FAQs

Please note that the law on education in England and Wales differs from the law in Scotland. Additionally, in some cases, guidelines for England do not apply to Wales. Readers should double-check that the information given here applies to their own country.

Q. Is it legal?

A.  The law in England states that education is compulsory but school is not. The relevant extract from the law can be found on page "The Law & Home Education".

Q. Is the law going to be changed?

A.  Please see our campaign website for the latest news.

Q. Do I have to be a qualified teacher?

A.  You do not have to have any formal qualifications in order to be able to educate your child at home. As a parent, you have been educating your child from day one - and no-one teaches you how to be a parent! How you and your child choose to learn will be the first - and perhaps the most exciting - thing that you will discover. Finding out how your child learns, how they view the world and their place in it, can be a real eye-opening experience. The process of education will be one that you cannot help but share, and you will grow together.

Q. Will the LA monitor what we are doing?

A.  It is likely they will want to know what educational provision is being made for your child. However, they have no legal right to monitor you and can only make informal enquiries of parents. If you choose to respond, you may choose to do so in any way eg in writing, via a home visit or by meeting in person at a neutral location such as a library.

Q. What about exams?

A.  Formal testing is not required - your child does not have to sit Key Stage tests. Some children may chose to enter for formal qualifications (such as GCSEs) as private candidates or arrange for part-time attendance at a Further Education College. Others use correspondence courses. Again, you and your child must decide what is right for them. For further information see the wiki about exams for home educators in the UK.

Q. What about socialisation?

A.  The word socialisation, contrary to the opinion of some, does not mean spending the weekdays competing with 25 human beings one's own age. In a natural community children spend their daily lives with old people, babies, and everyone in between. They do not compete, but learn to search out the needs of others and to help them live and learn. This mixed age group and habit of teaching and helping others, and being helped and taught by people younger or older than oneself, is a natural part of home education.

Q. Can I take a child with special needs out of school?

A.  Yes. If your child has special needs, and is in a mainstream school then you just need to write a de-registration letter. The process is exactly the same as for any other child, whether or not they have a statement, and the LA or school cannot refuse.

Q. What happens if they are in a special school?

A.  Consent from the LA is needed before the name can be removed from the register. This cannot be withheld without good reason. You should write to the school asking that the child's name be removed from the register and asking for it to be confirmed in writing to you by a set date. Most LAs respond by removing the child's name. Some however make further enquiries from you about your provision before removing the name from the register. If you have any difficulty contact Education Otherwise for help. Email or ring 08445 003887. You can also use our Contact form.

Q. Do I have to provide what is in the statement?

A.  No. The statement is not enforceable on a parent. The parent must however ensure that the child's special needs are met, according to section 7 of the 1996 Education Act. In some cases this will be in a very different way to the provision outlined in the statement. In other cases the parent may actually be providing what is in the statement more effectively than the school were. Either way, the statement must be reviewed and it is important that the parent can demonstrate that the child's needs are being met.