Home Education in England: Legal Requirements and Guidelines

Homeschooling in the United Kingdom is a legally supported and increasingly popular option for families. The UK government does not impose national home education laws. Instead, each of the four countries that make up the UK-England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland-has its own education laws and requirements. In England, homeschooling is referred to as "elective home education" ("EHE") to signify the independent nature of practice from state provisions.

The Rise of Home Education in the UK

Over the past decade, home education in the UK has experienced significant growth. In the 2013/14 academic year, approximately 34,000 children were being home educated. By the 2023/24 academic year, this number had risen to over 153,000, marking a substantial increase. While the COVID-19 pandemic initially prompted many families to consider home education due to health concerns, the trend has continued beyond the pandemic. New figures suggest this post-pandemic surge is "at risk of becoming permanent", with more than one in 100 children in England being homeschooled last summer term. Indeed, a BBC investigation earlier this year revealed that the number of pupils moving to home education has risen by 22% in the past year, with councils receiving almost 50,000 notifications in the past academic year from families wanting to take their children out of school.

Reasons for Choosing Home Education

Parents cite various reasons for choosing home education, including dissatisfaction with traditional schooling, the desire for a more personalized education approach, and the need to better support children with special educational needs or mental health challenges. Some choose to homeschool their children because they are dissatisfied with their local schools or cannot get a place for their child at the school of their choice; others are seeking an extra academic challenge for very academically, athletically or artistically gifted children; others have children with learning or physical needs that a busy teacher cannot cater for; others have children who find the school environment too stressful for them to progress and to reach their potential; others choose to homeschool for their philosophical or religious beliefs. Ultimately, parents choose homeschooling for their child if it is in their child's best interests.

Historical Context

According to historical summaries compiled online (such as Wikipedia), home education in the UK has been legally recognized for decades. The Education Act 1996 in England and Wales, the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, and the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 all affirm parents’ rights to educate their children at home. In contrast, the home education movement in the USA gained momentum in the 1970s and 1980s, often driven by religious and philosophical motivations. Today, home education is legal in all 50 states, with varying regulations. The USA has a higher percentage of home-educated students compared to the UK, reflecting different cultural and legal landscapes.

Legal Framework in England

In England and Wales, homeschooling is given equal status with schools under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996, which states, "The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him/her to receive efficient full-time education suitable (a) to his/her age ability and aptitude, and (b) any special educational needs he/she may have, either by attendance at school or otherwise." A parent is required to write to their headteacher if they plan to take their child out of school. The school must agree and accept this position if the parents are removing their child completely from the school. If the parents are looking for a part-time arrangement, with the child in school for part of the week and the home-schooling for the remainder, then their school has the right to refuse this arrangement. Parents must formally de-register their child from school if they have been offered a place in the school, even if the child has not attended. Parents must ensure that their child receives a full-time education from age five but do not have to follow the National Curriculum, which is a requirement for state schools only.

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Under Section 436A of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, local authorities "do not have any statutory duties to routinely monitor the quality of home education", said Child Law Advice. Parents will also lose the automatic right to homeschool if their child is subject to a social services protection investigation or is under a protection plan. This will also apply to children at special schools.

Key Legal Requirements

The law states that as the parent, you are responsible for ensuring that your child is properly educated if they are of compulsory school age. The compulsory school age for children in the UK is from five to sixteen years old. The law only requires that a parent provides an education that is suitable for your child’s age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs.

Parents do not need to give any reason for choosing to home-school their child, and the law does not distinguish between reasons for deciding to homeschool. Parents "do not need the consent of the school or local authority" to withdraw their child from school in England and Wales, according to Child Law Advice. There are exceptions, however: if the child has an Education, Health and Care Plan and is attending a special school by arrangement of the local authority, then permission must be sought.

The law states that homeschooling parents must provide a full-time "suitable education" for their child, although exactly what that means remains a "grey area", said Schools Week. There is no obligation for parents to follow the national curriculum, term dates or school hours.

What Homeschooling Doesn't Require

Though many home-educating families choose to do some of the following, there are no legal requirements for parents to do the same:

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Acquire a specific qualification: You do not need to study to be a teacher or obtain an aptitude certificate from your local council.
Specialised premises or equipment: It is advised that you create a proper learning environment for your child, but it does not need to meet particular requirements.
Teach the National Curriculum: You can select the most appropriate curriculum for your child, it does not need to align with the National Curriculum or be exhaustively extensive.
Give formal lessons: Many homeschooling parents choose this method of education because they want to create an open learning environment where it happens as they grow.
Follow public or private school schedules: Flexibility is one of the major reasons parents choose homeschooling, because they can set their own weekly and daily schedule to match their family’s needs.
Mark your child’s work: Your local council will not ask for a portfolio of your child’s work should they make an inquiry to establish if your child is getting a suitable education.
Match school-based, age specific standards: If you’ve elected home education because of your child’s needs or abilities that do not match age-based standards, you can choose how fast or how slow your child can progress at various levels.

