Beyond the Page vs Oak Meadow
The main differences
Both tie subjects together through stories, real books and hands-on projects, with a parent leading the lessons. Beyond the Page is set by age level, teaches science, social studies and language arts through units with novels and science kits in the box, and its Age 8 to 10 package with math was $1,114.55. Oak Meadow is Waldorf-inspired, set by grade, with one coursebook covering every subject up to 3rd grade; its 3rd grade print package was $584.25 on sale.
| Beyond the Page | Oak Meadow | |
|---|---|---|
| Subjects | All subjects: math, language arts, science and history and geography | All subjects: math, language arts, science and history and geography |
| Grades | Age levels 4-5 to 12-14 (about pre-K to 8th grade), plus High School 1 for 9th or 10th grade | Pre-K to 12th grade |
| Method | Literature-based | Waldorf |
| Format | Books and workbooks | Books and workbooks |
| Faith label | Secular | Secular |
| Cost a year | $1,114.55. Age 8-10 (about 4th grade) full-year package with science, social studies, language arts and math: $1,114.55, shown as $196.68 off retail. The same package without math is $885.36. | $584.25. 3rd Grade Package in print (coursebook for all subjects, resource book, cursive workbook, recorder songbook and literature books): $584.25 on sale, list price $615. A digital version is $327.60 on sale (list $468). A teaching guide, crafts book and health book are recommended extras. |
| Placement | Age-level guide and placement assessments ↗ | None on the publisher's site |
| Parent time | Not stated by the publisher | Not stated by the publisher |
| It fits | A family with a curious, confident reader who wants science, social studies and language arts tied together through real books and projects, with a parent ready to lead each day. | A family that wants a gentle, arts-rich year in print, with stories, crafts and nature woven into each week. |
| It doesn't fit | A family on a tight budget, or one that wants a child to work alone through a workbook or a screen with little parent time. | A family that wants a low-cost plan, lessons on a screen, or a program the child works through alone. |
Beyond the Page
Beyond the Page, also known by its older name Moving Beyond the Page, is a literature-based curriculum set out by age level instead of grade, from Age 4-5 to High School 1. Science, social studies and language arts are taught together through units built on real books, projects and hands-on kits, while math is taught as its own subject. A full-year package ships the lesson books, student pages, novels and science kits, and online access to the same lessons now comes with every hard-copy order.
Does well: A full-year package includes the required novels, science kits and manipulatives, so most of the year arrives in one order.
Watch for: The four-subject Age 8-10 package is $1,114.55, so a full year is a large purchase for one child.
Oak Meadow
Oak Meadow is a Waldorf-inspired curriculum from preschool to 12th grade, sold as print coursebooks (or digital) for families to teach at home; its enrolled distance-learning school is a separate option. From kindergarten to 3rd grade each grade is one coursebook of 36 weekly lessons, each with a story, covering language arts, math, science, social studies, art, music and crafts, along with a resource book and literature. Children in the early grades spend about 3 to 4 hours a day on the work.
Does well: Kindergarten to 3rd grade fits in one coursebook per grade, with weekly planners, assignment checklists and a materials list.
Watch for: The 3rd grade package is $584.25 on sale, and the teaching guide, crafts book and health book are recommended extras.
Lists with both
- Homeschool all-in-one curricula 22
- Secular homeschool curricula 30
- Homeschool curricula for pre-K and kindergarten 48
- Homeschool curricula for middle school 51
- Homeschool curricula for high school 38
- Print homeschool curricula 44
- Secular homeschool all-in-one curricula 8
- Secular homeschool curricula for pre-K and kindergarten 25
How we label
Every fact on a card was read on the publisher's own website on the date shown, and the page it came from is linked. A fact we could not confirm there is left out. Costs are for one child and one year of the main package, as the publisher's page showed them that day; prices and sales change. Method and format are the publisher's own description where it gives one. The only thing we say about religion is one label, secular or faith-based, given by the rule above; where the publisher's pages don't settle it, the card has no label.
Something wrong or out of date? Send a correction; publishers can send corrections, never money. Every program compared