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Rules of Home Schooling

By: Jack Claridge - Updated: 7 Feb 2021 | comments*Discuss
 
Nursery Primarysecondary Grammar

Home schooling is something that – although not as popular in the United Kingdom as in some other countries in the European Union does take place.

How Home Schooling Works

Home schooling is something that any parent can decide to do for their child and as such they do not have to be qualified as a teacher to embark on a course of Home Schooling. You can teach your child at home or in any other residence without keeping school hours or indeed teaching the National Curriculum. That said, the government recommends that anyone wishing to teach their child from home, does so with the understanding that they should receive an level of education that will enable sufficient aptitude in later years.

If your child is already in full time education within the confines of a school you do not have to inform your Local Education Authority of your intent to teach your child from home but it is wise to do so. You DO however, need to inform the headteacher that you are removing the child from their school.

Your LEA need to be satisfied that your child is receiving a satisfactory standard of education in the home and may ask to see evidence of this and details of what – you are teaching your child.

Overseeing Home Schooling

If the LEA considers that you are not providing your child with an adequate education, they may intervene and offer assistance/guidance. At any meeting held between you as the parent and the LEA, a timetable of further meetings and level of contact should be agreed.

You do not have to allow the LEA access to your home, you can choose to provide them with examples of your child’s work at home or choose to meet with them at another venue, for example their offices. It is worth pointing out that the LEA not only has a duty of care to the children within its boundaries but also their parents as well.

If Home Schooling does not Work

If – for any reason – the LEA considers that you as a parent are not providing a sufficient education for your child from home after further assistance/guidance has been offered, then they may seek to have your child returned to full time education within a school in their district. This is normally done by the LEA issuing a notice on the parent, which requires them to prove beyond any doubt that their child is being taught to an acceptable standard.

If you as the parent fail to reply to this notice or indeed cannot prove that you are providing your child with a sufficient level of teaching then the LEA can move to issue what is known as a ‘School Attendance Order’ (SAO).

It is also worth noting that if you should decide to teach your child from home there are no means of financial assistance offered by Central Government or your Local Education Authority. Should you decide to teach your child at home the impetus is on you to make sure they have all the textbooks, materials and resources they need.

Most LEAs however do provide support and guidance on how to go about embarking on a course of home schooling but it is worth pointing out that this guidance and support is limited to the level of resources available locally and is not necessary representative of the schooling system as a whole.

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I wanted to homeschool my children atvthis time of covid due to my son having a genetic lung condition.i emailed the headteacher which was fime with it at first..thwm a month later october2020 he rang saying i need to make up my mind on weather i wanted them to return..i said no not at this time as cases was still rising.he then stated its agaistw the law to keep there places for them so i have to withdraw them.since then ive had no support off anybody or even a call to see if we are om.local council hasnt even been in touch
J F CASSELLS - 7-Feb-21 @ 6:46 PM
I wanted to homeschool my children atvthis time of covid due to my son having a genetic lung condition.i emailed the headteacher which was fime with it at first..thwm a month later october2020 he rang saying i need to make up my mind on weather i wanted them to return..i said no not at this time as cases was still rising.he then stated its agaist the law to keep there places for them so i have to withdraw them.since then ive had no support off anybody or even a call to see if we are om.local council hasnt even been in touch
Jancass86 - 7-Feb-21 @ 6:46 PM
The head master was very negative in his email when I told him I wanted to home school my child.it left me very uncomfortable. He was very negative,when I told h my daughter would be happier at home learning home schooling.he said he didn't support this
Controlme - 26-Aug-20 @ 6:32 PM
Do LEA'S issue parents of home schooled children a report to the homeschooled parent of how well /poorly the child is doing academically? Similar to a state school report.
Janet - 6-Feb-20 @ 1:21 AM
Do LEA'S issue parents of home schooled children a report of how well/poorly the homeschooled child is performing academically?
Janet - 6-Feb-20 @ 1:17 AM
If your child receives other services such as SALT will they visit at home if home schooled?
Em - 15-Nov-18 @ 1:30 PM
So my daughter has cerable palsy spastic diplegia and she's currently in year 9 and she's 13. But I would like to homeschool her, I've already written to her headmistress saying I would like to with draw her from school immediately. But I would like to know how much notice I would need to give to her school? Thank you.
Izzy - 2-Mar-18 @ 11:14 PM
Sadie - Your Question:
I Have put my children into home schooling, I have written to the school and with drawn them from school and the LEA have written come and visit me. Do I have the right to refuse them entrance ? Do I have to have any further contact with the LEA ?