Local Authority's Role

In law, there is no duty for a Local Authority to monitor a home school's child provision, but in practice, some do. You are not required to allow home visits other than in rare and extreme circumstances. Parents are advised to provide tuition in at least the core subjects of English, Maths and Science. Primary SATs testing is only a requirement at state Primary Schools and is, therefore, neither required nor relevant for homeschooled Primary Children. Parents can arrange for their children to take exams as external candidates at local schools or exam centres. Most academic subjects can now offer an exam board option suitable for homeschooled children, avoiding the need for coursework, practicals or controlled assessments. Children must be registered for GCSE, IGCSE or A-Levels by January for Public Examinations in May and June. The approximate fee for each exam entry is £50 to £60.

Unless a parent withdraws their child from a school where he or she is a registered pupil, there is no obligation to inform the local authority that the child is being educated at home. Parents are not required to follow the National Curriculum and there is no statutory obligation for local authorities to monitor the quality of home education on a routine basis.

Local authorities do have a responsibility to intervene when it appears that parents are not providing a suitable education, however it is difficult for authorities to gather the information they need to assess this. The threshold for authorities to seek a court order to see a child to assess whether the child is in fact receiving efficient education seems to err on the side of parental autonomy.

How to Start Homeschooling in the UK

It is important to check with your local council what their requirements are for homeschooling. The following steps are based on the recommendations provided by the City of London:

Step 1: If your child is registered at a school you must advise the head teacher in writing of your intention to educate other than at school. Additionally in the letter you would be requesting that your child’s name is removed from the school roll. The school will then notify the Education and Early Years’ Service at the City of London Corporation. If your child is not registered at a school but they are of statutory school age you are advised to notify your local council of your intention to educate other than at school.
Step 2: After notification you will receive a form to complete and return to the Education and Early Years’ Service at the address above, which details the arrangements you have made for providing your child with suitable education.
Step 3: On returning the form to the Education and Early Years Service: You will receive information about educating your child other than at school. This information will include useful names and addresses of organisations independent of the Local Authority. Arrangements will be made for curriculum and inspection services to be available to you. An Inspector and an Educational Psychologist will then write to you to make an appointment to visit you to discuss your arrangements.
Step 4: The Inspector and Educational Psychologist will advise, support and review your child’s educational provision. The Inspector will compile a report based on their visit and any other information available. The Inspector will state in their report whether the education provided is satisfactory or not. If the education is deemed satisfactory a review date will be arranged and your child’s name will be placed on the School Pupil Database, which currently holds details of all children educated other than in school. If the education is deemed unsatisfactory a review visit will be arranged by the Inspector. You would be allowed up to three months to make amendments to your arrangements should you wish to continue to pursue educating your child other than at school. A further visit (within three months) would then be arranged by the Inspector to review the arrangements.

Difference Between Homeschooling and Online Homeschooling

When choosing to homeschool, you may elect to purchase a homeschooling programme that resembles distance learning. The curriculum provider will then send you the learning materials and course schedule, but the onus will be on you or a third party tutor to work through the content and explain the concepts to your child. An online homeschooling platform, or online school, will give you (and your child) access to a structured course plan and video content that will assist you in educating your child. It is important to note that you or a third party tutor will still need to be involved in your child’s day-to-day learning, but the onus won’t be on you to grasp and explain the concepts of the lesson material to your child.

Benefits of Homeschooling

There are several reasons why parents would choose home education, but below are some of the primary reasons UK parents are turning to homeschooling.

Some students need academic flexibility due to their special talents (or needs). For example, homeschooling provides a suitable environment and schedule for future sports stars to complete their education while they pursue their talents.
Homeschooling, when combined with an appropriate curriculum, provides meaningful education that avoids over testing and develops understanding instead of memorising.
Parents opt for an internationally recognised curriculum if they have concerns about the quality of education at their closest (or local) public school, but cannot afford the costs of a private school.

