Home schooling, commonly known as “elective home education” is completely legal in the UK, although the specific legislation slightly differs between England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The important reminder for parents if they decide to home school is: You can educate your child at home – but you still have a legal obligation to provide a suitable education.
Legal obligations
The primary legal authority in England and Wales is Education Act 1996, Section 7, which asserts that parent of every child of compulsory school age shall secure that the child receives “efficient full‐time education suitable to his age, ability and aptitude, and … to any special educational needs hemay have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.”
In practical terms this means:
- You do not have to send your child to school – home education counts as “otherwise”.
- You must ensure the education is suitable (i.e., is appropriate to age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs)
- You must ensure it is efficient and full‐time, though there is no legal definition of “full‐time” or “efficient” in a home education context.
As for the procedure:
- For a child in mainstream school, it is best to inform the school if you decide to withdraw then to home-educate, so that all its administration is not perplexed.
- For a child who has never been to school you do not have to notify the local authority that you are home-educating in England, though many people do this in order to get support from them (often fast enough).
- For a child attending a special school or with a school attendance order, the procedure is different (e.g. you will need local authority permission).
- Local authorities have a duty to identify children of compulsory school age who are not on a school roll and are not receiving a suitable education
Often the local authority may be involved in informal investigation.
What you do not need to do by law:
- You do not have to follow the national curriculum
- You do not have to employ a qualified teacher
- You do not need to follow any formal examinations, timetables or standardised tests (unless you want to)
Best resources and support for home educators
Once you feel comfortable with the legal, you probably will want some practical resources and communities to support you. Here are some of the best:
- official government guidance “Educating your child at home” on the DfE website is a good starting point.
- local authority home-education resource pages: For instance, Camden Council website has lists of resources for specific subjects (English, Maths, Languages, ICT etc) as well as links for home-educating families.
- dedicated home-education advice websites: e.g. “Legal Hub” at UK Home Education Hub and the family-friendly Environment Agency website with clear explanations of your rights, voluntary registration schemes and any issues regarding funding.
- support networks & forums: There are many local home-ed groups where families share and engage with each other on tips, arrange social/networking events, share ideas on curriculum, etc. Here is an example from this parent who is home-educating:
“Most local and regional home education groups … are great for finding meetups, or classes, or general support from other home educating families.”
- community advice services: Organisations like Family Lives have helpline services, live-chat and parenting courses, which can often be helpful even during your home-education journey.
Advice for blog readers
- Encourage them to check the rules to consult with their local authority, as the overall legislation applies UK-wide, but differs in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- Advise them to keep documentation of what the child has been doing – whilst not a legal requirement, it is useful when the LA asks for evidence of “suitable education.”
- Remind parents that home-education isn’t “no education,” that the duty to educate is there and failure to provide a suitable education could result in the local authority issuing a school‐attendance order.
- Advise that home educators will not automatically receive the same financial support as schools so they will need to budget for resources and exam fees.
Conclusion
To summarize: Homeschooling in the UK is legal and flexible, but it is not without obligations. Parents are expected to deliver full-time, efficient, and suitable education. They do not have to use the national curriculum and do not have to be a qualified teacher, but they must be aware of the legal responsibility. Families can create a great educational experience with the right support – official guidance, local authority support pages, and home-ed community networks. For your blog, in order for parents to have confidence when starting, helping them be clear about the baseline legal obligations and pointing them to good resources they can trust will support families when starting.