Can you homeschool your child in the UK ?
YES! Homeschooling or home education IS legal in the UK.
There are some situations in which you will need permission to homeschool your child and these are:
- If your child attends a special school
- Your child has a ‘school attendance order’
- Your child attends a state school in Scotland however, there are the following exceptions:
- you do not or you no longer, live in the same local authority as your school,
- your child has completed their primary education (and is due to), but will not be transitioning to secondary school,
- your child’s school has closed.
In all other cases, you do not need permission to homeschool.
Can I just teach English and Maths when homeschooling in the UK ?
In short, YES!
As a homeschooler you are under no obligation to teach specific subjects, follow a curriculum or the National Curriculum.
It is however advisable to provide opportunities for your child to acquire English and Maths skills based on their age and ability
There is no legislation that specifically deals with elective home education. Local authorities in the UK use Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 as guidance. This Act states that:
‘The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable - (a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and (b) to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise’.
The terms efficient, full-time, and suitable are not defined by law. Local authorities are usually looking for an education that:
- Prepares the child to lead an independent life
- Includes social activities allowing children to interact with others and learn how to navigate relationships with a range of people
- Meets the needs of the individual child based on their age, interests, and ability.
As a homeschooling parent, I formally teach both English and Maths, plus one other main topic for the year, in line with the Waldorf philosophy. For maths support, take a look at my maths blog posts under Waldorf Homeschooling Resources .
English and maths are deemed as essential subjects in preparing children to lead independent lives. Without literacy and numeracy, it will be difficult for children to access other subjects or areas of learning.
Additionally, most adults will need to manage personal finances, fill out forms, and communicate effectively in written and spoken English. Therefore, if you do not cover English and Maths the education is likely to be deemed 'unsuitable' by your Local Authority.
What are the required homeschooling hours per day in the UK ?
There are NONE!
As quoted previously, Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 states that every child of compulsory school age must receive efficient ‘full-time’ education. There are however, no statutory guidelines with regards to how many hours must be completed over any given period.
In fact, the UK government does not require homeschoolers to follow a timetable, work during school hours or follow term-dates. Home educating families can choose when they work, where they work and how much they work.
The local authority will however expect your child to have a variety of experiences each week. This ensures children are not disadvantaged by being kept home for their schooling.
Personally, I like to follow UK school term times. During ‘term time’, my child’s education is at the heart of everything we do. In the holidays, we focus more on socialising with our school going family and friends and house admin.
Overall, it is your duty to ensure your child is having a fulfilling experience at home. Whether or not you are known to the council is irrelevant.
Do I need to have a qualification to homeschool or home educate my child in the UK ?
NO, there is no requirement for you to be educated to a certain level to homeschool your children. You do, however, need ENERGY!
Firstly, every child’s interests are different. So, it would be impossible for you to have complete knowledge of everything your child wants to learn about.
Secondly, it's great for children to know that no one knows everything, and that you're never too old to learn.
Finally, children are curious and inquisitive by nature. If given the right environment and opportunities, they will learn so much by themselves.
We have read to both boys (2 and 8) since they were babies, every single day. The repeated exposure must have sparked the older one’s curiosity. In moments where he seemed to just be turning pages, he was actually decoding words written on the page. At age 5, without any formal literacy teaching (in line with the Waldorf philosophy), he began reading and writing.
Must I teach formal lessons if I homeschool or home educate my child in the UK ?
There is no legal requirement to teach formal lessons if you are homeschooling or home educating in the UK.
Homeschooling looks different for every family, and the government acknowledge this.
Children can learn about
- history through a museum visit,
- measurement by spending time in the kitchen. In fact, I don’t know who came up with the idea of teaching measurement using a textbook and
- you can talk about phonics on the go.
A few years ago, my son was reading a map on the train and asked me how to pronounce Bromley-by-bow. We had just finished a literacy block so it was a great opportunity to reinforce our learning and make it relevant and practical. We ended up exploring words ending in ‘ow’ for that train ride and made notes on my phone.
Home education is our opportunity to be creative, non-conventional, to make learning more interesting, and to bring it to life for our children.
The opportunities are endless and one of the benefits of homeschooling is, you have the freedom to educate your child however you would like to.
Must my child be formally assessed if I homeschool or home educate in the UK ?
Absolutely NOT! How you choose to educate your child, and whether they sit any tests or exams is entirely your choice when you homeschool or home educate in the UK.
There are many negative effects of formal assessment. Now that you are questioning the education system and looking for alternatives, I recommend that you scrutinise all aspects of the system before introducing any of it into your homeschool.
At an older age, it may be more difficult to escape exams. At a younger age however, there is no need and it takes away the joy of learning.
Is there any government funding for Elective Home Education in the UK ?
Fortunately, or unfortunately (I’ll let you decide for yourself), there is NO FUNDING available for the education of those children whose parents have chosen to educate them at home.
You WILL have to cover any homeschooling related costs from your OWN POCKET in the UK.
In some cases, if a child has additional needs, a request for funding can be submitted to your Local Authority.
I do not have details on this type of funding, and I assume each local authority will have their own policy.
It is best to contact your Local Authority directly in case you fall into this category.
There is no such thing as a free lunch. So, any funding for home educators will come at the cost of increased regulation.
Homeschooling or home educating is a full-time job and extra reports will take time away from our children. They may also act as a deterrent because not everyone is confident in communicating with ‘services’.
On the plus side, most places that provide entertainment and activities for children do offer discounts to home-educated families. You can email venues to check and if there isn’t a discount, you can always ask for one.
In addition to this, you can usually find discount codes if you search online.
Is it possible to do part time schooling and homeschooling in the UK ?
Yes, BUT it is at the discretion of the individual school.
Part time schooling coupled with homeschooling is known as flexischooling in the UK.
Although flexischooling is allowed, Headteachers will consider requests on a case-by-case basis. It is at their discretion to decide whether flexischooling is in the best interest of the child.
In case a school does agree to flexischooling, they will have greater involvement in your arrangements at home. Comparatively, the local authority has far less involvement with Elective Home Education families.
For more information on flexischooling, you may refer to the Gloucestershire Council document below.
Flexi Schooling - Gloucestershire County Council - flexi_schooling_-info-oct-2018.pdf (gloucestershire.gov.uk)