Home education

Before you begin

You are allowed to educate your child at home. This is known as elective home education (EHE) or ‘homeschooling’.

By law, you must ensure that your child gets a full-time education by the beginning of the term after their fifth birthday.

They must get full-time education until the academic year in which they turn 16. Full-time education is usually 190 days a year.

If you are thinking of EHE for your child, please refer to: 

Who you need to 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 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.

You do not have to tell us but we will contact you if we think your child is not being educated. 

Special schools

You cannot take your child out of a special school without our agreement.

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.