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Elective Home Education

Elective Home Education (EHE) is when a parent chooses not to send their child to school full-time but assumes responsibility for making sure their child receives a full-time education other than at school. Some children are electively home educated from age 5 and may never attend school. In other cases, a child may be removed from their school’s roll for EHE.

Educating children at home works well when it is a positive choice and carried out with proper regard for the needs of the child. In many cases, elective home education is appropriate, well-delivered and involves considerable sacrifice on the part of parents.

 

EHE requires parents to take full responsibility for their child’s education, including all associated costs (such as exam fees).

Schools are not required to provide any support to parents that have withdrawn their child for EHE. Support provided by Local Authorities (LA) is discretionary, including support for a child’s special educational needs, however parents are legally required to demonstrate to the LA that their child is receiving a suitable education.

Parents should not be placed under pressure by schools to electively home educate their child. This is a form of ‘off-rolling’ and is never acceptable.

If you feel under pressure to keep your child at home and educate the child yourself rather than sending them back to school full-time, we recommend you discuss this with your LA.

 

If you think EHE might be in the best interests of your child, the Government expects your LA to coordinate a meeting with you involving your child’s school. Although not compulsory, we strongly recommend you meet with your school to consider whether EHE is appropriate for your family and your child before you decide whether to withdraw them from their school’s roll.

Where a pupil is withdrawn from school for EHE, there is no obligation for the school to keep that place open. If the parent wishes to return their child to school, they may not be able to return to the same school.

Once a child is educated at home, LAs will begin making enquiries as to how suitable the education being provided is. Failure to satisfy the enquiry may result in you being issued with a School Attendance Order.

All parents have a duty to make sure that their children receive an efficient, full time education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise (under section 7 of the Education Act 1996).

Before making a final decision you should talk to your child(ren)’s school in the first instance or the Education Welfare Service if the decision to educate your child(ren) at home has been made because 

  • of a disagreement with a teacher
  • a school issue has not been resolved
  • you feel under any pressure to home educate

Read more information here Home education | Hull City Council (Hull City Council website)

(7) Once the Local Authority is notified of your intention to home educate your child, you will be contacted by a Access and Inclusion Officer (AIO) who will discuss your decision with you and any concerns you may have. If following the visit from the AIO you decide to continue to home educate you will be advised of when the next visit to review the work being provided will take place. This visit is to establish that a suitable education is being provided and to give you the opportunity to discuss your programme of work and seek any support or advice you may need. There is no obligation to accept this visit to your home. You may wish to arrange to meet elsewhere if this is more appropriate or provide samples of your child’s work and the books and resources you are using along with a written report.

My child has SEN school support or does not have SEN - the information below is relevant to you.

My child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) - the information below is relevant to you.

If your child has an EHCP plan you should tell the local authority you’ll be educating our child at home.

If your child is at a mainstream school, their plan will need to be changed. The placement (school) named on the plan will have to be changed and the support your child gets will probably need to be looked at.

 

If your child has an EHCP plan you should tell the local authority you’ll be educating our child at home.

If your child is at a special school their EHCP will need to be changed. You will also need to get consent from the local authority to take your child’s name off the school’s roll. This shouldn’t take long or be complicated. The local authority can say no if you ask to home educate. If this happens, you can appeal their decision not to change the EHCP.

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Last updated: 6/14/2022