Here are some good reasons to homeschool your child:

It allows you to create a tailor-made education, one that suits the needs of your child.
One-to-one teaching is very effective, so your home-schooled child will make much more progress with much less teaching time; often, a school day's worth of learning within two hours of teaching. This allows you much more light and space during the week to do other things.
The school day and week are flexible and can provide a much better school/work balance for your home-schooled child and family. There are no school runs nor limitations on school holidays. Lessons can start and finish at times more palatable for teenagers or busy households.
Homeschooling ensures that your child receives the individual attention of a teacher, enabling them to reach their full potential. Teachers can adapt their teaching to your child to bring the greatest benefit.
There are fewer distractions in a home setting, with no noise or distraction from classmates, which can sometimes negatively impact your child's concentration and performance.
If your child is shy, they often will not ask questions in a classroom environment. In a home school setting, your child will feel more able to ask questions and gradually develop confidence.
You can always decide to return your child to the school system at some later stage and have the best of both worlds.
The social aspect of homeschooling is relatively easy to implement. If you are interested in homeschooling, a good first step is to talk to other parents who do it.
Homeschooling's greatest advantage is that it allows parents to create a tailor-made education that suits their child's learning needs. Because of its flexibility, parents who homeschool have a choice about what, when, where, and how their children learn.

Homeschooling Cost in the UK

The Cambridge curriculum (or International British Curriculum) is a popular homeschooling curriculum in the United Kingdom and is chosen for its flexibility and teaching methodologies. The homeschooling costs for the Cambridge Curriculum will be influenced by the following factors:

Selected platform and its fees
Textbooks
Exam fees

The costing provided below is for illustrative purposes only, and will vary depending on the number of subjects, the examination venues, and the textbook formats you’ve elected to buy (digital copy vs. printed textbook).

Primary stage homeschooling costs: Annual online homeschooling fees for primary stage students range between £530 and £1 518 per year for three subjects. Textbooks will cost between £82 and £165 and at this level there are no additional examination fees.
Secondary stage and IGCSE homeschooling costs: Annual online homeschooling fees for lower secondary stage students range between £1 902 and £3 642 per year for six subjects. Textbooks will cost between £330 and £412 and there are no additional examination fees for Lower Secondary years 1 and 2. Annual online homeschooling fees for IGCSE students range between £2 052 and £4 101 per year for six subjects. Textbooks will cost between £247 and £330 and, depending on the examination centre, exam fees range between £825-£1 650 collectively.
AS Level homeschooling fees: Annual online homeschooling fees for A Level students range between £1 446 and £3 760 per year for four subjects. Textbooks will cost between £330 and £412 and, depending on the examination centre, the subject, and the exam type, exam fees range between £825-£1 650 collectively.

Some families choose to provide all of their children's tuition. You do not need to be a qualified teacher to do this. Thus, the cost is minimal, with only expenses for teaching resources and exam entries required.

Some families choose to use a tutor to help them shape their curriculum and teaching programme, perhaps providing just one or two hours of tuition or planning each week. The tuition fees for a qualified teacher would typically be face-to-face tuition fees from £45ph to £50ph, and online tuition fees form £40ph to £45ph.

Some families choose to use a tutor to provide the majority or all of the tuition. Typically, for Early Years, Key Stage 1 and 2, between 8 to 16 hours each week, face-to-face tuition fees from £30 to £40ph, and online tuition fees from £25ph to £35ph. Typically, for Key Stage 3, GCSE, IGCSE, and A-Level, there are generally 2-3 hours per academic subject each week, face-to-face tuition fees from £45ph to £50ph, and online tuition fees from £40ph to £45ph.

Homeschool Curriculums UK

The two popular homeschooling curriculums parents choose in the UK are:

IGCSE / Cambridge Curriculum - A globally recognised system of learning and assessment that allows for a seamless integration with national curricula worldwide. It offers more flexibility for students to work at their own pace and students are able to write exams in exam centres anywhere in the world.
The National Curriculum: The national curriculum is a set of subjects and standards used by primary and secondary schools so children learn the same things.

Getting Started with Homeschool Planning

Homeschooling Planning can be overwhelming for parents who are just getting started with educating their children at home in the UK. Find support groups or online resources for additional advice and guidance.

Setting Objectives for Homeschooling: It’s a good idea to outline the aims and objectives when crafting a homeschooling plan. Prioritize the inclusion of core academic subjects such as mathematics, English language arts, science, and social studies. Create a flexible school calendar and plan that accommodates necessary adjustments based on progress throughout the year. When planning a homeschool curriculum, ensuring inclusivity towards extracurricular activities like sports or music becomes crucial. Such initiatives help stimulate and grow children’s overall personality.

Creating a Schedule and Routine

For effective homeschooling, it is important to establish a homeschooling routine and schedule that meets the unique needs of your family. This ensures school-aged children remain engaged, motivated, and learn the art of independent study that is appropriate for their grade level.

