Homeschooling in England

Yes. In England the law makes education compulsory, not school. Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 says parents must cause their child of compulsory school age to receive efficient full-time education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude, and to any special educational needs, "either by regular attendance at school or otherwise". Home education is the "otherwise".

The Department for Education (DfE) publishes non-statutory guidance for parents and for local authorities on elective home education. It makes clear that home educating parents do not need to follow the national curriculum, keep to school hours or terms, or hold teaching qualifications.

"Suitable" and "efficient" are not defined in detail in the Act. The DfE guidance explains how councils interpret them – broadly, an education that achieves what it sets out to do and prepares your child for life in modern British society, without limiting their future options.

• Never been to school. If your child has never been on a school roll, the law does not currently require you to tell anyone or ask permission. The DfE strongly recommends letting your council know so your child is not mistakenly treated as missing education.
• Leaving school. Write to the headteacher saying you are taking your child out to home educate and asking for their name to be removed from the admission register. The school must remove a child whose parents have told it in writing that they are being educated at home, and it must tell the council. Keep a copy of your letter.
• Special schools. If your child attends a special school under arrangements made by the council (usually with an education, health and care plan), the council's consent is needed before their name can be removed. Talk to your council's SEND team early.
• School attendance orders. If there is a school attendance order for your child, you need to ask the council to revoke it before you can home educate.
• Flexi-schooling. Part-time school and part-time home education is only possible if the headteacher agrees. The school must accept full withdrawal, but it can refuse a flexi-schooling request.

Your local council is the public body responsible for home education in your area. Most have an elective home education (EHE) team or officer. Councils do not currently approve home education or monitor it routinely, but they have a duty to try to identify children who are not receiving a suitable education.

To do this they make informal enquiries – often a letter or email asking you to describe the education you provide, sometimes with an offer of a home visit or meeting. You do not have to accept a home visit, and you can choose how to show the education is suitable, for example a written report, work samples or a meeting somewhere else. If you don't reply, or the information isn't enough, the council may move to formal steps.

If it appears to the council that your child is not receiving a suitable education, section 437 of the 1996 Act requires it to serve a notice asking you to satisfy it that they are. If you cannot, and the council thinks your child should attend school, it can issue a school attendance order naming a school. Not complying can lead to prosecution, so always respond to formal notices.

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026. For home educators in England, its main changes are:

• Children not in school registers. Each council must keep a register of children of compulsory school age who are not in school. Parents of home educated children will have a duty to give the council information for the register, such as the child's details and the education being provided.
• Consent for some children. Council consent will be needed before certain children – such as those subject to child protection enquiries or plans, or attending a special school – are removed from a school roll to be home educated.
• Home education stays legal. The DfE has said parents will still be able to home educate using the methods and content they choose, provided the education is suitable.

These measures are not in force yet. In letters to parents and councils sent the day after Royal Assent, the DfE said implementation will not be immediate: it plans to consult on draft statutory guidance and regulations, then allow councils time to prepare. As at October 2026 no start date had been confirmed. Until then, the current rules on this page apply.

You have the same right to home educate a child with special educational needs (SEN), and the education you provide must be suitable for those needs.

• Education, health and care plans. An EHCP does not stop you home educating. If you make your own suitable arrangements, the council's duty to secure the special educational provision in the plan is usually treated as met, but the plan continues and must still be reviewed at least once a year.
• Special schools. As above, if the council arranged your child's place at a special school, you need its consent before your child can come off roll.
• Support. Councils may offer some support to home educated children with SEN, but this varies. Ask your council's SEND team what it can provide before you deregister.

Home educated young people can take GCSEs, International GCSEs and A-levels as private candidates. You arrange entries yourself through a school, college or exam centre that accepts private candidates, and you pay the centre's fees.

The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) has a search tool for centres that may accept private candidates. Its list is only updated once a year, so always confirm with the centre directly – and book early, as entry deadlines are well before exam season.

Subjects with non-exam assessment (coursework) or practical endorsements, such as A-level sciences, can be harder to arrange. Many home educating families choose International GCSEs or similar specifications without coursework for this reason.

Home education in England is mostly self-funded. Some councils offer advice, local information sessions or help finding exam centres – check your council's elective home education web page.

The DfE's guidance for parents and for local authorities is on GOV.UK. Because the law is changing, check GOV.UK and your council's website for news about the children not in school registers before you make decisions.

Local and online home education groups can be a good source of practical help, from shared trips to exam centre recommendations.