Home education
Home education
Elective Home Education is given outside of a school, usually by families teaching their children at home. You do not need to be a teacher or have any formal qualifications to teach at home.
Teaching your child at home instead of sending them to school is called Elective Home Education (EHE) or home schooling.
You can teach your child at home once they are old enough to start school (during the term after their fifth birthday).
In line with the Education Act 1996, you’ll need to provide ‘efficient and suitable’ education if you want to teach your child at home.
This Act doesn’t give a strict definition but case law helps explain these terms:
- efficient education can be interpreted as ‘education which achieves what it is intended to achieve’ and your child is progressing
- suitable education means the learning prepares your child for life in today’s society and helps them work towards their full potential
Before making a decision
Things to think about before choosing EHE:
- the good and bad points of learning at home and going to school
- you must pay for everything if you teach your child at home
- your child still needs to play and spend time with other children
Home education is a serious decision that needs careful thought and a long-term commitment. It’s important to consider whether it’s the right choice for your child and your family.
Before you decide on EHE see GOV.UK parental guidance
The Home Education Advisory Service has advice and practical support for families who wish to educate their children at home
Education Otherwise offers a range of services and information on home education
Costs for EHE studies
You’ll need to cover all the costs yourself for EHE.
You’ll need to pay for:
- all learning materials (like books or computers)
- test or examination costs
- any teaching or tutor costs
See advice on how to choose the right private tutor or tuition centre
There is no financial support from the government or us for EHE. We do not provide free school meals.
While computers and internet access aren’t essential, they can be very helpful. You can also find free resources at libraries and community centres across the borough.
Vision has many lesuire and cultural services for children and families
Teaching at home
You do not need to be a teacher or have any formal qualifications to teach at home.
You need to tell us if your child is between 5 and 16 years old and you want to teach them at home.
You can teach your child yourself or pay someone to help you. You must make sure your child gets a full-time education that is right for:
- their age, aptitude and ability
- any special needs they have
Register for elective home education
Tell your school that you started EHE studies
If your child is currently enrolled at a school, you need to tell the Head Teacher.
Let the school know in writing that you’ve decided to educate your child at home and ask for their name to be removed from the school roll.
The Head Teacher must:
- remove your child’s name from the school roll
- inform us that your child has been de-registered
Until this process is complete, your child is still expected to attend school. If they don’t, you could be at risk of legal action.
What we do
We have a legal responsibility to make sure all children are getting an ‘efficient and suitable’ education. We respect your decision to educate your child at home and want to build a positive and respectful relationship with you.
See our school attendance webpage to understand the responsibilities parents have around ensuring their child receives a suitable education.
We ask that families work with us and keep in regular contact if they choose EHE. This means telling us:
- if you move home
- if your child has gone to school
- if you are no longer able to teach your child at home
The EHE Team
By law, we have a duty to check on your child’s education and wellbeing.
Once we understand the ‘efficient and suitable’ education your child is receiving, we’ll get in touch each year to monitor their EHE studies.
We can:
- can give advice and ideas to support your child’s learning
- suggest appropriate free teaching resources
- will write a report based on your child’s education, highlighting strengths and areas to improve
- help with any difficulties
- signpost additional services
If we are concerned about your child’s EHE studies
If we think your child might not be receiving an ‘efficient and suitable’ education, we’ll talk with you about how things could be improved.
If the concerns are still on going and have not been addressed, we may issue a school attendance order (SAO). This means you would need to register your child at a school. Not following the SAO could lead to legal action.
You can send us information at any time to show that your child is now receiving the right education. If this is confirmed, we may remove the SAO.
You can choose how to share this information. Some examples include:
- speaking to the EHE Team to discuss the work completed at home
- write a report
- provide examples of work
- have the work endorsed by a third party for example a private tutor
See GOV.UK for more information on school attendance orders
EHE for children with learning difficulties or SEND
Parents have the same rights to home educate a child with an education, health and care plan (EHC Plan). See our SEND local offer
The needs identified in the EHC Plan need to be met. This will be reviewed with the SEND Team yearly.
You need to contact the Special Educational Needs Team to get permission to take your child out of a special school to educate them at home.
See the SEN and Disability Code of Practice 2015 for more information
RAISS (Redbridge Information, Advice and Support Service) also have information and guidance for SEND
Support for moving back to school
If EHE studies is not right for your child’s education, then you can get them back into school by contacting the Admissions team.
See how to make an in year application for a school place online
Take exams during EHE studies
While being home educated, your child can still take formal exams as a ‘private candidate’.
These exams include:
-
GCSEs
-
IGCSEs (International GCSE), the exam bords include Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel
You need to:
-
choose the exam board such as AQA, Pearson Edexcel and OCR
-
select the subjects
-
contact a private exam centre directly
-
get the syllabus (course content) early so there’s enough time to cover everything
This process takes time and planning.
You may also use a distance learning provider to help with teaching and materials. If so, make sure to check the full cost before signing up.
Keep up to date with vaccinations and health checks
If your child is not attending a school, you can still make sure they’re protected against diseases and receive regular immunisations.
You can get advice and support from your local GP or the school nursing service
You can also book a vision test with a local optician.
Start EHE for a young child or one who has never attended school
If your child is below compulsory school age or has never been registered at a school, you are not legally required to tell us.
However, we ask that you let the EHE team know about your plans.
Flexible study options for children aged 14 to 16
If your child is 14 to 16 years old and mostly learning at home, they may be able to attend a part time college placement.
Advice on if your child wants to work
For information about child employment and performance licensing, see the child employment and chaperoning webpage
Make a complaint
If you are unhappy with the elective home education service, you can make a complaint online
You can also write to us at:
The Children Services Complaint Team
Lynton House
255 – 259 High Road
Ilford
1G1 1NY
