- You will need to write to the school stating that you intend to educate your child at home.
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You will then receive a letter from the Educational Investigation Service to arrange a meeting with you, either at home or at their office. This is normal procedure. The service seeks to establish initial contact and discuss any issues you feel may have been overlooked etc. Following this initial meeting your contact details will be passed to an elective home education co-ordinator, with whom all future contact will take place
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We have a duty to ensure that a suitable education is taking place. The way this is done is open to negotiation between the authority and the family.
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There are basically three options:
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A visit made to the family home by the adviser
- A meeting held outside of the home (at both of these options your child/children may or may not be present)
- By the sending in of a report which may or may not be accompanied by samples of work
However, past experience has shown that to establish a good working relationship, built upon mutual trust and the exchange of information and advice a home visit with parent(s) and child/children at a mutually convenient time is our preferred option.
We work in partnership with, and support parents to ensure that the SEN of their children are met where we know or have been informed by parents of children's SEND.
If your child has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, the plan should make clear that the child or young person will be educated at home. If it does then by law we must arrange the special educational provision set out in the plan, working together with you (the parents/carer).
In cases where the EHC plan gives the name of a school or type of school where the child will be educated and the parents decide to educate at home, we are not under a duty to make the special educational provision set out in the plan provided it is satisfied that the arrangements made by the parents are suitable. We review the plan annually to assure that the provision set out in it continues to be appropriate and that the child’s SEN continue to be met. Where we have decided that the provision is appropriate, we should amend the plan to name the type of school that would be suitable but state that parents have made their own arrangements under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996.
Where a child or young person is a registered pupil and the parent decides to home educate, the parent must notify the school in writing that the child or young person is receiving education otherwise than at school and the school must then remove the pupil's name from the admission register. If the school is a special school, the local authority must give consent for the child's name to be removed, but this should not be a lengthy or complex process. There is no provision in law for a ‘trial period’ of home education.
Schools can make a referral to the EIS under local referral arrangements
Local authorities do not have the right of entry to the family home to check that the provision being made by the parents is appropriate and may only enter the home at the invitation of the parents. Parents should be encouraged to see this process as part of the authority’s overall approach to home education of pupils with SEND, including the provision of appropriate support, rather than an attempt to undermine the parents’ right to home educate. Local authorities should not assume that because the provision being made by parents is different from that which was being made or would have been made in school that the provision is necessarily unsuitable. Local authorities should also consider using their power to help parents make suitable provision.
For a child or young person with an EHC plan that does not meet the child or young person’s needs. The local authority is required to intervene through the school attendance order framework ‘if it appears…that a child of compulsory school age is not receiving suitable education’. The serving of a school attendance order is a last resort if all attempts to improve provision are unsuccessful. ‘Suitable education’ means efficient full-time education suitable to the child or young person’s age, ability and aptitude and to any SEND they may have.
Yes. Parents may approach a local school to see if they have a place available, or may contact us for information about available places. Even if they have not been covering the same material as children in school, home educated children often display a maturity, confidence and flexibility which helps them to integrate well.
If you decide at any point that your child should return to school you should contact us. Please bear in mind that Dudley secondary schools are very popular and there may be limited spaces available to new pupils in some areas of the borough.
There are a number of voluntary organisations who can offer support to home educating families.
- Christian Home Schooling - Tips and resources on Christian homeschooling.
- Education Otherwise - Articles and books on home-education and alternative learning systems.
- HE Special UK - Largest UK membership organisation which provides support and information for families whose children are being educated at home.
- Home Education - Information, articles, resources and mailing list for parents of children with special needs who would like to educate at home.
- Home Education Advisory Service - A support group offering information for home educators including advice about educational materials, resources, GCSE examinations, special educational needs, information technology, and legal matters.
- MuddlePuddle - Home education resources and ideas for parents with younger children.
- Friends, Families and Travellers - National Charity.
Early Help is taking action early to provide support where problems are emerging for children, young people and their families. Early help support may be provided at any point in a child or young person’s life. The sooner the family receives the support, the sooner they are able to improve their situation and prevent the need for prolonged support. For more information click here: Early Help.