Education Otherwise than at School arranged by parent (otherwise known as Elective Home Education).

Elective Home Education is a natural continuation of parenting and can be very rewarding, however, it does require your time and resources. There is normally no financial assistance with home education so it can cost you as much or as little as what you want it to. 

Electively Home Educating your child is a big decision and one which should only be taken because you want to do it not because you feel pressured or do so because your child's needs are not being met elsewhere. We therefore, recommend you contact your child's school or Local Authority first. The important thing is it must be right for you and your child but also secures their right to an education.

What do I have to provide?

You are not required to follow the National Curriculum, sit National Curriculum Tests or follow the prescribed hours children are expected to attend school, however, you will need to be prepared to demonstrate that your child spends the majority of time learning, in accordance with their age, aptitude, ability and any special educational needs they may have, when required to do so. 

It is important to note that good numeracy and literacy skills are considered essential and therefore unless there are exceptional circumstances, arrangements which do not allow children to develop those fundamental skills will likely be considered unsuitable

What if my child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)?

An EHCP is a statutory document and the provision outlined in the Plan must be provided; therefore if you feel you are having to home educate because of any other reason than it being your preferred choice then it may be that the Plan is not suitable and the child is not receiving the right support. It may also mean that the Local Authority has a duty under S19 Education Act.

If a child has an EHCP a review of their Plan should be carried out to ensure it is still relevant and whether any change of or additional support is required. As a parent you will be expected to meet the needs set out in the Plan but you do not have to provide Special Educational Provision. A Local Authority must not assume because the arrangements you make may differ from Part F of the plan, that you are providing an unsuitable education. It should also consider using it's powers to provide this provision if it is in the child's best interests to receive it.

Until the Plan is amended or stops, a Local Authority will need to review it with parents Annually, although that may be more frequent if the Authority has concerns about the suitability of the arrangements that a parent has put in place, at least until it is satisfied that the child is receiving a suitable education. 

Where the Local Authority is not satisfied that suitable arrangements are in place and you have no desire to return your child to school then it may consider serving a School Attendance Order or make arrangements under s19 Education Act 1996 or s61 Children and Families Act 2014.

Who do I have to notify?

Where a parent has elected to home educate they must request in writing that the child's name to be removed from the Admissions Register in accordance with Regulation 8(1)(d) The Education (Pupil Registration)(England) Regulations 2006. 

If a child has never attended school then parents do not need to inform anyone although it is advisable for them to let their Local Authority know so they can support if needed. 

If a child attends a special school the parent must seek consent beforehand so a review would be helpful in addressing the reasons why a parent feels elective home education is a suitable option for their child; having regard to both s19 of the Education Act 1996 and s61 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

What will the LA do?

Local Authorities have a duty to take reasonable steps to identify children who may not be receiving a suitable education (s436A Education Act 1996) so if an Authority becomes aware of a child and cannot satisfy itself that the child is receiving a suitable education then it will make contact with the parent to enquire about the arrangements they are making for their child.

Parents do not have to comply with any requests made of them, however, it is sensible for them to do so as it will avoid any unnecessary action being taken. If a Local Authority is aware of a child in their area and has no information to satisfy itself that the child is in receipt of a suitable education then it may consider serving a School Attendance Order

What are the risks?

As soon as a child is removed from the school's admission register they are no longer a registered pupil of the school and therefore the place will be allocated to another child. You can choose to stop home education at any stage; however, this may result in admission to a different school than that they were previously attending.

Remember home educating a child is a big responsibility should never be because a child's needs are not being met.  It is therefore essential that any parent wishing to home educate discusses their intentions with the school and local authority to ensure it is in the child's best interest and that they do not miss out on the support which could be provided.