Our Response:
You can see the gov.uk link here , which should help answer your question.
GetTheRightSchool - 15-Feb-18 @ 1:45 PM
I Have put my children into home schooling, I have written to the school and with drawn them from school and the LEA have written come and visit me. Do I have the right to refuse them entrance ? Do I have to have any further contact with the LEA ?
Sadie - 14-Feb-18 @ 6:03 PM
My son is 8 years old and I have always home Education him he as Austim and development delay he had an ECP and that put him into a special school he hates going if he knows he is going.night before he stays awake all night scared and he crys for me all the time as he doesn't like.leaving me it is heart breaking watching him go to school now I want to.know can I go back to home Eduation with him and what do I do with him being in a special school now I have got Socail services and 6 months into having them it was ok for me to carry on home Eduation him but now they are saying if I don't send him everyday to school they are going to take why is this if I want to go back to home Eduation this is not right please can anyone Adobe me on this thank you
caz - 9-Nov-17 @ 9:07 AM
My daughter is doing 6 form , I want and wants to finish at home. She is a very good student, and she really wants to finished. But the situation in her school is pathetic, nobody talks to her even if she ask for something in class the look at her funny and don't even answer to her. She feels depress , sad and I can feel how much is affecting her . I had a meeting and I didn't have any help the assistant teacher had 2 message from me and she Nevers call me back. Anyway ,we are in a moment the only we want is she can finish year 12 and 13 and go to the uni.how can we start to do six form at home? Please
Gen - 21-Mar-17 @ 10:11 PM
My daughter is doing 6 form , she had only 5 more months this year and next year. She is a very good student , but since September nobody talks to her , don't even answer any question , she ask. They ignored her and don't want to see next to her , another kind of bully. She feels always sad and depress and I can see howuch is affecting her as a person. I really want she will finish 6 form at home. I'm 100% sure what is happened to her is going to be so bad for her future , insecure , afraid a lot of consequence s. I hope she can finish at home
Gen - 21-Mar-17 @ 9:23 PM
My 9 year old son has been taken out of school due to apparently 6 months of bullying from a teacher and some students. His mum said nothing to me throughout any of this going on until after she removed him. She already has a 2 year old daughter and due another baby anyday now. He has been home schooled for about 2 months now and tells us most weeks he hasn't done any schooling (even some weeks says he's looked after his sister instead). His mum has told me to stop asking how much work he's doing and to trust her. She isn't doing sit down teaching or certain subjects but letting him choose something he's interested in himself like a volcano or a ship etc. She has even said it will be my sons choice if he goes to secondary school. Any ideas on what I can do as I am worried sick?
Barney - 14-Jan-17 @ 12:18 PM
Kat - Your Question:
My son has just gone 6, he has never been to school. I have been teaching him from home. Should I or am I ment to let lea know or somewhere???

Our Response:
As a parent, you must make sure your child receives a full-time education from the age of five. While you don’t have to follow the national curriculum, you do have to let your local authority know, so the council can if it needs to make an ‘informal enquiry’ to check your child is getting a suitable education at home. You can find your local council to contact via the link here.
GetTheRightSchool - 25-May-16 @ 11:44 AM
My son has just gone 6, he has never been to school. I have been teaching him from home. Should I or am I ment to let lea know or somewhere???
Kat - 24-May-16 @ 4:01 PM
Maz - Your Question:
My daughter is 15 and she is in year 10 nearly finishing in the 6 week holidays I wanted to get her home schooled because she's not achieving the grades she should be getting and school are not helping her to achieve them she has dropped down and she is a bright girl who is understanding. Will I be allowed to come school her at this age ?She takes a lot of stress from this and can't concentrate And how much will it cost approximately?

Our Response:
You are entitled to home school your child, if that is your choice. Please see gov.uk link here for more information.
GetTheRightSchool - 5-Jan-16 @ 1:46 PM
My daughter is 15 and she is in year 10 nearly finishing in the 6 week holidays I wanted to get her home schooled because she's not achieving the grades she should be getting and school are not helping her to achieve them she has dropped down and she is a bright girl who is understanding . Will I be allowed to come school her at this age ? She takes a lot of stress from this and can't concentrate And how much will it cost approximately?
Maz - 5-Jan-16 @ 7:38 AM
I can imagine it is very hard to look at the way your nieces or nephews are being raised and find you disagree with it. When someone is your family and you love them, you will always be interested in what is the best for them. I have been a very frustrated auntie for a very long time and the desire for conformity is intensely strong and not to be underestimated. Since becoming a mother my views on parenting styles and education have changed radically. I really believe it is the mother who knows what is best for her children, even more than the father, if she is the one who spends all her time with them. It is a very difficult thing to do, home educating. In our hyper-controlling society, it is very difficult to have faith in children, to give them love and freedom and time and wait for the results, sometimes years. However I think the potential benefits are so huge, it is worth the effort. If you are interested in understanding her point of view on education, I can recommend some reading. John Taylor Gatto, Dumbing us Down - for why schools are not the best places to learn, in fact the opposite why they are places where independent thought and creativity are worn down. I am truly the biggest fan of John Holt, an inspiring teacher who devoted many years to finding ways of doing the job better, only to finally conclude that the best thing was to educate your own. His might be the best place to start because you can go along with him, how to get the best out of education... to realising why you cannot get good results - in terms of creating wise, self-motivated, self-knowing, independent, morally responsible, socially adept young adults.
Charlie - 24-Apr-15 @ 9:45 PM
I am considering teaching my son at home but i was wonderingif the head teacher can stop me ? My son mentioned that i might be home-schooling to her and she replied "not if i have anything to do with it " or something along them lines.
smurf - 18-Oct-14 @ 6:59 PM
I have a cousin who has two children one almost 9 and one who will be 7 next month. I am most concerned that these children are not getting the education that they should be getting. The father would like them to be in school but the mother is adamant that she want to home school them. They are bright children but I am seriously concerned for their future as I do not seem to see any evidence that they are being educated. What can I do to help with this situation.
Titch - 27-Jul-14 @ 5:59 PM
A court only requires that the information a parent provides, after being issued with a notice of intent, convinces a reasonable person on the balance of probabilities only.The higher standard of 'beyond a reasonable doubt' DOES NOT APPLY
ElizaP - 4-Mar-12 @ 11:26 PM
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