Getting Started With Home Education
Why Do Parents Choose Home Education?
Many parents wonder if they can successfully teach their children at home. The answer is usually **yes** - with the right preparation and support, most parents can provide a great education at home. It is a leap into the unknown and a journey that you can both share and learn through together. If you do decide to take this step, then your confidence will grow along with the confidence of your child.
Your Introduction
Beginning to home educate your child can be scary. There are a lot of things to think about. Here are some common reasons for home educating.
Educational Reasons:
More personalised learning, work at child’s natural pace, focus on specific interest, address special educational needs, offer advanced learning opportunities, customised learning style, safe learning environment and being able to create a flexible learning schedule.
Personal & Family Reasons:
To support a child with anxiety, address bullying concerns, accommodate health needs, work around family schedules and to support gifted learners.
Common Concerns (And Reality Checks):
Q. Will my child become isolated? The answer to that doesn’t have to be NO. There are home education groups that offer regular meetups, sports teams and clubs are still available, community classes provide social opportunities, being flexible allows for more varied social interactions and many home educators have active social lives.
Q. How will I help them learn? You don’t need to be an expert, so many resources are available. Maybe you could choose an online course or tutorial help when needed. You can learn alongside your child. You are still your child’s FIRST and BEST teacher.
What You'll Need to Consider:
The time commitment required, cost of materials and learning resources, social opportunities needed, your teaching confidence, subject coverage, teaching style preferences and assessment methods.
Moving Forward
Starting home education is like beginning any new journey - it may seem daunting at first, but with each step, both you and your child will:
- Gain confidence
- Develop new skills
- Find your rhythm
- Build strong bonds
- Create lasting memories
Is it legal?
- Homeschooling is legal in most countries, but not all. It is legal in the UK
- Clear guidelines are available from yo ur local authority
- Support groups can help you understand the rules
- Many resources exist to help you comply
The Journey Together - Remember
- Your confidence will grow over time
- Every family's journey is different
- It's okay to adjust your approach
- You can change your mind
- There's no "perfect" way to home-educate
Growth & Development
For Parents
- Teaching skills develop naturally
- Organization abilities improve
- Understanding of learning styles grows
- Confidence builds over time
- Network of support expands
For Children
- Learning becomes more natural
- Independence develops
- Self-motivation increases
- Confidence grows
- Individual interests’ flourish
Remember: Every home ed. family started exactly where you are now - at the beginning of their journey.
Home Education can have many advantages over sending your child to a mainstream school.
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They have greater opportunities to learn about real-world issues
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They are free from bullying and the trauma that a lot of children are affected by in relation to their peers
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They can study at their own pace and follow their interest
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They can study a topic in greater depth than they would be able to at mainstream schools where time is a constraint
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They are free to be themselves and grow in confidence
So how do you get the ball rolling?
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You must de-register your child from school, and how you do this will depend on where you live. In some areas, this is done by simply writing to the headteacher and stating that you would like your child to be de-registered because you are home-educating them from this date. In other areas, this might be slightly different.
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It also becomes more complicated if your child is disabled or has special educational needs and has a SEND document.
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In all cases, it is best to check your local area's rules on home education on the website of your borough.
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If you are on a school waiting list, you will need to inform the local LA of your intentions. The internet has a lot of advice on how to do this.
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You can even print out a sample letter to take into school.
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Anexample of a letter for parents to withdraw a child from a state school in England and Wales is further down the page.
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It should also be suitable for use in Northern Ireland although parents are advised to contact HEDNI beforehand.
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If you modify the letter - make sure you state that your child is currently receiving an education otherwise than at school, or is home educated, for it to be valid.
Deregistration in England and Wales
In England, if your child attends school, then you will need to go through a deregistration process to remove them and educate them at home.
This is quite straightforward and involves writing a letter to the Headteacher of the school.
You do not need to get permission from the school or Local Authority to home-educate, you simply need to inform the school of your decision, and the school is then required to inform the Local authority that they have removed your child’s name from the register.
You do not need to inform the Local Authority yourself.
Special educational needs children For Special Educational Needs Children (SEN) not in special schools then the process for deregistration is the same as above. Unless the Statement specifies provision at home to be made by the LA, the statement becomes a legally unenforceable document. The LA will no longer have a statutory duty to arrange the provision specified in the statement and nor will the parents. The LA are still under a duty to review the statement at least annually, until such time as they cease to maintain it. Where a child is established in Elective Home Education, it is reasonable for the LA to conclude that it is no longer necessary for them to make provision or to continue to maintain the statement.
For Special Educational Needs Children (SEN) in special schools, the parents need to seek Local Authority consent to home educate.
