Home Education Hub: A Welcoming Space for Families in West Yorkshire

At Northorpe Hall, we’ve always believed that every child deserves a learning environment that works for them. That’s why we’re so excited to open our new Home Education Hub here in Mirfield — a welcoming space dedicated to supporting the growing number of families choosing to home educate across West Yorkshire.

The number of families opting for Elective Home Education is on the rise. Over 4,500 children in West Yorkshire are now learning at home, part of a national 21% increase over the past year.

Seeing this growing need, we felt it was so important to open the new Home Education Hub — a safe, supportive space where children, young people, and their families can grow, explore, and connect, while having access to flexible, personalised learning opportunities.

Open Day: A Warm Welcome for Families

We kicked things off with a special Open Day, welcoming families from across the local area. Children enjoyed a variety of activities, from making a ‘Calm Jar’ and a wellbeing dice game, to building a gratitude tree.

Meanwhile, parents shared their reasons for choosing home education — from needing flexibility around younger siblings, to helping children who were struggling in school settings. One mum told us, “She was having meltdowns and couldn’t cope with the setting.” 

Hearing these stories reminds us why this Hub is so important.

Helen Parker, our Learning and Development Lead, said it beautifully: “Parents have told us how scared they feel, worried if they are doing the right thing. Some come to us and cry because they feel isolated and don’t know what to do, but home education doesn’t have to mean isolation. Families want opportunities to connect, and that’s where Northorpe Hall can help.”

Workshops, Learning Spaces, and Creative Experiences

The Hub offers twice-weekly Open Education Learning Spaces, giving families access to resources, books, computers, and a supportive environment. Workshops run by our team will help children and young people build confidence and resilience, while parents and carers can attend practical sessions and peer-support groups.

We’re also delighted to offer interactive sessions from our amazing partners, including LEGO-based therapy with Brick Build Guild, Creature Connections’ invertebrate workshops, and Mac's Makers and Creators art sessions — all of which will run regularly at the Hub.

Join Us at the Hub

The Home Education Hub is open now, with sessions available throughout the week. Families can find out more, see what’s coming up, and book their place via our website: www.northorpe.com/homeedreg.

And for families who are keen to share their experiences to make a difference for others, there's an upcoming opportunity to tell your home education story to local media, helping raise awareness of the growing need for services like ours.

For more information about workshops, upcoming sessions, or anything else in this article, please email support@northorpe.com.

We’re proud to provide this space where home-educating families can come together, share experiences, and give their children the opportunities they deserve to thrive — because no child’s learning journey should be one they take alone.