What Is Home Education?
Elective Home Education (EHE) means parents choose to educate their child at home instead of sending them to school. It's completely legal in England, and you don't need qualifications or permission to do it.
📜 Your Legal Rights:
- ✅ It's your choice: You can home educate for any reason
- ✅ No permission needed: Just notify the school (or LA if never enrolled)
- ✅ No qualifications required: You don't need to be a teacher
- ✅ No curriculum to follow: National Curriculum is NOT compulsory for home ed
- ✅ Flexible approach: Learn however works for your child
- ✅ You're the boss: LA can monitor but cannot dictate how you teach
⚠️ Your Legal Duty:
You MUST provide an education that is:
- Efficient: Achieves what you intend it to achieve
- Full-time: Suitable hours (not defined—can be flexible)
- Suitable: For your child's age, ability, aptitude, and any SEND
"Suitable" is broad. It doesn't mean workbooks and tests. It means learning that works for YOUR child.
Why Do Parents Home Educate?
Common reasons (especially for SEND families):
- School can't meet child's needs (sensory, anxiety, learning difficulties)
- Bullying or discrimination
- School refusal or trauma from school
- Exclusions or threat of exclusion
- Philosophical beliefs (unschooling, religious, alternative education)
- Child thrives better at home
- Temporary (waiting for right school placement, EHCP process)
🚨 Home Ed Isn't a Solution for:
- ❌ School forcing you out ("keep them home until they're calmer")
- ❌ Illegal exclusion disguised as "in their best interests"
- ❌ LA avoiding providing specialist placement
If school is pushing you to home educate to avoid their duties, that's off-rolling and it's illegal. Get advice before agreeing.
Is Home Education Right for You?
Be realistic about what it involves before deciding.
⚖️ Pros and Cons
✅ Benefits:
- Tailor learning to child's needs & interests
- No sensory overload from school environment
- Flexible schedule (learn when they're ready)
- No bullying or social pressure
- More family time together
- Child can progress at own pace
- Less meltdowns/school anxiety
- Control over curriculum & methods
- Opportunity for real-world learning
❌ Challenges:
- Huge time commitment (at least one parent home)
- Financial impact (lost income, resources cost money)
- Social isolation (for child AND parent)
- No built-in support (you're on your own)
- Lack of specialist teaching (especially secondary)
- LA monitoring can be stressful
- No automatic access to exams (must pay/arrange)
- Harder to return to school later
- Emotionally draining (especially with SEND)
💰 Financial Considerations
Home education costs money:
- Lost income: One parent usually can't work full-time
- Resources: Books, materials, subscriptions (£30-£200/month)
- Activities: Classes, clubs, trips (£50-£300/month)
- Exams: GCSEs cost £100-£150 per subject as private candidate
- Tutors: For specialist subjects (£20-£40/hour)
You get NO funding unless child has EHCP with home ed provision (rare).
👥 Impact on Family
Be honest about:
- Your mental health: Can you handle being "on" all day?
- Your relationship: Will loss of income/time cause tension?
- Siblings: How will it affect their education/family time?
- Your child's needs: Are they better at home, or do they need school structure?
- Long-term plan: Is this temporary or permanent? What's the end goal?
🤔 Questions to Ask Yourself
- Can we afford for one parent not to work (or work part-time)?
- Do I have the patience and energy to teach every day?
- Can I handle resistance when my child doesn't want to learn?
- Am I organized enough to plan and deliver education?
- Do I have support (partner, family, home ed community)?
- Can I provide socialization opportunities?
- Am I prepared for LA monitoring and scrutiny?
- What's my plan for exams/qualifications if needed?
- Have I genuinely explored ALL school options first?
How to Start Home Educating
📝 Step 1: Deregister from School
If your child is currently in school:
- Write to the head teacher stating you're deregistering to home educate (template letters available from Education Otherwise)
- School MUST remove child from roll (they have no choice)
- School informs the Local Authority
- You now have parental responsibility for education
If your child has an EHCP: You MUST get LA permission FIRST before deregistering. LA can refuse if they believe school placement is necessary. Get legal advice if considering this.
⚠️ Special Cases:
- Child has never been to school: No need to deregister. Just inform LA you're home educating.
