Key facts about home education

  • Parents who home educate their children don’t need to:
    • employ tutors if they don’t want to
    • teach the National Curriculum, a broad and balanced curriculum, or provide formal lessons or national tests
    • match school based standards for children of a particular age
    • work to a fixed timetable or to set hours, days or terms
    • have premises equipped to any particular standards.
  • If your child is registered at a school, you must write to the chair of the governing body asking them to remove their name from the school roll.  If you keep your child at home without taking them off the roll you could be prosecuted for their non-attendance.
  • Local authorities have no legal duty to provide financial or other support to parents who choose to educate their children at home.  However it is good practice for them to offer advice.
  • Local authorities have no powers to enter your home but they do have a duty to check that you are providing suitable education for your child.
  • Suitable education is defined in law as education that is right for your child’s age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs they may have.
  • Even if your local authority is satisfied that your arrangements are suitable, it must continue to review your child’s statement at least annually, if they have one. However it doesn’t have to arrange the help listed on your child’s statement. 

You must be invited to the annual review meeting and must show that you are fulfilling your legal duty to meet your child’s special educational needs. You can get further advice and information, from: