Is it legal to home educate?
Yes - it absolutely is legal to home educate your child and if your child has never been at school, under current law, you are not obliged to inform the Local Authority (LA) but can do so voluntarily. If you are thinking of taking your child out of school, you would need to write to the school to de-register your child. You need only inform the school; it is the school's responsibility to inform the LA.
Will I be asked to report on EHE?
Once known to the LA you will be asked to complete an annual EHE review form. During mid-2025 local home educators noticed a significant increase in informal enquiries requesting additional details on forms/reports from the LA. In light of this, what follows is a quick overview of what's useful to know. This isn’t legal advice, just a summary to support informed decisions:
Your Legal Duty (Education Act 1996, Section 7)
Home-educating parents must provide a full-time, efficient education suitable to their child’s age, ability, aptitude, and any special needs. *N.B. There’s no requirement to follow the National Curriculum or to replicate school.
The LA’s Role (Section 436A)
LAs have a duty to identify children who may not be receiving a suitable education. As part of this, they may make informal enquiries. It’s worth knowing:
• Choosing not to respond may lead to a formal notice under s.437, especially if the LA isn’t already familiar with your provision.
Your Options
Cambridge EHE families have generally had a constructive relationship with the LA and with changes afoot want to maintain that. You can:
• The LA are happy for us not to use their form so long as a response is offered that confirms you are meeting your Section 7 duty.
• Keep responses simple but thorough - a full response doesn’t mean including timetables, samples of work or detailed plans (which are not required).
A team of local parent volunteers is keeping an eye on developments and sharing updates - but it’s always a good idea to stay informed about your rights and responsibilities.
Your Legal Duty (Education Act 1996, Section 7)
Home-educating parents must provide a full-time, efficient education suitable to their child’s age, ability, aptitude, and any special needs. *N.B. There’s no requirement to follow the National Curriculum or to replicate school.
The LA’s Role (Section 436A)
LAs have a duty to identify children who may not be receiving a suitable education. As part of this, they may make informal enquiries. It’s worth knowing:
• Choosing not to respond may lead to a formal notice under s.437, especially if the LA isn’t already familiar with your provision.
Your Options
Cambridge EHE families have generally had a constructive relationship with the LA and with changes afoot want to maintain that. You can:
• The LA are happy for us not to use their form so long as a response is offered that confirms you are meeting your Section 7 duty.
• Keep responses simple but thorough - a full response doesn’t mean including timetables, samples of work or detailed plans (which are not required).
A team of local parent volunteers is keeping an eye on developments and sharing updates - but it’s always a good idea to stay informed about your rights and responsibilities.
