What are ACE PACEs? A practical guide for UK home educators

ACE PACEs are short, self-instructional workbooks used in the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) curriculum. Each PACE covers a unit of one subject. Christian Education Europe says each subject has 12 PACEs per level, and a learner can be working at different levels in different subjects. For a UK home-educating family, the point is a clear sequence of small goals, practice and checks, with an adult still guiding the learning. Christian Education Europe explains the PACE structure.

How do ACE PACEs work day to day?

The provider starts with diagnostic testing to place a learner in each subject. That placement is based on what the child knows, rather than assuming the same level for every subject. A child could, for example, work on Level 4 Maths and Level 5 English. This is an illustration of the structure, not a recommended placement for any particular child. See the ACE curriculum overview.

A typical cycle is: set a manageable daily goal, work through the PACE, check and correct the exercises, complete its Checkups, take the Self Test, and then take the final PACE Test when ready. Christian Education Europe says the adult should supervise self-scoring and score the final test. A Checkup that exposes a gap is a cue to revisit the concept, not a reason to rush to the next booklet. Read the provider’s description of the assessments and its guidance for home educators.

What might a week with ACE PACEs look like?

Imagine a child beginning a new Maths PACE on Monday while continuing an English PACE from the previous week. The parent and child agree on a realistic number of pages for each day. After a Maths Checkup on Wednesday, they notice that one method needs more practice, so Thursday includes a worked example and a fresh attempt. The English PACE may reach its Self Test on Friday. The child need not finish both subjects on the same day.

That example shows how the sequence can flex by subject. It does not replace the provider’s placement advice or the parent’s judgement about what the child needs. Reading together, discussion, practical activities and time outdoors can sit alongside workbook work.

What should parents record?

A simple weekly note can make progress visible without turning home education into paperwork. Record the subject and PACE number, the goal the child chose, any Checkup concept that needed another try, and the date and result of the final test. Add a sentence about reading, experiments, visits or conversations that developed the topic. Christian Education Europe describes a Supervisor’s Progress Card for recording PACE Test results. See its home-education guidance.

These notes are a practical tool, not a claim that England requires a particular PACE log. If you are organising learning across a family or group, keep the routine simple enough to sustain. The NexSteps toolkit offers a starting point for thinking about shared learning and records; our home-education page sets out the family context. For school teams using structured curricula, see the NexSteps schools overview.

Are ACE PACEs a good fit for UK home education?

ACE is explicitly Christian and uses a structured, mastery-based workbook approach. Families should consider whether its religious perspective, level of independent work, adult support and subject coverage fit their child. Ask how diagnostic placement works, what happens when a learner is stuck, and how the programme leaves room for wider learning. The provider can explain its own materials and support arrangements. See the provider’s curriculum outline.

In England, home-educating parents do not have to follow the National Curriculum, but they must ensure a suitable full-time education. That means choosing ACE does not, by itself, settle whether the full education is suitable for an individual child. Rules and guidance differ across the UK, so check the guidance for your nation and circumstances. Read GOV.UK’s home-education guidance for England.

Questions to ask before starting

Which diagnostic tests should the child take, and who interprets them? Which PACE and subject level should start first? What support is available when a Checkup reveals a gap? Who scores the final tests, and where will results be kept? How will the child’s learning beyond the workbooks be planned and noticed? Clear answers make the first month more manageable than buying a large stack of materials without a routine.

ACE PACEs can offer a defined path through each subject, but the adult still decides how to support the child, adapt the day and look at the whole education. Begin with placement and a small, realistic routine, then review what the child is actually learning.