Considering Home Education?

Information for parents and carers

•...

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
PLEASE READ
~

.:. Home education takes a lot of time and commitment

.:. If you take your child out of school, you are

responsible for his/her learning

.:. The Local Education Authority is not responsible for

providing any books, or for marking work

.:. The Local Education Authority does not provide

funding for school age students to enrol on courses,
if they are not in a school

.:. The Local Education Authority does not pay exam

fees

.:. The Local Education Officer needs to be satisfied

that your child is being educated

This information is not intended to put parents aBn'

carers off home education, but to make sure that you
know what you are taking on.

Considering home education?

1. Introduction
2. Some questions to consider at the beginning
3. Your responsibilities as a parent educating your child at home
4 The Local Education Authority's duties towards you and your child when you
educate at home
5. What happens when your child goes on the home education list
6. Some useful ideas and information
 1.1ntroductlon
This information is for parents and carers who are considering or have decided to
educate their children at home (or otherwise than at school).

It includes information to help you to make an informed decision about whether home
education is the best option for your child and yourself.

fffull LEA believes that the majority of pupils are best served within the
~ucatlon system. However, we respect the right of parents who wish to educate
their children at home. It is their legal right, but it is also a great responsibility that
takes a lot of time and commitment.

Some parents may decide when their children are very young that they wish to
educate them at home. Others may wish to home educate on a temporary basis. for
example while they are awaiting the outcome of an appeal. Whatever your situation.
a clear understanding of your rights and duties as parents is essential. It is also
important to know what the role of the Local Education Authority is when pupils are
educated at home.

Quite often, pupils or their parents find out that home education is not for them. It is
important that you know how to get your child back in to school. if you decide at any
time that home education is not your best option. As pupils get older it can be harder
to meet their learning needs. The Admissions Department at Essex House. the
Education Welfare Service and the LEA inclusion team will be pleased to advise and
support you.

Inclusion team Catherine Derrick 01482318364

Admissions team Nick Hayton 01482613383
Education Welfare Service Kay Butlor, 01482318383

2. Some questions to consider before you make your decision

• ~f your child is having problems in school, how else could it be solved? Have
you spoken to as many people as you can e.g. head teacher, Education
Welfare service, anti-bullying organisations?
• Might the cost of books and resources become a problem?
• Will you be able to spend enough time with your child?
• How does your child feel about leaming at home, and will he/she miss the
social side of school?
• (ir your child has Special Educational Needs how will you make sure that
lJbese are met?'
• Particularly as your child gets older, 'do you have access to expertise in
different areas of learning?
• What will you do if your child wants to take GCSEs?

3. Your duties as a parent educating your child at home

It is the duty of parents under the 1996 Education Act (section 7) to secure an
appropriate education for their child.
Once your child is taken off roll, the LEA is no longer responsible for providing his/her
leaming, or for provision of books and materials, or marking or assessing work. All of
this becomes your responsibility. However the LEA has a duty to satisfy itself that
appropriate education is taking place, in order to protect your child's right to an
education.

The Education Act does not define 'efficient' or 'suitable' education but a major
court decision said that suitable education should
1. prepare children for life in modern civilised society
2. enable them to achieve their full potential
(Harrison & Harrison v. Stevenson 1981)

Timetable: there is no obligation for parents who home educate to have a timetable
in place, though many find it helpful.

Permission: you do not have to ask peril1i:,sion to begin educating at home unless
your child is enrolled at a special school, but if your child is on the roll of a school you
need to inform the school in writing. The LEA suggests a short time of consultation
prior to your child being taken off roll, so that
• I we are confident that you have been given all the information that you
need
• I you understand the duties and responsibilities of parents who choose to
educate their children at home

The National Curriculum: you do not need to follow the National Curriculum but it
will be useful to keep up with core National Curriculum subjects (Maths, English,
Science, ICT) if you want the option of reintegrating your child back into school later.

