EHE (Elective Home education) is a collective term used in the UK to describe education provided other than through the schooling system. Parents have a duty to ensure their children are educated but the education legislation in England and Wales does not differentiate between school attendance or education otherwise than at school.

Data shows that from 2018 to 2019 60,000 children were being home educated in the UK.  A rise of more than 8,000 students from the year before. Numbers are sure to rise sharply in 2020 since the Covid 19 pandemic. According to Andrew Halls OBE, headteacher of Kings, it can be expected that 300,000 children will be home-schooled by 2025.

Under section 7 of the 1996 Education Act, it is the parent’s duty: “to cause (the child) to receive efficient full-time education suitable to his (or her) age, ability and aptitude and to any special educational needs he (or she) may have either by regular attendance at school or “otherwise.”

It is therefore possible for parents to take on the “duty to educate” their children themselves if schools do not fit their needs or expectations.

There are many reasons why homeschooling may be good for your child. These include:

• They feel homeschooling gives their child a better education than their local school.
• They live too far away from their school.
• They want less exposure to bullying and peer pressure. 
• The parents want more tailored social interactions that support their values.
• They feel that their child’s educational needs are not being met by the school.
• Their child is too sick to attend school.
• A traditional school timetable does not fit their child’s lifestyle or schedule, for which homeschooling is better adapted.

• Write to the Head Teacher of your child’s school to inform him/her of your intention and to ask for the child’s name to be removed from the school roll 
• Inform the local council of your choice, so that your child can be registered as Electively Home Educated
• Work out what approach you will take.  Will you teach your children yourself, or will you choose an online school (such as Sophia High School) to deliver the compulsory content?
• You will probably have to complete some sort of home education plan for your local council, to meet the educational requirements of your child.
• It is important to notice that the chosen curriculum should be broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated.

Please read their guidance for parents, published in April 2019. This guidance is intended to help parents who choose to educate a child at home understand what their responsibilities are, and how those fit with the role of the local authority.