Where a child is a registered pupil at a special school under arrangements made by the LA (so this excludes those who attend special school placements not funded or arranged by the LA), LA ‘consent’ is required to delete the child’s name from the register of the school. Write to the school in the same way as above but ask the school to inform you when this has been done. A sample letter is available for download at the end of this article. The child should attend school until you are certain that they have been taken off roll.
Sample Letters
Dear [insert the head teacher's name here]
After careful consideration I have decided to withdraw [insert your child's name here] from school in order to take personal responsibility for their education.
Please delete their name from the register in accordance with Education (Pupil Registration) Regulation 8(1)(d) 2006, as they are now receiving education otherwise than at school.
Please will you confirm receipt of this letter and inform us of the date that [insert your child's name here] was removed from the register.
Yours sincerely [insert your name here]
A sample letter to the LA for a child attending a special needs school.
Mr/Mrs Director of Education
Anytown Borough Council Education Department
Full Address and Post Code
Dear Re - (Child's name - date of birth - special school attending)
We are writing as the parents of the above-named child, who is a child for whom the LEA currently maintains a statement of special educational needs and who is a registered pupil at (name) Special School, (address).
After very careful consideration and following amicable discussions with staff and teachers from the above-named school, we have now decided to take full responsibility for providing for our son's education, 'otherwise than at school' in accordance with section 7 of the 1996 Education Act.
We therefore seek the consent of the Local Education Authority to allow (child's name) name to be deleted from the admission register of the school, in accordance with Regulation 8(2) of the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2006.
Once consent has been given, we will provide our son /daughter with an efficient full-time education suitable to his age, ability, aptitude and to his special educational needs. We look forward to consent for (child's name) name to be deleted from the admission register being given to the proprietor of (name) Special School in the very near future and request that confirmation of such action be forwarded to us within the next 14 days.
Yours etc
If you live in Scotland, you need permission from your education authority in some cases when your children are in school. Always check with your local authority.
Awesome! Now that you've sent the letter, it’s time to dive into the exciting world of education!
**Traditional Learning** offers a fantastic structured approach, complete with a timetable and curriculum, making it a great option if you plan to eventually send your child back to school. This method provides consistency and is perfect for kids who thrive on routine or have a packed schedule of clubs and activities.
**Semi-Structured Learning** brings a mix of structure and flexibility, focusing on Literacy and Numeracy for a set time each day while leaving space for exploration! A little structure can work wonders for children, then to pursue their passions throughout the day.
**Project-Based Learning** is where the magic happens! Kids can dive deep into exciting themes like “The Ancient,” exploring a variety of subjects through engaging projects. This approach encourages creativity with hands-on activities like cooking, dressing up, and visiting museums, making learning an adventure!
**Religious Learning** caters to families who want to integrate their faith into education, offering a wonderful blend of scriptural and moral teachings.
**Charlotte Mason Learning** is all about fostering a love learning, prioritising arts and nature. It’s a beautiful way to inspire curiosity and creativity in children!
**Autonomous Learning** gives your child the reins, allowing them to their interests freely while you provide resources and experiences. It’s perfect for older kids who thrive outside a traditional school structure!
**World Schooling** turns travel into an incredible educational journey, exposing kids to new cultures and adventures!
In our family, we enjoy a semi-structured approach with Literacy and Numeracy during the mornings, followed by project-based in the afternoons, plus dedicated Science lessons and exciting outings!
Remember, the key is to find a style that fits your child’s unique needs. It’s all about discovering what works best, and it may evolve over time. Let the learning adventure begin!
The National Curriculum and Home Educating
By law, you do not have to follow the National Curriculum when home educating.
Home Education comes under the bracket of the Education Act which refers to provision for 'education otherwise', which outlines the idea that while parents must ensure their children receive an education, the exact style, method, and content of that education is not made explicit, except that it must be suitable for a child's age, aptitude and ability.
You have the freedom to educate your child as you wish, but the framework of the National Curriculum can be a useful tool if you are considering sending your child back to mainstream school at a later date.
The National Curriculum describes issues like the knowledge, skills and understanding required in each subject, attainment targets for children studying individual subjects, and the marking and assessment of pupils. The National Curriculum divides up into chunks of years - 'key stages' - which include Early Learning Foundation Stage, then key stages one through to four.
You are not bound in any way to follow these signpost. Being constricted in this way may hinder your child’s progress. If you find that your child is behind his or her peer group in one area of learning (for example. Maths), then you might start to over worry and push the learning when the child is not ready yet.
Instead use the National Curriculum like signpost in their learning journey. And when you’re asked to fill out the report at the end of the year you can put down where your child is at currently and show the progress they have made.
