Glossary · the UK
Homeschool glossary
The words you'll meet when you start homeschooling in the UK, explained in plain English, with links to our full guides.
- Charlotte Mason
- An approach based on the ideas of the 19th-century British educator Charlotte Mason: short lessons, "living books", narration, nature study and the arts. Learn more →
- Classical education
- An approach built around three stages — grammar, logic and rhetoric — with a strong emphasis on history, literature and writing. Learn more →
- Co-op
- A group of homeschooling families who share teaching, classes, activities or costs, often meeting weekly. Learn more →
- Deregistration
- Taking a child off a school's roll so they can be home educated. How it works differs between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Learn more →
- Deschooling
- A settling-in period after leaving school, when families slow down and let a child adjust before starting structured learning at home.
- Eclectic homeschooling
- Mixing methods and resources — for example a structured maths program with interest-led projects — to suit each child. Learn more →
- EHCP
- An Education, Health and Care Plan, the legal document in England setting out a child or young person's special educational needs and the support they must receive. Learn more →
- Elective home education
- The term used in England and Wales for parents choosing to educate a child at home rather than send them to school, often shortened to EHE. Learn more →
- Key stage
- The blocks of years the National Curriculum in England is organised into, from Key Stage 1 (Years 1–2) to Key Stage 4 (Years 10–11). Home educators don't have to follow it. Learn more →
- Montessori
- A child-led, hands-on approach based on the work of Maria Montessori, most often used in the early and primary years. Learn more →
- Portfolio
- A collection of dated work samples, photos and notes that shows a child's learning and progress over time. Learn more →
- Private candidate
- A student who enters for exams such as GCSEs or A-levels without being enrolled at the school or college where they sit them. Learn more →
- School attendance order
- A formal order a local authority can issue if it is not satisfied a child is receiving a suitable education, requiring the child to be registered at a school. Learn more →
- Suitable education
- The legal duty on parents in England and Wales to provide an efficient, full-time education suitable to their child's age, ability and aptitude, at school or otherwise. Learn more →
- Unit study
- Teaching several subjects through one theme, such as the ocean or a historical period; popular with families teaching several ages together. Learn more →
- Unschooling
- Interest-led learning that follows the child's curiosity and everyday life rather than a set curriculum. Learn more →