If you wish, you may teach your child at home instead of sending him or her to school. This is known as home schooling, home education, elective home education or ‘education otherwise’.
What does home education involve?
Your child must be educated from the age of five. And the education you give should be suitable to:
- Your child’s age, ability and aptitude
- Any special educational needs he or she has.
If you decide to teach your child at home, you will be responsible for all his or her education along with any costs, including the cost of any public exams.
Home schooling isn’t the same as home tuition. Home tuition is for children who are too unwell to go to school and we provide this support.
Can any child be educated at home?
Yes, but if your child has a statement of special educational needs or an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, we (the local authority) have to agree before you can educate him or her at home. Even when we agree, we will still need to look at the statement or the EHC plan again every year to make sure education at home is still suitable for your child's needs.
If your child has been permanently excluded from school and you ask for him or her to be taught at home, we will discuss this at a meeting held by the pupil placement panel. The panel will talk to you about the result of that meeting.
Home education may not be suitable if your child:
- Has problems with attendance at school
- Has been referred to our Youth Offending Team
- Is on the child protection register.
