Right First Time UK
Search Get Help
Home›Guides & Information›Education & Learning›Guide to Home Education: Rights & Resources

Guide to Home Education: Rights & Resources

Elective Home Education (EHE) means parents choose to provide education themselves rather than send their child to school.

About this guide

Elective Home Education (EHE) means parents choose to provide education themselves rather than send their child to school.

1. What is Elective Home Education (EHE)?

England: education is compulsory, but attendance at school is not the only lawful way to provide it. Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 requires a parent to secure efficient full-time education suitable to the child's age, ability, aptitude and any relevant special educational needs, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.

Elective Home Education (EHE) means parents choose to provide education themselves rather than send their child to school.

Home education does not have to follow the National Curriculum and does not need to mirror school learning.

Education can take many forms including:

  • Structured learning
  • Project-based learning
  • Online learning
  • Outdoor learning
  • Practical life skills
  • Vocational learning
  • Child-led learning
  • Community learning
  • Educational visits

The law generally requires that education is:

  • Suitable
  • Efficient
  • Appropriate to the child's age
  • Appropriate to ability
  • Appropriate to aptitude
  • Appropriate to any special educational needs

Useful links:

2. Parents' Responsibilities

No school-style curriculum is required in England. Parents do not have to follow the National Curriculum, use school hours or hold teaching qualifications. The legal question is whether the education provided is suitable, efficient and full-time in the sense required by law and guidance.

Parents who choose home education take responsibility for providing suitable education.

This may include:

  • Planning learning opportunities
  • Monitoring progress
  • Accessing resources
  • Arranging social opportunities
  • Supporting wellbeing
  • Preparing for future education or employment pathways

Parents do not normally need:

  • Qualified teacher status
  • A school-style timetable
  • Formal classroom teaching
  • National Curriculum delivery

However, education should be demonstrably suitable if requested by the local authority.

3. Home Education Rights

SEND and EHC plans: a child can be electively home educated while an EHC plan remains in force. The local authority must continue to review the plan. The legal consequences for who must secure provision depend on the wording of the plan and whether the authority is satisfied that the parental arrangements are suitable.

Parents generally have the right to:

Choose Home Education

Parents can decide to educate their child at home.

Choose Learning Approaches

Families may use:

  • Formal curriculum models
  • Flexible approaches
  • Alternative educational philosophies

Adapt Education

Learning can be adapted to:

  • SEND
  • Disability
  • Health needs
  • Learning style
  • Interests
  • Pace of development

Access Public Services

Home educated children remain entitled to:

  • NHS healthcare
  • Safeguarding protections
  • SEND support processes
  • EHCP assessments where appropriate

Useful links:

4. Local Authority Involvement

Current England position: local authorities can make informal enquiries to satisfy themselves that a child is receiving suitable education. A parent is not generally required under the current EHE guidance to accept a home visit simply because the child is home educated, but refusing to provide sufficient information may leave the authority unable to be satisfied that suitable education is taking place.

Local authorities have duties relating to children receiving suitable education.

Authorities may:

  • Make enquiries where education suitability is unclear
  • Request information about provision
  • Offer support or advice
  • Maintain contact with families

Parents are not normally required to:

  • Accept home visits
  • Follow the National Curriculum
  • Recreate school environments

However, parents should be prepared to demonstrate that suitable education is taking place.

Useful links:

5. Learning Resources

Home educating families often use a mixture of resources.

Free Learning Resources

Libraries

Public libraries provide:

  • Books
  • Digital resources
  • Learning activities
  • Study spaces

Find your local library:

https://www.gov.uk/local-library-services

Museums & Educational Visits

Many museums and heritage organisations provide educational materials and workshops.

6. Home Education Curriculum Ideas

There is no legal requirement to follow the National Curriculum.

Many families create programmes covering:

English

  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Communication
  • Literature

Mathematics

  • Numeracy
  • Problem solving
  • Financial skills

Science

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Practical investigations

Humanities

  • History
  • Geography
  • Citizenship

Creative Subjects

  • Art
  • Music
  • Drama
  • Photography

Life Skills

  • Cooking
  • Budgeting
  • Communication
  • Independent living

Physical Education

  • Sports
  • Walking
  • Outdoor activities

Digital Skills

  • Computing
  • Online safety
  • Technology

For children with SEND, learning should be adapted to individual needs and strengths.

7. Exams for Home Educated Children

Private candidates – 2026: Ofqual's student guide applies to private candidates, including home-educated learners. Private candidates need to register with a school, college or other approved exam centre that accepts them. Families should plan early because centre availability, entry deadlines, practical assessments and access arrangements can affect what qualifications are realistically available.

