Educating your child at home

In Manchester there are over 100 children whose parents have decided to be fully responsible for their child's education and who do not to send them to a maintained or non-maintained school.

The parent is responsible for providing an education which is both suitable to the age, ability and aptitude of the child and any special needs they may have.

A 'suitable' education is one which prepares the children for life in modern civilised society and enables them to achieve their full potential.

Parents can choose different ways to support their children's learning, and do not need to have formal teaching qualifications or follow the national curriculum.

It is both legal and acceptable to choose to home educate your children and  Manchester Children's Services would like to work with families that make this choice to help their children have the best Home Education experience possible. We believe this is best achieved where parents and the Local Authority recognise each other's rights and responsibilities, and work together.

There are many reasons why parents or carers may make this choice either for a period of time or for the whole of their child's statutory school age provision some of which include:

• Where a parent believes that a child's potential would be better realised in a home setting
• Distance or access to a local school
• Religious or cultural beliefs
• As a short term intervention for a particular reason
• Preference for an alternative educational method or philosophy

Deregistering from school

1. If your child is on roll at a school and you have decided to home educate, you must let the head teacher know in writing so that the school can remove your child's name from the register. The school will then inform Manchester Children's services of your intention to home educate.
2. If your child is on roll at a special school you must get the consent of the LA to deregister your child from the school.

Other useful links

• Family Information Service - free, impartial information service for parents and carers of children and young people aged 0-19
• Department for Education (DfE) - information about the Government's policy on home education

To register or inform us about a child that is electively home educated email ehe@manchester.gov.uk