Please note that this website has a UK government accesskeys system.
Most parents send their child to school, but you do have the right to educate your child at home. As a parent, you must ensure your child receives a full-time education from the age of five.
The facts about home education are:
Local authorities can make informal enquiries of parents who are educating their children at home to establish that a suitable education is being provided. If your local authority makes an informal enquiry, you can provide evidence your child is receiving an efficient and suitable education by:
If it appears to the local authority that a child is not receiving a suitable education, then it might serve a school attendance order.
Although you're not legally required to inform your local authority when you decide to educate your child at home, it is helpful if you do so. The only exception to this is where your child is attending a special school under arrangements made by the local authority. In this case additional permission is required from the authority before the child's name can be removed from the register.
If you are taking your child out of school to home educate them, you need to inform the school in writing. It's advisable, but not compulsory, to inform your local authority of any significant changes in your circumstance relevant to your child's education, like a change of address.
Many local authorities have information online about educating your child at home. The following link will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to the relevant page on your local authority's website.