Home educated children can take:

  • GCSEs
  • IGCSEs
  • Functional Skills Qualifications
  • A Levels
  • Vocational qualifications

Parents are usually responsible for:

  • Finding examination centres
  • Registering candidates
  • Paying examination fees

Useful links:

Exam Planning Tips

Start planning early because:

  • Deadlines may be many months before exams
  • Centres may have limited places
  • Access arrangements may need evidence

8. Home Education & SEND

Special school rule – England: if a child is registered at a special school under arrangements made by the local authority, council consent is required before the child's name can be removed from the roll for elective home education. That consent is not required merely because a mainstream-school pupil has an EHC plan.

Children with SEND can be home educated.

Parents may:

  • Request EHCP assessments
  • Continue EHCP support processes
  • Participate in annual reviews

An EHCP remains legally important even where education is delivered at home.

Useful links:

9. Returning to School

Returning is not always immediate. A child can return to school, but a place at a particular preferred school is not guaranteed. Families may need to apply through the normal in-year admissions process and should discuss transition, SEND support and examination-course continuity early.

Some families later decide that a return to school is appropriate.

Reasons may include:

  • Academic needs
  • Social opportunities
  • Examination access
  • Health improvements
  • Family circumstances

Parents should:

  • Contact the local authority
  • Research schools
  • Consider transition planning
  • Discuss support needs
  • Share relevant educational information

For children with SEND, transition planning may be particularly important.

Useful links:

10. Home Education Support Groups

Many families find support through local and national home education communities.

Support groups may provide:

  • Learning activities
  • Social opportunities
  • Educational trips
  • Peer support
  • Exam advice
  • SEND support

Useful organisations:

Education Otherwise

https://www.educationotherwise.org/

Home Education UK

https://home-education.org.uk/

National Home Education Network

https://www.heneducation.org/

Parents should assess information critically and seek professional advice where necessary.

11. Legal Rights

Key England legal sources: home education can engage the Education Act 1996, Children and Families Act 2014, Equality Act 2010, school-registration law, SEND law, safeguarding duties and, from 2026, provisions in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 as and when the relevant sections are commenced.

Home educating families may have rights under:

Education Law

  • Right to choose home education
  • Right to provide suitable education

SEND Law

  • EHCP assessments
  • SEND support processes
  • Tribunal rights

Equality Law

Protection from discrimination relating to disability and other protected characteristics.

Human Rights

Respect for family life, religious beliefs and philosophical convictions, subject to lawful educational requirements.

Useful links:

12. Evidence Standards

Keeping records can help demonstrate educational provision.

Useful evidence may include:

  • Learning journals
  • Educational plans
  • Reading records
  • Project work
  • Photographs of activities
  • Progress notes
  • Educational visits
  • Online learning records
  • Exam entries
  • Assessments
  • SEND documentation

Evidence does not need to replicate school reports but should demonstrate learning and educational opportunities.

Useful Record-Keeping

Keep:

  • Dates
  • Activities
  • Resources used
  • Skills developed
  • Progress observed

Clear records may help if the local authority requests information.

13. Accountability & Complaints

Use the route that matches the issue. A complaint about local authority administration, a School Attendance Order dispute, an EHC plan appeal, a disability discrimination claim and a safeguarding issue are different legal routes with different remedies and deadlines.

If disputes arise:

Step 1

Communicate with the local authority.

Step 2

Request written explanations.

Step 3

Keep copies of correspondence.

Step 4

Seek independent advice.

Step 5

Use formal complaints procedures if necessary.

Useful organisations:

14. Quick Help Directory

Home Education Guidance

https://www.gov.uk/home-education

Elective Home Education Guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/elective-home-education

Local Council

https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

BBC Bitesize

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize

Oak National Academy

https://www.thenational.academy/

National Careers Service

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/

SEND Support

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-guide-for-parents-and-carers

IPSEA

https://www.ipsea.org.uk/

Contact

https://contact.org.uk/

Education Otherwise

https://www.educationotherwise.org/

Home Education UK

https://home-education.org.uk/

Child Law Advice

https://childlawadvice.org.uk/

Ombudsman

https://www.lgo.org.uk/

Key Message

Home education can provide a flexible and personalised learning experience when it is suitable, efficient and responsive to a child's individual needs. Parents have important rights and responsibilities, while local authorities have duties to ensure children receive an appropriate education. Understanding the legal framework, maintaining good records, accessing support and knowing where to seek advice can help families make informed decisions and support positive educational outcomes.

Current law – England • 2026

What Applies Now?

Parental Duty

Parents must secure suitable, efficient full-time education for a child of compulsory school age, either through school attendance or otherwise.

