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Elective Home
Education
Guidance for parents
and carers
Revised in the light of Department for
Education Guidelines March 2012
Introduction
You have decided, or are considering, the option of home education for your child or
children. This booklet is designed to be helpful to you.
Parents choose to educate their children at home for a variety of reasons. This is not a
decision to be taken lightly as it means you will be responsible for all aspects of their
education. It requires a considerable commitment of time and energy. You will not be
entitled to any financial support for books or equipment, examination entries or work
experience.
Guidance on the Law
Under the 1944 Education Act education was defined, for the first time, as
compulsory. For the vast majority of families this was translated into an assumption
that children had to be educated at school. However, it was, and still is ‘education’ that
is compulsory, not ‘school’. The 1944 Act clearly stated that it was the duty of parents
to ensure their children were educated either at school or otherwise.
The responsibility of parents is recognised in section 7 of the Education Act 1996 -
previously section 36 of the Education Act 1944.
“The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause them to receive
efficient full-time education suitable -
to the child’s age, ability and aptitude, and
to any special educational needs the child may have,
either by regular attendance at school or otherwise”
Although this responsibility is usually delegated to schools, parents may decide to
educate their child/children at home. This may be for a range of reasons including
religious, cultural and philosophical beliefs.
Further legislation – referred to as
Raising the Age of Participation – states that
from 2013 all young people will need to stay in some form of learning until the age of
17, increasing to 18 in 2015.
Local Authority Duties
The Local Authority (LA) believes in the value of school-based education as it provides
a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and
cultural, physical and mental development and prepares all pupils for the
opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life - National Curriculum 2000.
However, we respect your right as a parent and carer to choose to educate your
child/children other than at school.
The LA has a duty to make sure that the child/children receive a “suitable” education
for the child’s age, ability, aptitude and for any special educational needs that the child
may have.
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A “suitable” education is one that equips a child for life within the community they
belong to.
Section 437 of the 1996 Education Act states:
“If it appears to a Local Education Authority (LEA) that a child of school
age in their area is not receiving a suitable education, either by regular
attendance at school or ‘otherwise’ they shall serve notice in writing on the
parent requiring him/her to satisfy them within the period specified in the
notice that the child is receiving such education”
The LA’s legal duty is only concerned with children who do not appear to receive
suitable education. The LA has no automatic legal right of access to the home.
Parents may, if they wish to, permit access to the home, or offer an alternative venue
for a meeting. At the initial meeting, the nature and frequency of future contact should
be agreed.
In some exceptional cases - as a last resort - we will issue a school attendance order.
This order specifies the school where your child should be registered. If you do not
comply with a school attendance order you will have committed an offence, unless you
can demonstrate that your child is receiving suitable education otherwise than at
school.
Where the LA‘s assessment is that the education is not suitable they will consider an
application to the courts for an education supervision order. This will enable home
education to continue under supervision and allow education staff to engage, advise,
assist and befriend parents and carers.
Other Information
Home education can take many different forms. In some cases you might take on the
task of teaching children yourselves, employ private tutors, subscribe to a distance-
learning package and/or work together with other home-educating families. What is
suitable for one child may not be suitable for another, but all children should make
reasonable progress. It is reasonably expected that the provision should include the
following characteristics:
consistent involvement of parents or other significant carers
recognition of the child’s needs, attitudes and aspirations
opportunities for the child to be stimulated by their learning experiences
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
Curriculum Content
The curriculum is everything that is done to educate your child. It should provide
opportunities for physical, intellectual, social, spiritual and emotional development.
It should be broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated:
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Broad
It should provide the pupil with a wide range of knowledge, skills and
understanding
Balanced
There should be sufficient time for each aspect, allowing for all essential
parts of learning
Relevant
This should be related to the pupil’s experiences and to adult life.
The curriculum should be matched to the pupil’s ability and aptitude. There should be
opportunities to mix with, and relate to, other children, young people and adults and a
possible mix of:
national curriculum subjects
information technology
health education
personal and social education
citizenship
careers education
physical education
National Curriculum
The National Curriculum does not apply to children educated at home. However, you
may wish your child to re-enter the state system at some time in the future.
The following subjects are compulsory in Derby City Schools, up to the age of 14:
English
Maths
Science
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
History
Geography
Religious Education
Art
Design & Technology
Music
Physical Education (PE)
A Modern Foreign Language (from the age of 11).
In primary schools, the subjects may be integrated and not taught as separate
subjects. In secondary schools subjects will generally be taught separately.
Children learn in different ways, at different times and at different speeds. It is a good
idea to have a timetable or plan to show what you are doing.
