usually taught as part of integrated Science rather than as a standalone subject.

During Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, students cover the particle model of matter, elements, compounds and mixtures, chemical reactions, acids and alkalis, the periodic table, and materials and their properties - all at an introductory level that builds the foundations GCSE Chemistry will then explore in greater depth.

This is a good time to start getting children used to symbols and writing equations because these form a key part of GCSE Chemistry. It's also valuable to start working with the periodic table as a way to understand and group elements, rather than simply something to memorise.

To help you get started here are some free KS3 Chemistry resources you can use:

• BBC Bitesize KS3 Chemistry - topic-by-topic resources covering all KS3 Chemistry content with video explanations and interactive quizzes

• Oak National Academy KS3 Science - aligned to the UK KS3 Science curriculum, you’ll find Chemistry content, with slides, worksheets, and assessment materials

• RSC Education - the Royal Society of Chemistry's free teaching resource hub for secondary Chemistry, includes almost 2,000 free resources including lessons, practicals, interactive simulations, and experiment guides covering KS3 through to A-level, including this interactive periodic table 

For home educated students at KS3, we cover the full UK Science curriculum in two live lessons per week, complete with workbooks, and exam-style practice questions.

Lajoy Tucker (@LajoyDoesChemistry), Joe Wolfensohn and Brook Edgar take kids through Year 7, and Year 8. Then, in Year 9 children are guided into the jump up to GCSE Chemistry under the expert supervision of Manny Opoku (@MannyDoesChemistry), Emma Williams and Dario Papadavassillou.

Teaching GCSE Chemistry at home

GCSE Chemistry is one of the three Triple Science subjects, alongside Biology and Physics. 

AQA GCSE Chemistry is organised into 10 topic areas:

1. Atomic structure and the periodic table

2. Bonding, structure and the properties of matter

3. Quantitative chemistry

4. Chemical changes

5. Energy changes

6. Rate and extent of chemical change

7. Organic chemistry

8. Chemical analysis

9. Chemistry of the atmosphere

10. Using resources

Practical skills: what home educated students need to know

AQA GCSE Chemistry includes a variety of practical skills. Unlike A-level, there is no separate practical endorsement at GCSE - the practicals feed into questions on the written papers rather than being assessed independently

The required practicals are clearly laid out in the specification and are deliberately open in their design, so students can develop and demonstrate the relevant skills in ways that suit their context.

To help home educated students, we cover each practical skill in a dedicated live, online lesson, where students are taken through an example method before planning an experiment and working through related practice questions.

You don't have to carry out the practicals but knowledge of the methods and common errors are required.  

Studying GCSE Chemistry online

With MyEdSpace, students cover the full GCSE AQA Chemistry curriculum with our specialist Chemistry teachers, in two live lessons per week.

Dr Davinder Bhachu builds on what students have covered in Key Stage 3 through Year 10, before guiding students all the way through Year 11 and into their exams, with heaps of exam technique and practice included, to ensure no marks are left on the table. Daytime timetables are available specifically for home educated students.

The results our students then go on to achieve in exams speak for themselves. For example, in 2025, well over half of our students achieved GCSE grade 7 or above (56%), compared to under 25% nationally (22%). And, if that wasn’t impressive enough, three times more MyEdSpace students achieved GCSE grade 9 than the national average.

Free GCSE Chemistry revision resources

• MyResources GCSE Chemistry revision notes (AQA) - created by our team of expert teachers and former examiners, this comprehensive library of revision materials includes step-by-step video explanations, exam-style practice questions, model answers, and exam skills guidance

• Oak National Academy GCSE Chemistry - curriculum-aligned GCSE Chemistry resources including lesson plans, slides, and worksheets

• BBC Bitesize GCSE Chemistry - video explanations and interactive practice, across multiple exam board specifications

• Phet simulations - a variety of interactive simulations students can explore and play-through, covering Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and Maths

Teaching A-level Chemistry at home

A-level Chemistry is a significant step up from GCSE in both content volume and the depth of analysis required. It is also one of the most valued A-levels for university admissions in science, engineering, and healthcare.

The AQA A-level Chemistry exam is divided into three main strands:

1. Inorganic and Physical Chemistry (atomic structure, amount of substance, bonding, energetics, kinetics, chemical equilibria, redox, and Group 2 and Group 7 chemistry)

2. Organic and Physical Chemistry (organic chemistry, thermodynamics, rate equations, electrode potentials, acids and bases, and NMR spectroscopy)

3. Practical skills

AQA A-level Chemistry includes a separate practical endorsement (known as CPAC - Common Practical Assessment Criteria) which is assessed by teachers through direct observation of practical skills during the course. Unlike at GCSE level, the assessment of practical skills is a compulsory requirement at A-level - and should be taken into account when thinking about studying A-level Chemistry at home. There are a variety of locations and companies around the UK who offer practical Chemistry skills examinations.

To help prepare home educated students, each practical skill is covered in detail in dedicated live, online lessons. Students are guided through an example method, planning an experiment and working through related practice questions.

Studying A-level Chemistry online

With MyEdSpace, students cover the full OCR and AQA A-level Chemistry curriculums with our specialist Chemistry teachers.

In Year 12, Dr Davinder Bhachu (OCR) and Lajoy Tucker (AQA) build on what students have covered at GCSE, before Davinder (OCR) and Manny Opoku (AQA) take Year 13 students all the way through to their exams, with heaps of exam technique and practice included. 

The results our students then go on to achieve in exams speak for themselves. For example, almost three-quarters of our A-level students achieved B or above (73%), nationally it was slightly over half (55%) and over half of our A-level students have been admitted into Russell Groups universities (56%) compared to only 27% across the UK (caveat as self reported?)

Free A-level Chemistry revision resources

• MyResources A-level Chemistry revision notes (AQA) - a treasure trove of revision materials including, step-by-step video explanations, exam-style practice questions model answers, and exam skills guidance - all designed by our expert teachers and former examiners.

• Oak National Academy A-level Chemistry - A-level Chemistry lesson plans, slides, and worksheets

• BBC Bitesize A-level Chemistry - topic-by-topic revision materials aligned to multiple exam boards

Try before you buy

Choosing the right online learning platform depends on your needs, budget, and learning style.

Whether you are looking for structured academic courses, hands-on skill development, or flexible self-paced learning, there is a platform that fits your goals. By considering key factors like course variety, pricing, and teaching style, you can find the best option to support your education and career growth.

Take the time to explore different platforms and make the most of trials, like our own £10 for 10-days offer, to help you choose the one that aligns best with your learning journey.

And, most importantly of all, whatever and wherever you choose to study, enjoy it.