Education Act 1996 – Section 7

No National Curriculum Requirement

GOV.UK confirms that home education does not have to follow the National Curriculum. Parents can use different approaches, provided the education is suitable.

GOV.UK Home Education

Local Authority Enquiries

A local authority can make enquiries where it needs to establish whether suitable education is being provided. If it is not satisfied, the School Attendance Order process may become relevant.

DfE EHE Guidance

Special School Consent

A child registered at a special school under local-authority arrangements normally needs council consent before being removed from the roll for EHE. A mainstream pupil does not need consent simply because they have an EHC plan.

Official SEN / EHE Rule
Major 2026 law change

Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 – Home Education Changes

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026. It contains major new provisions concerning children who are not in school, including elective home education.

Important commencement point: the Act does not make all of these home-education provisions operational simply because Royal Assent has happened. Section 78 says sections such as the Children Not in School register, new withdrawal-consent rules and revised School Attendance Order provisions come into force for remaining purposes on dates appointed by commencement regulations. Always check commencement before treating a new duty as already operative.

Children Not in School Registers

Section 38 creates a duty for local authorities in England and Wales to maintain registers of eligible compulsory-school-age children who are not in school, including many home-educated children, once the provision is commenced.

Information Duties

The new register framework includes duties concerning information that parents and some providers of out-of-school education may need to supply once those provisions are in force.

Withdrawal Consent for Some Children

Section 37 creates additional local-authority consent requirements for withdrawing certain children from school, including specified safeguarding groups and children at special schools, once commenced.

Support for Home-Educating Parents

The new Children Not in School framework also contains a local-authority duty to provide support to parents of children on the register, once the relevant provisions are in force.

Official England data

Elective Home Education – Latest Official Figures

Department for Education data published in January 2026 provides the latest national picture currently available for England.

126,000 children in EHE on the autumn 2025 census date
111,700 children in EHE on the previous autumn census date
175,900 children in EHE at some point during the 2024/25 academic year
9,100 children and young people with EHC plans recorded as electively home educated in 2026
DfE describes the EHE statistics as official statistics in development. The collection became mandatory in autumn 2024 and data quality is expected to continue improving as the collection becomes established.
Exams & qualifications

Private Candidates, GCSEs & Exam Access

Home-educated learners can enter regulated qualifications as private candidates, but they normally need an exam centre willing to accept them. The centre manages entries, examination administration and any approved access arrangements.

Find a Centre Early

Not every school or college accepts private candidates, and centres can choose which qualifications and specifications they support.

Access Arrangements

Learners with disability or another evidenced need may qualify for exam access arrangements. Evidence and applications can take time, so ask the prospective exam centre well before the entry deadline.

Coursework & Practical Components

Some qualifications include non-exam assessment, speaking tests, practical work or other components that can be harder for private candidates to arrange. Check the specification before committing to a course.

Costs

In England, parents who elect to home educate are generally responsible for exam-entry and related costs unless a local authority or another organisation chooses to provide support.

SEND & EHC plans

Home Education With an EHC Plan – England

Home education does not automatically end an EHC plan. The local authority continues to have review duties while the plan remains in force.

Who secures the provision can depend on the circumstances. Where parents make their own suitable home-education arrangements, the legal position differs from a situation where the local authority itself arranges education otherwise than at school. EHE and local-authority EOTAS should not be treated as the same thing.
Returning to school

Returning From Home Education to School – England

Families can decide that school is again the right option. A child does not lose the right to seek a school place because they have previously been home educated, but a preferred school may be full.

Ask about in-year admissions, transition support, SEND information-sharing, examination-course continuity and any pastoral or health support needed for a successful return.
UK nations

Home Education Across the UK

Home-education law is different across the four nations. Do not assume that England's deregistration or local-authority rules apply elsewhere.

England

England currently uses the Education Act 1996 framework and DfE elective home education guidance, alongside the new 2026 Act as its provisions are commenced.

England – Home Education

Wales

Wales has statutory EHE guidance for local authorities and a handbook for families. Welsh Government also published specific 2026 information about the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act and new ALN/EHE guidance.

Wales – Elective Home Education Wales – ALN & EHE

Scotland

Scotland published revised home-education guidance in January 2025. A parent withdrawing a child from a public school normally needs local-authority consent, which must not be unreasonably withheld. Different rules apply in some circumstances where the child is not enrolled at a public school.

Scotland – Home Education Guidance

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's legal framework requires parents to secure efficient full-time education suitable to age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs, either by school attendance or otherwise.

Northern Ireland – EHE
Official sources

Key Official Home Education Law, Guidance & Support

← Back to Education & Learning All Guides & Information