- Child at special school: Same as EHCP—need LA permission
- Child excluded: You can choose home ed, but LA must provide alternative education if you don't
- Child subject to School Attendance Order: You can't home educate until order is lifted
📋 Step 2: Plan Your Approach
You don't need to replicate school. Choose what works for your family:
| Approach |
What It Involves |
| Structured/School-at-home |
Timetables, textbooks, curriculum-following. Works for kids who need routine. |
| Autonomous/Unschooling |
Child-led learning through interests. No formal lessons. Works for self-motivated kids. |
| Eclectic |
Mix of structured and free learning. Most common. Flexible based on subject/day. |
| Online school |
Follow online curriculum (many options). Good for working parents or secondary subjects. |
| Part-time classes |
Home ed + external classes (music, sport, tutors). Fills gaps in parent knowledge. |
📚 Step 3: Gather Resources
Free/Low-Cost Resources:
- Library: Books, audiobooks, educational programs, sometimes classes
- BBC Bitesize: Free lessons covering National Curriculum
- Khan Academy: Free maths & science videos
- YouTube: Educational channels (Crash Course, TED-Ed, National Geographic)
- OpenLearn: Free courses from Open University
- Museums/galleries: Many offer free entry and resources
- Nature: Outdoor learning costs nothing
Paid Resources Worth Considering:
- Twinkl: £5/month—worksheets, lesson plans, activities
- Education City/Mathseeds: Online learning games
- Oak National Academy: Free recorded lessons (COVID legacy)
- Workbooks: CGP books for structured learning (£5-£15 each)
- Online tutors: For subjects you can't teach (£20-£40/hour)
Home Educating Children with SEND
Home education can work brilliantly for neurodivergent kids, but it needs tailored strategies.
🧩 Autism & Home Education
What works:
- Visual schedules: Picture timetable showing the day's activities
- Special interest learning: Use obsessions to teach (dinosaurs → reading, counting, geography)
- Predictable routine: Same structure each day reduces anxiety
- Sensory breaks: Built into the day, not fought against
- Clear instructions: Literal language, one step at a time
- Avoid social pressure: Learn without masking or fitting in
Challenge: Socialization. Join autism-friendly groups, not just typical home ed meet-ups.
⚡ ADHD & Home Education
What works:
- Short bursts: 15-20 min focused work, then break. Repeat.
- Movement learning: Math while bouncing on trampoline, spelling while walking
- Novelty: Change activities frequently, keep it interesting
- Hands-on: Experiments, building, doing—not just reading
- Flexible timing: Learn when they're most alert (might not be mornings!)
- Fidgets/music: Whatever helps concentration
Challenge: Parent burnout—ADHD kids are EXHAUSTING. Build in respite.
📖 Dyslexia & Home Education
What works:
- Multisensory phonics: Nessy, Beat Dyslexia, phonics apps
- Audiobooks: Access content without reading struggle
- Speech-to-text: Dictate writing instead of handwriting
- Colored overlays: Reduce visual stress
- Less writing pressure: Focus on learning, not handwriting perfection
- Daily reading practice: 10-15 mins one-to-one with suitable level books
Challenge: Teaching reading if you don't know how. Consider specialist tutor.
😰 Anxiety & PDA
What works:
- Low-demand approach: Offer choices, don't force
- Disguised learning: Play, conversations, YouTube—not "lessons"
- Flexible expectations: Some days nothing happens. That's okay.
- Safe environment: No pressure to perform or be judged
- Gradual re-engagement: Healing from school trauma takes time
- Follow their lead: Especially for PDA—demands = shutdown
Challenge: Proving to LA that "doing nothing" IS education (recovery counts).
Socialization & Qualifications
👫 Socialization (The Question Everyone Asks)
"But what about socialization?" is THE question. Here's the reality:
- Home educated kids are NOT isolated (unless you make them be)
- They socialize differently—mixed ages, interest-based, not forced proximity
- Many thrive WITHOUT school social pressure
- Quality matters more than quantity
🎯 How to Provide Social Opportunities
- Home ed groups: Local meet-ups, park days, co-ops (search Facebook for your area)
- Clubs/classes: Sports, music, drama, Scouts, art classes
- Online communities: Discord servers, gaming groups (supervised!)
- Volunteering: Older kids can volunteer (library, charity shops, animal shelters)
- Faith groups: If relevant, church/mosque/temple youth groups
- Family/friends: Cousins, neighbors, arranged play dates
- Part-time school: Some schools allow flexi-schooling (see next section)
⚠️ For Neurodivergent Kids:
Don't force "typical" socialization. Respect that:
- Some kids prefer one-to-one friendships, not groups
- Online friendships ARE real friendships
- Shared-interest friendships work better than age-based ones
- Solitude is okay—not everyone needs constant social interaction
📝 Exams & Qualifications
The truth: You don't HAVE to do GCSEs. But they help for college/apprenticeships/jobs.
