You have a legal responsibility to make sure your children are educated, but that does not have to be in a school.
The law says that all children of statutory school age (5 to 16+) must be in ‘efficient full time education suitable to their age, aptitude and ability’.
Most parents/carers chose to send their children to school, but a small proportion educate their children outside school, which is their legal right.
Our ACE team is responsible for making sure that all home educated children are properly supported and that the education is suitable. ACE stands for Attendance (Statutory), Child employment & entertainment, Elective home education and children missing education.
If you are thinking of educating your child at home, our home education adviser will arrange to talk to you and your child and will be interested to see examples of what the pupil is learning. However, we don’t provide tutors, ICT support or learning materials.
In most cases, if your child is already registered at a school, you will need to deregister your child by writing to the headteacher to tell them of your intentions.
More information on home education
For further information and advice about exclusions, see ACE Reference Manual (Section 5)