Answering the LEA's enquiries about whether your child is receiving a suitable
education: Information can be given to the LEA by a variety of means, though
normally this would be through a home visit from an officer of the LEA The Inclusion
team feels that it is preferable for us to see your child, anfl.Jtli.s_giveschildren a
~bance to make their feelings knowll. If you choose not to offer any information to the
LEA when they ask for evidence, then it may be concluded that suitable education is
not taking place. It is their duty to make such enquiries. As a last resort, legal
proceedings may be considered.
 4. The Local Education Authority's duties towards you and your child when
you educate at home
,I
.Under the Education Act, if it appears that a child is not receiving a suitable
education, the Local Education Authority has a duty to give notice to a parent asking
for them to satisfy it that a child is receiving, such education,

, If a child has a statement of Special Educational needs, the LEA must assure itself
that the child's needs are being met under the terms of the child's statement and an'
Annual Review must take place, Part of the statement may need amending to show '
I that education is now taking place--a7t':'""h-om-e-.
------'------..::.---
- The LEA does not have a legal duty to provide funding for college courses, neither is
it obliged to pay examination fees e,g, for GCSEs.
I Although the LEA does not provide resources or programmes of work for home
educated pupils, during a visit the Officer may make some suggestions which you
could find useful.

• 5. What happens when your child goes on the home education list?

First of all, an officer from the Education Welfare department will arrange a
meeting with you within 10 school days, to confirm that you are intending to educate
at home and that you have been given good information. During this time your child
can stay on roll so that no entitlements are lost

-'
I Who else will be informed, and why?
I Health, Social Services and Connexions (for pupils aged 13-16) will be informed that
I your child is being taught at home. This is so that possible areas of support and
entitlement are not lost to your child,
'--
If you are happy with your decision, your child will be taken off roll, At this stage
some entitlements will no longer be in place e,g, work experience, funding for some
courses.

""Yo~ will then hear from a member of the Inclusion team requesting a meeting
or visit, and this should happen within the term, For a first visit, an Education
Welfare Officer will also attend, In the majority of cases the visits take place at your
home but you can choose other options, The important thing is that the LEA can be
satisfied that your child is receiving an appropriate education,

During the visit or meeting, the officer from the Inclusion team will fill in a
booklet that includes the following questions -;

What facilities are provided for study? Eg Is there somewhere quiet to work, access
to books and a computer?

Who is responsible for the learning programme?

Does your child receive any additional adult support?

What opportunities does your child have to mix with and learn with other people
outside the family?

Have pupils in years 10 and 11 been in contact with Connexions or a local college
with a view to careers guidance or further education?
 How are subject areas being covered? - this does not mean that you are expected to
teach each subject separately, but it is important that your child's learning is broad
and balanced,

Please note there are not necessarily right or wrong answers, only questions
designed to gain a clear picture of the education your child is receiving,

What kind of evidence could you provide?

You could provide samples of your child's work and the books and resources you are
using.

You could compile a written report of your child's education,

rThe visitor from the inclusion team could meet you and your child to look at and
~ss his/her work.

The LEA need to make a judgement that the education you are providing is
satisfactory, They will find it difficult to do this unless sufficient information is provided
to make this judgement.

If the education your child is receiving Is satisfactory, you will be told so by the
visiting officer, You will be sent a copy of the report, and you will then be contacted
once a year to arrange a visit or meeting, Occasionally if the visitor feels that it would
be useful, a visit will be arranged sooner. This will also be discussed with you, and
will be one of the recommendations in the report.

If the Local Education Authority considers that your child Is not receiving a
suitable education you will be told durin() t'le visit. Reasons will be given and
suggestions for improvement. Another visit \';ill be arranged after you have been
given a reasonable amount of time to adapt your programme. This is usually about
three months If there are still problems, especially if parents/carers repeatedly are
unavailable for discussions and meetings to take place, the LEA may have to start
proceedings for a school attendance order.

Even if you have reservations about how things are going, it is better to meet
someone from the LEA to discuss what could be improved, than to avoid a meeting,

6. Some useful ideas and information

Make sure that reading is an important part of your programme

Try to plan learning that is active and practical, not just learning out of books

Try to get out and about and take advantage of all the resources around you e,g,
museums, art galleries, selected websites

Consider getting in touch with local support groups

Some parents pay for private or online tutors - if you do so, be sure to check
specifically that they have police clearance to work with children and what their
qualifications are (some tutors may only work with adults so do not need clearance)

Make sure that your child has a chance to be involved in social activities
-..:-

Some schools will be prepared to put pupils in for exams on their lists provided the
. parents pay the fees

Keep an open mind as your child's feelings and needs may change as he/she gets
older

The LEA does not have a budget provision to fund college placements for pupils who
are not on a school roll.