1. Policy statement
1.1 We believe that education is a fundamental right of every child and aim to work in partnership with all parents to ensure that their children are able to achieve to their full potential, whether they are educated at home or at school.
1.2 We respect that parents have the right to home educate in conformity with their own religious or philosophical convictions and wish to work with parents who home educate in order to ensure that their children are provided with an enriching efficient, fulltime education which is suitable to their age, ability and aptitude and to any special needs they may have.
1.3 We also wish to ensure that parents who choose to home educate their children do so for the right reasons and are prepared from the point they begin, which may be either from the decision not to send their child to any school or by the removal of their child from a school roll.
1.4 There is advice and guidance, together with some case studies of successful home education in Manchester on our website at: https://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/100005/schools_education_and_childcare/3575/educating_your_child_at_home
1.5 You can also contact the EHE Team on ehe@manchester.gov.uk if you have any questions or would like to talk over your ideas whilst you are considering your decision. If your child is on roll at school, speaking to their class teacher/Head of Year will also be helpful, especially to help you think about your child’s strengths, interests and any additional needs. See 4.3 and 6.4 below.
1.6 Once parents have taken the decision to home educate, we aim to meet and to complete all our informal enquiries in the shortest time possible. This is in order to minimise any time out of education should there be insufficient evidence that EHE is suitable.