Home education

You are allowed to educate your child at home.

This is known as elective home education (EHE) or 'homeschooling'.

By law, you must ensure your child gets a full-time education from the beginning of the term after their fifth birthday until the academic year in which they turn 16. Full-time education is usually around 190 days a year.

You do not need permission from the local authority to home educate, but we must be satisfied that the education you provide is suitable.

What is home education

Home education is when parents take responsibility for their child’s education rather than sending them to school.

You do not have to follow the national curriculum, teach in the same way as a school, or use formal school hours.

However, you should be able to demonstrate that your child’s education is appropriate and that learning and progress are taking place. (This reflects the statutory position under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996.)

Returning to school

Your child can return to school at any time. To do this:

• Apply for a school place through the School Admissions team
• A place is based on availability and may not be at your child’s previous school

Getting started

Elective home education is a significant commitment. Some things to consider include:

• Can you provide a full-time education that is suitable and progressive?
• Do you understand your legal responsibilities?
• What educational approach will you use?
• Can you provide structure, consistency, and opportunity for progress?
• How will you meet your child’s social and emotional needs?
• What support systems will you have (e.g., tutors, local groups)?
• How will you plan for future qualifications or pathways?
• How will you demonstrate that the education will be suitable
• What are your long-term goals

Thinking through these questions can help you decide whether home education is right for your family.

Who to talk to and tell

The first step in the process of electing to home educate your child is to discuss this with your child's school.

If after this discussion with school, you still want to home educate your child you must write or email your school stating your intentions to withdraw your child from the school roll in order to home educate them.

The school will then inform us. We will contact you to find out more about your plans to home educate your child.

If your child has never been to school or you have moved to Lincolnshire, contact ehe@lincolnshire.gov.uk or call 01522 782030.

Once removed from roll, you take full legal responsibility for your child’s education.

Guidance and resources

• Home education protocol
• Department for Education guidance

Home education checks

The local authority has a duty to be satisfied that children who are educated at home are receiving a suitable education.

Our checks are carried out in stages. These help us understand your plans, see how home education is working in practice, and keep our information up to date.

Stage 1: Initial information

If your child has recently been removed from a school roll for Elective Home Education (EHE), the school will notify Lincolnshire County Council.

Once this referral is received, you will automatically be sent an email with a secure link to complete the Stage 1 form.

Stage 1 is designed to help you:

• confirm your intention to home educate
• provide an initial outline of how you plan to meet your child’s educational needs

At this stage, we are not asking for detailed evidence. The information you provide helps us understand how you intend to begin home education, including:

• your educational approach
• how you will meet your child’s needs
• the learning resources and methods you plan to use

You will receive a separate link for each child who is being home educated.

Once submitted, your form will be reviewed by the Elective Home Education (EHE) team.

If you have not received your Stage 1 form, please contact us at ehe@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

If your child is not currently on roll at a school, or you are new to Lincolnshire and wish to home educate, please email ehe@lincolnshire.gov.uk so we can register your child and arrange for the Stage 1 form to be issued.

Stage 2: Review

Approximately 3 to 6 months after you complete Stage 1, you will automatically be sent an email with a secure link to complete the Stage 2 form as part of our routine review process.

Stage 2 builds on the information you provided at Stage 1. While Stage 1 focuses on your initial plans, Stage 2 focuses on how home education is working in practice.

This form gives you the opportunity to:

• Explain how home education is working
• Share information about the progress your child has made since starting home education

We recommend including supporting information where possible. A separate link will be provided for each child.

Once submitted, your information will be reviewed by an EHE Adviser and you will be notified of the outcome via email.

If you have not received your Stage 2 form when expected, please contact ehe@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

Ongoing reviews

After Stages 1 and 2 are completed, we will usually contact you every 12 months to update our information, unless there is a change in circumstances.

If the education is found to be unsuitable

If provision is judged to be unsuitable at any stage you will receive an outcome email sating what the next required action is.

If your child is still not receiving a suitable education after this support, we may serve a School Attendance Order (SAO) as a last resort. An SAO means you must register your child at a school or demonstrate that you are providing suitable education.

We will always give parents every opportunity to provide their child with a suitable education. An SAO will only be used when all other options have been exhausted.

Safeguarding and parent responsibilities

Being home educated is not in itself a safeguarding concern. However, the local authority has a duty to ensure all children are safe and their welfare is promoted under:

• Children Act 2004 (sections 10 and 11)
• Education Act 2002 (section 175)

As part of our consideration of whether elective home education is suitable, we may also take into account the home environment in which education is taking place. This is not an inspection of your home, but helps us understand whether the overall circumstances support your child’s safety, wellbeing and ability to learn.

