InventumInventum
vs
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Wolsey Hall Oxford

Which Online School Actually Teaches Your Child?

Both offer Cambridge IGCSEs and A-Levels online with total schedule flexibility. The difference is what happens after your child submits their work — and how long they have to wait.

Inventum
Wolsey Hall Oxford
Teaching
Live lessons, expert recordings & async
No teaching — marking only
1-on-1 sessions
1-on-1 sessions with your subject teacher
Zero — no live sessions ever
Student support
Dedicated pastoral Success Coach
Admin SPM (email only)
Pricing
From €730 per subject/year
From £570 + reg fee + exam fees

€730

Starting price per subject

1-on-1

Teacher sessions included

24/7

Content access

3

Learning journeys

How it works

How Inventum Works

Wolsey Hall is 100% self-paced with no live teaching — ever. Inventum gives you three genuinely different approaches, from fully asynchronous to live small-group. Real teaching at every level.

Journey 1

Fully Asynchronous Learning

24/7 access to our premium core curriculum materials. Study entirely at your own pace, free from any bell schedule or forced live attendance. Perfect for highly independent learners.

Ideal for: Independent learners, professional athletes, globally mobile families

Journey 2

Recorded Precision Teaching

Expert recorded lessons you can pause, rewind, and re-watch until mastery is achieved. Actual teaching — not just a textbook and a marking turnaround.

Ideal for: Students who need structure but can't commit to fixed time slots

Journey 3

Live Precision Teaching

Small-group live sessions — intimate, discussion-based, and taught by a specialist. Real-time interaction that a correspondence model simply cannot offer.

Ideal for: Students who thrive on real-time interaction and collaborative problem-solving

Head-to-Head Comparison

Inventum vs. Wolsey Hall Oxford

Teaching model
Inventum

Expert lessons — live, recorded, or fully async

Wolsey Hall Oxford

No teaching — tutors mark submitted assignments only

1-on-1 teacher sessions
Inventum

1-on-1 sessions with your subject teacher included per subject

Wolsey Hall Oxford

Submit work and wait 3–5 business days for written feedback

Feedback speed
Inventum

Direct access to your subject teacher in your scheduled sessions

Wolsey Hall Oxford

3–5 business day turnaround per assignment

Total Transparency

The Real Cost Comparison

Wolsey Hall's headline prices look reasonable — until you add the £95 registration fee, exam entry fees paid directly to exam centres, and international textbook shipping. Inventum's pricing covers what it says it covers.

Pricing structure

Inventum

Per-subject, fully modular

Wolsey Hall

Course bundles (tiered by volume)

3 A-Level subjects

Inventum

~€2,595 (~£2,210)

Wolsey Hall

£1,710–£2,565 + £95 reg fee + exam fees

Teaching included

Inventum

Yes — live, recorded & async lessons

Wolsey Hall

No — marking only (submit & wait)

1-on-1 teacher sessions

Inventum

1-on-1 sessions with your subject teacher included

Wolsey Hall

None — no live teacher interaction

Payment options

Inventum

Flexible: 1, 3, 6, or 10 instalments

Wolsey Hall

Upfront or 6 monthly instalments

With Inventum, your child gets actual teaching — not just marked assignments — for a comparable price.

See full pricing breakdown
Which School Is Right for You?

The Honest Answer

Wolsey Hall might suit you if...

  • Your child is exceptionally self-motivated and genuinely needs zero teaching support
  • You have an engaged parent at home who can fill knowledge gaps between the 3–5 day feedback cycles
  • Your child has specific SEND requirements and benefits from their specialist wellbeing team
  • The 130-year institutional heritage matters for university application context

Inventum is built for you if...

  • You want your child to actually be taught — not just have work submitted and marked
  • You want 1-on-1 sessions with a subject teacher included — not just a marking turnaround
  • You need total scheduling flexibility without sacrificing the quality of instruction
  • You want transparent pricing — Inventum's €250 registration fee vs Wolsey Hall's £95 fee plus exam fees and international shipping on top

Next step: Schedule a personal discovery call

Book a free academic fit call for your child.

Get an academic assessment, ask your questions, and leave with a clear online school plan before you make an enrolment decision.

  • Free academic assessment
  • No obligation to enroll
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Cambridge & Pearson accredited

Frequently Asked Questions.

All the tests and exams in the Upper Primary (Year 5 & Year 6) and Lower Secondary (Year 7-Year 9) are internal Inventum exams taken online. For the second year of the IGCSE program (Year 11), AS (Year 12), and A-Levels (Year 13), the exams have to be taken in a physical Cambridge or Pearson exam centre. You can find the list of exam centres worldwide here.

For the Upper Primary (Year 5 & Year 6) and Lower Secondary (Year 7-Year 9), you will receive a certificate from Inventum when you complete a year level. Cambridge issues your certificate for IGCSE. For AS and A-Levels, your certificate comes from Cambridge or Pearson, depending on which board's syllabus you follow.

Successful completion of A-Levels will give you access to universities around the world. This is the most recognised secondary school certificate globally by universities and employers.

In principle, this is possible, but it will require your time and dedication. You will still pay the fees for two years, as you will have access to 121 teaching, live lessons, etc., for both years.

You decide on the study schedule based on your preferences and timetable. Your dedicated study coach can help you make a schedule that suits your circumstances. When choosing Journey 3, you also commit to the live lessons schedule.

We use precision teaching, meaning the live lessons cover only the critical and most difficult parts of the curriculum. On average, there are two live lessons a week per subject.

This will depend on yourself, the number of chosen subjects and the year level, but on average, a full-time Learner spends approximately four hours a day studying.

The Upper Primary (Year 5 & Year 6) and Lower Secondary (Year 7- Year 9) have five mandatory subjects: English, Maths, Science, History and Geography. There are no mandatory subjects for IGCSE (Years 10&11) and A-Level programs (Years 12&13), but you choose them based on your interests and future plans.

For the Upper Primary (Year 5 & Year 6), Lower Secondary (Year 7-Year 9), and IGCSEs (Years 10&11), you will be required, as a full-time student, to take a minimum of five subjects and for the A-Level program (Years 12&13) a minimum of three subjects.

You can complete the application form on our website by clicking the “Apply” button.

Once we receive your application, we will contact you within 48 hours to arrange an onboarding call. During this call, you will be introduced to all our platforms, handbooks, and practices and assigned a dedicated study coach. After this, you are ready to start!

We are a non-selective school and will therefore not require a certain grade average, but we will assess every case individually. Learners need, however, to be fluent in English as this is the language of instruction.

We look at the Learner’s age and previous schooling history to determine the best starting point for them at Inventum. If there are any doubts, we recommend the Learner take a CAT4 test.

Our high flexibility learning model, combined with the level of support Learners can choose from, is a unique feature among online schools. Together with the Learner, we build the learning journey that caters to their individual needs. By following our mindset modules, we ensure they are ready for the future by educating them on emerging technologies and ensuring they grow as individuals.

Cambridge certificate is recognised globally by universities. We do not, however, have agreements with local educational authorities, so it is the parent’s responsibility to check the rules and possible restrictions for homeschooling or online schooling in their home country.

A-Levels ask students to specialise in three or four subjects in depth, while the IB requires six subjects across a broad range plus an extended essay and Theory of Knowledge. Both are recognised for university entry worldwide.

Read the full IB vs A-Levels comparison