To help plan out your home education schedule, here is a 5-step guide:

Identify the number of hours you can devote to schooling in a day.
Prioritize lessons according to their relevance and importance.
Whether you use a basic outline or a traditional schedule, school-age children benefit from completing a short list of subjects regularly. You can outline them in a yearly homeschool plan and then add them to your weekly homeschool routine.
Create a realistic timetable that allows for breaks and leisure time. Every family had different needs. Customize a structured routine that caters to the individual student’s learning style. High schoolers especially, may need help in long-term planning.
Regularly review the timetable to make adjustments where necessary.

Incorporating Socialization into Home Education

Education at home offers an organic and flexible learning space, allowing children more opportunities for socialization. Most UK homeschooling networks arrange group activities - ranging from zoos, museums, forest school excursions, or even educational trips abroad - for parents and kids to attend and mingle. Often, additional informal settings such as local swimming sessions or music classes can be utilized to form friendship bonds beyond structured playtimes. Finding like-minded people to connect with helps forge real-world connections that are likely to endure.

Assessing Progress and Making Adjustments

One important aspect of homeschooling is acknowledging academic progress. Evaluating, adjusting and planning is an ongoing process that drives homeschooling toward success. Parents should keep track of their child’s learning journey, assess their accomplishments, and figure out areas where improvement is needed. Periodically making adjustments to ensure that children are engaged and progressing towards achieving academic goals successfully is normal. Adjustments could include introducing new teaching methods or changing curriculum materials. Developing a flexible homeschool plan allows parents to tailor their child’s education to fit individual learning styles effectively.

Outsourcing and Utilizing Community Resources

To maximize resources and opportunities, consider tapping into the community within your reach. Here are some practical tips for utilizing community resources for your home education:

Local Libraries: Free access to books, references, e-books, and computers.
Museums & Art Galleries: Rich in artifacts, art pieces, and educational exhibitions.
Parks & Recreational Centers: Learn biological science through nature exploration or join sports clinics.

Make the most of online homeschooling communities by engaging with other homeschooling parents. Attend events and seminars hosted by local support groups that share valuable learning resources tailored for all ages.

Managing Home Education Expenses

Managing the finances of homeschooling is essential for any UK home-educating family. Controlling costs, identifying expenses and sourcing funding are all key components to keeping your home education financially manageable. Budgeting is vital when it comes to controlling costs in a homeschool setting, with curriculum costs representing one of the biggest expenses. Religious or personal beliefs may impact this choice. But, rest assured, there are many cost-effective options such as online resources, borrowing materials, and investing in used textbooks.

Platforms like BBC Bitesize, BBC Teach, Oak National Academy, and Khan Academy provide high-quality educational content at no cost, covering a broad range of subjects from Maths and Science to English and History. Furthermore, community resources like local libraries and initiatives such as Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library offer additional opportunities for parents to support their child’s education.

Crafting a Long-Term Plan for Homeschooling Success

One critical aspect of homeschooling planning success in the UK is creating a carefully designed plan for the long-term. This includes setting academic goals, choosing curricular resources, and developing a schedule for each subject area. By taking the time to craft a robust homeschool roadmap, students can stay on track and achieve their educational objectives.

To ensure that your long-term plan is effective, it’s essential to periodically reassess and adjust it as necessary. You may need to modify your approach based on changes in your child’s interests or learning style, evolving academic requirements, or other factors. Flexibility is key to homeschool planning in the UK. It helps ensure that your homeschooling journey stays on course. Ensure that you prioritise designing individualised learning plans for each of your children.

New Legislation and Concerns

The government is proposing new legislation to safeguard children by ending the automatic right for parents in England and Wales to homeschool vulnerable children. The new measure is being put forward after the case of Sara Sharif, who was killed by her father and stepmother.

Every local authority in England will also be required to bring in, and maintain, new registers of children not in school, as well as giving each child unique identifier numbers. This will mean "councils know which children are not in school in their area, and can better ensure they are receiving a suitable education", said The Standard.

As of March 2023, there are legislative proposals by both Labour and Conservative MPs for a national homeschooling register in order to better understand the exact numbers of homeschooled children as well as to tackle the growing problem of persistent absence from schools.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Schools bill), introduced in December 2024, calls for the creation of a national registry of homeschooled children in England. It would also give local officials the authority to deny individual families the right to homeschool. Some advocates in England also fear the Schools bill could be used to restrict religious liberty.

Conclusion

Homeschooling in England offers a flexible and personalized educational alternative for families. Understanding the legal requirements and available resources is crucial for a successful home education journey. Despite proposed legislative changes and ongoing debates, the right to homeschool remains protected, allowing parents to provide a suitable education tailored to their child's individual needs and aspirations.

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