Elective home education

Also called EHE, Home schooling, Home education

A parent choosing to educate their child outside school. Legal, and it transfers the duty and the cost to you.

What it is

Parents in England may educate a child at home. The legal duty in section 7 of the Education Act 1996 is on the parent to secure efficient full-time education suitable to the child's age, ability, aptitude and any SEN — "either by regular attendance at school or otherwise".

Home education is the "or otherwise".

Where it applies

Any parent of a child of compulsory school age. You do not need permission for a child not on a school roll; if they are on a roll, you write to the school to have them removed.

If your child attends a special school arranged by the council, you need the council's consent to remove them.

How it works

The council has no duty to fund it and, in almost all cases, does not. You pay for materials, tutors and exam entries, and finding a centre to enter a private candidate for GCSEs can be difficult and expensive.

Councils can make informal enquiries about the education being provided and can serve a school attendance order if it does not appear suitable.

An EHCP is not cancelled by home educating, but if you choose home education the council is not obliged to fund the provision in the plan. That is completely different from EOTAS, where the council arranges and funds it.

What you can ask for

Before deciding, ask whether what you actually want is EOTAS or a section 19 package. Families under pressure over attendance are frequently encouraged to deregister, and doing so moves the cost and the legal duty onto them and removes the council's.

Ask for anything suggested about deregistration in writing. Off-rolling — pressuring a family to remove a child to avoid an exclusion or a poor result — is not lawful.

If you do home educate, keep a record of what you provide. It makes any enquiry straightforward.

Where to get help

Education Otherwise and HE-UK for practical support. IPSEA and Child Law Advice on the legal position, especially where SEND or attendance pressure is involved.