HESFES field guide

Articles from the archive

Read original features connecting the Home Educators’ Summer Festival with hands-on learning, family workshops and home education today.

Some of the best questions about HESFES start with an ordinary detail. What did a parent bring to a workshop? How did a child go from watching to having a go? Our articles take one such idea at a time and explore what families can do with it today.

For dated records, visit the festival year archive. For instructions you can use straight away, browse the workshop collection.

In this collection

5 pages

Article9 November 20264 min read

Follow an old web address: a family evidence activity

Use a historical HESFES advert to compare a printed address, an archived webpage and a present-day check without confusing what each one proves.

Article9 November 20263 min read

Keep one question alive across a week of family activities

Use a flexible activity plan to leave space for a second attempt, a changed idea and a short record of what the family actually noticed.

Article9 November 20264 min read

Two years on one HESFES advert: try an archive investigation

An old advert names 2003 at the top and 2002 in its booking details. Use a calendar and a clearly labelled ticket-budget exercise to test the evidence.

Article8 November 20264 min read

Use the British Museum’s online collection for a family object investigation

Turn one museum object into a focused home-learning activity: look closely, separate observations from guesses, and make an evidence-based object sheet.

Article8 November 2026

What a festival workshop can teach at home

Borrow the spirit of a HESFES workshop with a kitchen-table paper bridge challenge, a second attempt and a simple record of what your family discovers.