What is Elective Home Education?

Elective home education, sometimes called EHE or home schooling, is when a parent chooses to provide education for their child at home instead of sending them to school full-time.

This means that parents are taking on the responsibility for the education of their child, including the financial cost of doing so.

There are no specific legal requirements as to the content of home education, but parents must ensure that the child receives an efficient, suitable full-time education whilst the child is of compulsory school age.

Elective Home Education is different to education provided by a local authority otherwise than at a school, for example, children who are too unwell to attend a school.

Parents should never be put under pressure by a school to remove their child to avoid a formal exclusion, or because their child is having difficulty with learning or behaviour.

Who can I speak to?

Take your time to find out as much as you can so that you can make an informed choice. Once a child is removed from a school roll, there is no guarantee of a place in the same school in the future.

You can ask for a meeting with the current school or setting and you can speak to the Local Authority Education Inclusion Team.

SEND Local Offer | Education Inclusion – SEND Local Offer

If your child has an EHCP, you can also speak to the SEND Coordinator in the Local Authority SEND Team.

You can also talk to SENDIASS, we could give you information about the options available to you.

What do I need to do?

If you have made the decision to electively home educate, we recommend that you inform the school and the local authority Education Inclusion Service of your decision to home educate. When a child is removed from a school admissions register, the school are required to inform the local authority that the child is no longer on their school role.

If your child has an EHCP, you should speak to the SEND Coordinator in the Local Authority about your decision. If your child attends a special school and this was arranged by the local authority, then you need the permission of the local authority before they can be removed from the school admissions register.

The local authority has no duty to provide education or secure special educational provision outlined in an EHCP for your child if you have elected to home educate, provided they are satisfied the arrangements you have made are suitable.

Where can I get more information?

You can read the guidance about Elective Home Education

Visit the IPSEA website

Contact SENDIASS who can talk to you about your individual circumstances and offer information, advice and support.