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Responsibility
Whilst it is your responsibility to plan and carry out your child/children’s educational
experiences, the monitoring and support of children educated otherwise in Derby City
LA is the responsibility of the Inclusion Adviser.
Procedures
The LA is notified of the parent/carer’s intention to educate their child/children
otherwise than at school. There is no legal obligation on the parent to notify the LA
unless the child is already registered as a pupil.
De-registration of pupils is allowed if the head teacher
and the LA has received written
notification from you that your child is receiving education otherwise than at school.
When a school receives written notification of a parent’s decision to home educate,
they can remove a child from the school roll and the Headteacher must inform the LA
within 10 school days.
As a LA we respect your decision to educate your child at home and we would like to
support you. An Education Officer is available to arrange a visit to see how you are
getting on. This will usually take place within 12 weeks after you start to teach your
child at home. If parents wish to, they may inform the LA directly.
You may choose to meet an Education Officer at your home, or at a mutually
convenient location, or you may choose not to meet at all. If we do not hear from you,
an Education Officer will be in touch.
The purpose of the visit is to monitor the range of the curriculum you are offering and
offer some advice. It is important to recognise that there are many, equally valid
approaches to educational provision. The Education Officer will be keen to discuss
with you the ways in which you feel that the education you offer is the most
appropriate for your child. Our procedures are intended to provide a good foundation
for the development of trusting relationships and mutual respect.
He/she will need to understand how you intend to fulfil your duties under the 1996
Education Act to provide an efficient full time education suitable to the age, ability and
aptitude and any special educational needs of your child.
A child may come to the attention of the Local Authority through an alternative
route. In these circumstances, the Admissions Team will make contact.
In September of each year, the Head of Social Development and Inclusion is
notified of the number and age of children being educated other than at school
and a Derby City Council record maintained.
Where a child has a statement of Special Educational Needs, the Principal
Educational Psychologist will identify a named Educational Psychologist.
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Elective Home Education for a child with a formal statement of SEN
It is possible for a child with a formal statement of SEN - under section 324 of the
Education Act 1996 - to be educated other than at a school. The provision to be made
and considered appropriate by the LA should be written in part 4 of the child’s
statement by the LA. The authority must ensure that parents can make suitable
provision, including provision for the child’s special educational needs.
When a child with a statement is educated other than at school, the general timetable
and arrangements for the annual review of the statement will remain the same as for
children in schools. However, the LA will convene the review meeting, and invite the
child’s parents. The range of professionals involved may be wider and, in some
respects, different from those involved in a school-based review.
Some helpful questions for you
How am I planning to ensure that I offer a broad and balanced curriculum?
What are my short and long term plans?
How can I link different subjects together?
How is the work organised?
How will I know my child is making progress?
How can I provide for my child’s physical development?
How can I arrange for my child to meet and play with others?
What are the costs involved – visits, equipment, books?
Some useful suggestions
Provide a quiet area for the work.
Vary the style and content to make learning enjoyable.
Ensure reading is a priority.
Plan activities to be active, practical and participative as possible.
Prepare a flexible timetable or plan
Check they understand and are learning.
Check your child’s work and give them positive feedback
Take full advantage of the resources available.
Provide opportunity for independent study and research.
Plan educational visits
Use the local library
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Costs
Parents are strongly encouraged to think carefully about the costs associated with
educating children at home (especially in the longer term when they may wish to take
public examinations). There are no funds directly available from the LA for parents
who decide to home-educate their children.
For enquiries relating to Elective Home Education in Derby City please contact:
01332 640350
Education Welfare Service
01332 641448
Other useful sources of information
(Derby City LA is not responsible for the content of external websites)
Derby City website
http://www.derby.gov.uk/education-and-learning/parental-support/school-home-
schooling/
Education Otherwise http://www.education-otherwise.net
0845 478 6345
Connexions
www.connexions.gov.uk
Curriculum materials, resources and online activities relevant to Key Stage 1 &
2, Special Needs and Early Years (www.curriculumonline.gov.uk)
Department for Education (DfE)
www.dfe.gov.uk
Home Education Advisory Service
www.heas.org.uk 01707 371854
Advisory Centre for Education
www.ace-ed.org.uk 0808 800 5793
BBC Bitesize
www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize National Curriculum in Action
www.ncaction.org.uk
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OCR: Oxford, Cambridge & RSA Examinations Board www.ocr.org.uk 01223 553998
AQA Examinations Board
www.aqa.org.uk 0161 953 1180
EdExcel Examinations Board
www.edexcel.org.uk Parents centre
www.parentscentre.gov.uk
Derby and Derbyshire Parent Partnership Service
www.derbyshireparentpartnership.co.uk 01332 641414
Information about immunisation vaccines
http://www.immunisation.nhs.uk/immunisation_Schedule
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