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Educating Your Child At Home

Every child must have an efficient full-time education suitable to his or her age, ability, aptitude and to any special educational needs he or she may have. (Education Act 1996).

Parents/Carers can choose to educate their child/children at home.

Points to consider

Think long and hard about your decision to home educate. It is a major step which will commit you considerably as far as time and energy are concerned.

Look at the costs involved visits? books? resources? (all of these will be your responsibility).

Plan what you intend to do with your child before making a decision.

Consider the social side of growing up:
- the need to provide opportunities for your child to be involved in social activities,
- contact with other children,
- joint activities with other children and groups,
- and the stimulus of seeing other children's work. The benefits from such activities may provide a source of motivation for your child to succeed.

Keep your options open as your child's needs may change at different ages and stages. We will always be willing to work with you to find a place for your child in one of our schools.

It would not be in your child's best interests if you decide to home educate because of a disagreement with a teacher or a school. Talk out the problem, or refer it to the governors of the school or to the LEA for help in getting it resolved.

Home education should not be seen as a solution to the problem of getting a reluctant child to school. The education welfare officer would be very happy to help with this problem.

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The majority of parents who do decide to home educate find it a happy and constructive experience but maybe not all of the time. It is an enormous challenge to undertake.

If you decide to take up the challenge, we wish you well and will do what we can to try to assist you in ensuring that a good education is provided for your child.

Please help us to maintain a good working partnership.

Do remember if at any time you wish your child to re-enter the school system, our education welfare service and our school admissions will be happy to help you with this.

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