If there are concerns about a child’s welfare, we will work with families and other professionals, such as:

• Social care
• Early Help
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services

Standard safeguarding procedures will be followed where appropriate.

Parental responsibilities

As a home-educating parent, you should be able to demonstrate:

• A clear plan or intent for your child’s education
• Regular learning and evidence of progress over time
• Provision that is suitable for your child’s age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs, and that can be sustained in the long term

Teaching your child at home

What you teach must be suitable for your child’s age and ability, including any special educational needs.

You do not have to follow the national curriculum.

You can get advice and find support groups for parents who are teaching their children at home from:

• Home Education Advisory Service (HEAS)
• Education Otherwise

You do not have to teach your child yourself.

Some parents choose to:

• Pay for a tutor for parts of the curriculum
• Teach in small groups with other families
• Use online or blended learning approaches

You can also use the Stay Safe Partnership who deliver age appropriate safety workshops.

You may choose flexibility in how and when learning takes place, provided the education you give is suitable and enables progress.

Parents do not have to demonstrate learning in any particular format but should be able to show that education is taking place.

Children with special educational needs (SEN) or EHCPs

Children with SEN or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) can be home educated.

If your child attends a special school, you must have local authority consent before de-registering them.

The local authority team will work alongside SEND colleagues to consider the suitability of elective home education in line with the requirements set out within the Education, Health and Care Plan.

The local authority continues to review the EHCP annually and may ask how your child’s needs are being met.

Part-time schooling

You can ask a school to teach your child part-time. This is known as 'flexi-schooling'.

The headteacher does not have to accept your request.

Working with tutors and adult helpers

If you choose to employ a tutor or involve other adults in your child’s education, you are responsible for ensuring appropriate safeguarding arrangements are in place.

This includes satisfying yourself that anyone teaching or supporting your child is suitable to work with children. For example, parents should consider appropriate checks such as references and DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks where relevant.

Online home education resources

Home-educating families can access a range of online services for guidance, practical advice, and support. The following organisations provide information, advice, and resources for planning and delivering home education:

• Home Education Advisory Service (HEAS) – Provides guidance on legal responsibilities, learning approaches, and support networks for home-educating families.
• Education Otherwise – Offers practical advice, resources, and links to local home education groups across the UK.
• Ed Yourself – An online platform with teaching resources, course suggestions, and practical guidance to help families structure learning at home.

These services can help parents plan their child’s education, access support networks, and ensure that learning is suitable, progressive, and meets the child’s needs.

Travelling while home educating your child

The Local Authority recognises that some families who home educate may travel or live a mobile lifestyle. We respect this choice.

However, while travelling, your child’s education must still be full-time, efficient and suitable for their age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs.

You must still complete the required forms

Stage 1 and Stage 2 forms should be completed as usual. If you are travelling, you can submit these electronically or contact us to agree another suitable way of providing the information.

We may need to stay in contact

Depending on your location, we may maintain contact by phone, email or arranged visits to ensure the education being provided remains suitable.

Education should remain consistent

You should plan your child’s education so that it remains practical and consistent while travelling. This should support continued learning progress and opportunities for social development.

Safeguarding responsibilities remain the same

Safeguarding and welfare responsibilities do not change because you are travelling. If there are concerns about your child’s safety or wellbeing, the Local Authority may contact you or relevant partner agencies.

You are responsible for tutors and helpers

Parents remain responsible for anyone involved in their child’s education. This includes ensuring appropriate safeguarding arrangements and checks, such as DBS checks, regardless of where you are living.

Traveller Education Support

If you are from a Traveller family, you can contact the Ethnic Minority and Traveller Education Team for advice and support at: EMTET@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

Exams and post-16 options

Exams and qualifications

Home educated children are not required to take any formal examinations, although it can be useful for the child for future studying or employment pathways.

You can arrange for your child to take exams, such as GCSEs, as external candidates at exam centres like further education colleges. You will need to contact the colleges.

There are no grants to cover the cost of exams.

Post-16 education or training

Young people aged 16 to 18 must continue in education or training. Options include:

• College or sixth form
• Apprenticeships or traineeships
• Structured home education*
• Home education
• Full-time work with accredited training

*Home educated students are not eligible for the 16–19 Bursary Fund.

Apprenticeships and skills support

As your child approaches 16 or is exploring career options, there are a range of resources to help them develop skills, explore apprenticeships, and plan their next steps. The following services provide information, advice, and access to training opportunities:

• Apprenticeships.gov.uk – Official government portal for finding apprenticeship opportunities and guidance on applying.
• National Careers Service – Offers impartial careers advice, information about courses, support for CV writing, and guidance on training and apprenticeships.

These resources can help home-educated young people explore options for learning, training, and work experience, ensuring they can make informed decisions about their future pathways.