2. Introduction
2.1 Elective Home Education (EHE) is the term used by the Department for Education (DfE) to describe a parent’s* decision to take full responsibility for the education of their child (of compulsory school age) instead of sending them to school.
*The term ‘parent’ is used in this document to apply to both parents and to carers
2.2 EHE is different to home tuition and education other than at school provided by the local authority (LA). Children educated at home are not registered at mainstream special or independent schools, academies, free schools, Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), fulltime college courses or children’s homes with education facilities.
2.3 EHE is different to flexi-schooling arrangements, which are agreed to at the discretion of the headteacher of the school where the child is on roll.
2.4 EHE is different from ‘home-schooling’ or ‘remote learning’ such as during the pandemic when schools were closed to all but vulnerable children and children of key workers. Children then remained on their school roll and parents taught them using resources and online learning provided by the school.
2.5 EHE is different from when parents of children with an EHCP (Education, Care & Health Plan) are in receipt of a personal budget. In these cases, the EHCP Team Team) has lead responsibility for allocating and monitoring the use of the budget.
2.6 This policy enables MCC to comply with our responsibilities and duties towards children living in our city whose parents have decided to educate them at home. It is published for parents, schools and other agencies with an interest in EHE.
2.7 As stated in the DFE Guidance, April 2019, ‘Educating children at home works well when it is a positive choice and carried out with proper regard for the needs of the child’. We recognise that there are many approaches to educational provision and that what may be suitable for one child will not be for another, but all children should be involved in a learning process.
2.8 In line with the DfE guidance for LAs, April 2019, our policy and procedures seek to build improved relationships with home educators and provide a means to effectively protect the educational and safeguarding interests of children where vulnerabilities are identified.
2.9 This document sets out:-
- Parents’ rights and responsibilities if they choose to educate their children at home
- The responsibilities and statutory duties of the LA and schools in relation to children who are educated at home.
- MCC procedures in relation to EHE
- Further information and links to sources of advice and resources are contained within Appendix 4 and on our website.