Options for Qualifications:
| Option |
What It Involves |
| GCSEs as private candidate |
Find exam center (some schools, adult ed centers). Pay fees (£100-£150/subject). Self-study or tutors. Sit exams in summer. |
| Functional Skills (L1/L2) |
Alternative to GCSEs in English/maths. Practical, often easier. Accepted by many colleges/employers. |
| Online school with exams |
Interhigh, Nisai, CPA—teach AND enter you for exams. Costs £1000s/year. |
| Return to school for Year 10/11 |
Some families home ed primary, return for GCSEs. Possible but depends on school places. |
| College at 14/16 |
Some colleges accept home ed students. Study towards vocational quals (BTECs, diplomas). |
| No formal quals |
Build portfolio, pursue apprenticeships, enter work via other routes. Harder but possible. |
✓ Planning for Qualifications:
- Start researching exam centers by Year 9 (some book up early)
- Core subjects (English, maths, science) are most important
- Consider functional skills if GCSEs too demanding
- Budget for exam fees (£500-£1500 for 5-10 subjects)
- Remember: most apprenticeships/jobs only require English & maths
Local Authority Monitoring
👁️ What LA Can and Can't Do
LA CAN:
- ✅ Ask for information about your child's education
- ✅ Request a meeting or home visit
- ✅ Ask to see examples of work (if you agree)
- ✅ Speak to your child (if you and child consent)
- ✅ Issue School Attendance Order if education is unsuitable
LA CANNOT:
- ❌ Demand you follow National Curriculum
- ❌ Insist on seeing lesson plans or timetables
- ❌ Force home visits (you can refuse and provide written report instead)
- ❌ Test your child
- ❌ Tell you HOW to educate
- ❌ Automatically assume inadequate education
📧 How to Respond to LA
Good practice:
- Respond politely but know your rights
- Provide a written report showing what you're doing
- Include photos, examples of work, outings, learning activities
- Explain your educational philosophy
- Show progress (doesn't have to be school-like)
- Home visits are optional—written reports are usually sufficient
Template reports available from: Education Otherwise, Home Education UK
🚨 If LA Threatens School Attendance Order:
This means LA believes your education is inadequate. They must:
- Give you notice of their concerns
- Give you time (usually 15 days) to improve or respond
- Consider your response before issuing order
Get legal advice immediately (IPSEA, Education Otherwise legal defense). Don't ignore it.
🔄 Flexi-Schooling
Flexi-schooling = part-time school + part-time home education
Example: Child attends Mon-Wed, home educates Thu-Fri
Benefits:
- Best of both worlds (school resources + home flexibility)
- Reduced overwhelm for SEND kids
- Socialization + tailored learning
- Less pressure on parents
Challenges:
- School MUST agree (head teacher's decision—no legal right to flexi)
- Most schools refuse (funding/attendance issues)
- You're still on roll, so school accountable for attendance
- Can be withdrawn if school changes mind
Worth asking for (especially if child has EHCP), but don't expect it.
Helpful Resources
🇬🇧 Essential Home Ed Organizations:
- Education Otherwise
www.educationotherwise.org | £30/year membership
Legal advice, template letters, support groups
- Home Education UK
www.home-education.uk | Free resources and forums
- IPSEA (for SEND home ed)
www.ipsea.org.uk | Legal advice on home ed & EHCPs
- Ambitious about Autism
Home ed support for autistic children
- GOV.UK Elective Home Education Guidelines
Official guidance on what LAs can/can't do
💻 Online Learning Platforms:
- BBC Bitesize: Free National Curriculum lessons
- Khan Academy: Free maths & science
- Oak National Academy: Free recorded lessons
- Twinkl: £5/month worksheets & resources
- IXL: Paid maths & English practice
- Duolingo: Free language learning
- Crash Course (YouTube): Free secondary-level subjects
📚 Recommended Books:
- "The Home Education Handbook" by Alan Thomas
- "How Children Learn" by John Holt (unschooling classic)
- "Learning Without School" by Ross Mountney
- "Educating Children at Home" by Alan Thomas (research-based)
Final Thoughts
Home education is a marathon, not a sprint. There will be hard days. Days where nothing gets done. Days where you wonder if you're failing.
You're not.
Learning happens even when it doesn't look like "school." Playing is learning. Talking is learning. Living is learning.
For many SEND families, home education is survival, healing, and giving their child a chance to thrive away from a system that couldn't meet their needs.
Trust yourself. Trust your child. You've got this. 💜