Written by Ryan Lockett, Headteacher of TLC LIVE Online School
Giving your child the skills to independently learn and support their education is crucial for confidence. As the education landscape changes, more families and schools are discovering how online learning can be a great tool for developing these qualities in pupils.
At TLC LIVE Online School, we’ve seen first-hand how a supportive and flexible learning environment encourages pupils to grow in self-belief and confidence as they discover what methods work best for them. In this blog, we’ll explore the ways in which independent learning skills can be promoted and supported and highlight why it’s more important than ever to teach children these strategies.
What is independent learning and why does it matter?
Independent learning is when your child takes responsibility for their own progress instead of relying on constant reminders or step-by-step instructions. They engage actively with lessons, homework, extracurricular activities and take learning into their own hands. They then begin to solve problems themselves and build a sense of ownership over their personal development that is central to their success in school and beyond.
Independent learning skills are practical habits that pupils can develop over time. These might include planning and managing their time for revision, finding and organising extra resources, staying motivated, and being able to ask for help when needed. Different pupils will build independence in different ways, but the overall goal is the same, for your child to feel capable of managing more of their own learning.
In a traditional classroom, it can be difficult for every student to keep up with the same pace. Online learning allows pupils to revisit topics in-depth and ask questions without fear of judgement. With this personalised approach at TLC LIVE Online School, anxiety is reduced and self-assurance grows.
Independent learning strategies are the methods and routines that help pupils use these skills day to day. Examples include using checklists, setting goals, creating a study timetable or breaking larger tasks into smaller steps. When pupils have a few reliable strategies that they can turn to, they are better able to manage new challenges.
It is important to remember that independence does not mean zero support, and parents and educators still play a vital role in guiding and encouraging pupils. The difference is that the motivation and drive increasingly come from the child, rather than from adults telling them what to do.
Confidence and independence go hand in hand. At TLC LIVE Online School, we intentionally build in ‘small wins’ so pupils regularly experience success with challenging material and start to trust their own abilities.
Key independent learning skills your child can develop
To help your child become more independent with their learning, it’s important to be clear about what independence looks like in practice. Below are some of the most important independent learning skills to focus on, along with independent learning strategies that support them:
- Time management and planning – Examples include creating a weekly timetable for lessons and time for revision, with specific details on what to revise, when, and how long for being a bonus.
- Organisation skills and use of resources – Time management is great, but having organisation skills with regards to resources, extra reading lists and physical tidying is important for reducing last-minute stress. At TLC LIVE Online School, we provide practice questions and past papers for pupils to use and actively encourage wider reading.
- Goal setting – Setting clear, definable goals within realistic timeframes helps break down learning into achievable steps and supports with managing deadlines. Our teachers regularly help pupils to set clear, actionable goals for each lesson, then review the goals at the end so they can see their progress.
- Self-monitoring and knowing when to get support – Regularly checking their progress against their own goals teaches pupils to reflect, adjust and recognise when to ask for help. In our lessons, teachers prompt pupils to explain what they’re stuck on and what they’ve already tried, which builds this self‑monitoring mindset.
- Self-motivation and perseverance – Motivation is critical to a pupil’s success, so being able to keep themselves determined to learn something, even in the face of less interesting topics or tricky hurdles, is key.
How online and classroom learning can promote independence
Independent learning can be nurtured in mainstream schools, at home and through online support. Different environments offer different opportunities to practise these skills.
Flexible pacing can help pupils take more control of their learning. In some settings – such as homework or revision– they may be able to pause, revisit explanations or spend longer on a tricky topic. Choosing when and how to revise material strengthens their ability to assess their own understanding.
Smaller groups and one‑to‑one discussions give pupils more space to ask questions. Some children find it easier to speak up in smaller settings, or to use chat functions rather than raising a hand in front of a whole class. This can be a helpful way to build self‑advocacy and encourage them to seek clarification when they need it.
Structured routines also support independent learning as they give students regularity, so they know what to expect when they come to lessons. Different children have different levels of needs and learning and, at TLC LIVE, we build in structure while leaving flexibility too so every child can do their best learning. For example, this flexibility may be leaving extra time to revise a topic or taking the time to answer pupils’ questions in detail while in class.
Access to resources is another useful tool. Learning how to find, choose and use these resources well is an important independent learning skill. At TLC LIVE, we offer over 214,000 practice questions (for example, check out our Year 5 Maths questions or our GCSE Chemistry questions) for pupils to use across different subjects and exam boards. Pupils can access these independently at any time.
Practical activities to promote independent learning at home
Parents and carers play an important role in supporting independence. At first, it may seem like hand holding, but in order to practice independence, children and teenagers need to see good examples first. Here are some simple, practical activities to promote independent learning that you can introduce at home:
- Create a simple weekly study timetable – Support them with the first draft and encourage them to think about what lessons they do and when would be a good time to revisit topics taught.
- Use checklists for tasks – Encourage your child to write a short checklist for each study session they do and for any big homework tasks.
- Encourage preparation and follow‑up – Where possible, encourage your child to do some research in advance on a topic they know is coming up. After a lesson, get them to recall and summarise what they’ve learnt.
- Support a healthy life outside school – Children need time away from education in order to do their best work. Encourage an active life outside of school – clubs are great ideas – and make sure they have enough time for rest too.
- Gradually reduce the amount of prompting you give – Once you’ve established these tips, you can steadily hand over all responsibility to your child. If they make a mistake, they’ll learn from it. The goal is not to remove all difficulty, but to give them the freedom – and responsibility – to learn and thrive.
- Provide a consistent and clean space – Giving your child a place they know is to be used for studying is a good way to help and allow them to focus. Keep it neat too as clutter can impact the concentration of your child.
- Use extra support – If your child is finding it hard to become more independent, extra structure from online platforms like TLC LIVE Online School or Online Tutoring can help hugely. Regular sessions help them manage their learning, and gives that extra expert support for when they need it.
Final thoughts
Promoting independent learning is not something that appears overnight. It develops gradually, through clear expectations, consistent routines and supportive adults who are willing to step back a little as pupils grow. By focusing on key independent learning skills and introducing simple activities to promote independent learning at home, you can help your child build the confidence and independence they need to thrive now and in the future.
If you’re interested in how online learning can support your child in their confidence and independence skills, get in touch with us today.