Membership costs £20 per year for a family and includes the following benefits:
New members benefits
Membership Certificates & Truancy Cards
- Membership Certificates have a record of your membership number and can be used to ‘prove’ your status as a home educator. Many museums and attractions will accept this as evidence enough to give reduced price access.
- Truancy Cards are really useful for older children who can keep it on their person when out and about without parents. It can help if asked by Truancy Officers why they aren’t at school, and the requirements of the law are quoted as well as a statement declaring that they are home educated.
Copy Of “Making The Right Impression”
This is a book containing a selection of home educating case studies. It was collated and printed by CHESS using the testimonies of CHESS members who were willing to write down their experiences for the benefit of those coming behind them on the home education road. It reinforces the understanding that every family’s journey is as unique and different as the children in it, and is particularly helpful for those new to home education.
Additional benefits available to all members
Day Conferences
Members always receive advance notification and significantly discounted/free tickets to our Rock Solid day conferences which we plan to continue holding regularly around the country.
Home Time Magazine
This is our Members magazine which is published 2/3 times a year and emailed as a digital file. It contains encouragement, reviews and interesting articles related to Home Education. Contributions are encouraged and invited from members. Please email ruth@chessuk.org if you have something to contribute, or if you would like to be asked to write something on a given theme. All past issues are available in the members area of the website. See our Home Time Magazine Issue 86 (Apr 24) for a sample.
Connect Meetings
CHESS Connect is a bi-monthly online meeting which offers you a fantastic opportunity to get to know other Christian families, to share together, pray with, and be encouraged in your home education journey. See full details about Connect here.
Facebook Group
Members only group to keep you updated and encouraged on your home education journey.
Annual Holiday at Cefn Lea in Wales
Each September, over 100 CHESS families meet together for a week full of activities and encouragement especially for our members! Heaps of fun, great conversations and sharing times, and probably more scooters than you’ve ever seen in one place!! More Holiday details here.
General Home Education Advice
All matters relating to home education, preparing for the visit of an Local Education Advisor, coping with uniform criticism, supporting a child with special needs etc. Where we cannot give help ourselves we try to refer the problem to someone who can. Contact Us.
World Book Day Vouchers
World Book Day vouchers are available free of charge to CHESS members. Every year around February time, members are invited to order their requirements for the coming year. These are sent out in time for World Book Day which is usually in the first week of March each year.
Online Members Directory
This is held in a secure part of the website and is only visible to other paid up CHESS members who are in the directory themselves. It is great to find and connect with others in your area , and who knows, you may just find a heart connection waiting to happen…
Membership Certificates & Truancy Cards
After the first year of membership, a personalised Membership certificate will be sent via email. This shows your proof of membership and also contains the truancy card wording. Membership certificates will be emailed annually to all members around February and can be printed off as required.
Political Activity
We monitor major educational political proposals and keep our members up to date with what being said and happening. Where appropriate we assist with political lobbying on issues that affect us as home educators.
Occasional Member Only Special Offers
From time to time we are able to pass on savings, discounts and special offers to our members. These will be emailed as and when they are available.
Personal Information – Storage & Privacy
At CHESS the storage and privacy of your personal information is very important to us.
Your full information is securely stored and is accessible by you and the data controlled (admin) only. Your information is not shared with any 3rd party organisations. To connect with other members your name, email and city/town can be found by other CHESS members (who are logged in) within the CHESS members directory, see a CHESS members directory sample here. If you do not wish this basic information to be viewable to other members in the membership directory you can opt out of being included in the directory. At any time you can request CHESS to delete all your personal information.