As a parent you may decide to exercise your right to home educate your child from a very early age and so the child may not have been previously enrolled at school. You may also elect to home educate at any other stage up to the end of compulsory school age.
Parent's provision of education at home
Home educating parents are not required to:
- teach the National Curriculum
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provide a broad and balanced education
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have a timetable
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have premises equipped to any particular standard
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set hours during which education will take place
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have any specific qualifications
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make detailed plans in advance
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observe school hours, days or terms
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give formal lessons
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mark work done by their child
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formally assess progress or set development objectives
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reproduce school type peer group socialisation
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match school-based, age-specific standards
However, local authorities should offer advice and support to parents on these matters if requested.
What we expect the provision to include
- consistent involvement of parents or other significant carers – it is expected that parents or significant carers would play a substantial role, although not necessarily constantly or actively involved in providing education
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recognition of the child’s needs, attitudes and aspirations
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opportunities for the child to be stimulated by their learning experiences
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access to resources/materials required to provide home education for the child – such as paper and pens, books and libraries, arts and crafts materials, physical activity, ICT and the opportunity for appropriate interaction with other children and other adults.
If we consider that a suitable education is not being provided, then a full written report of the findings will be made and copied to the parents promptly, specifying the grounds for concern and any reasons for concluding that provision is unsuitable. If we are not satisfied that a suitable education is being provided, and the parents, having been given a reasonable opportunity to address the identified concerns and report back, have not done so, we will consider sending a formal notice to the parents under section 437 before moving on, if needed, to the issuing of a school attendance order (section 437(1)).