Elective Home Education Policy

The current legislative framework for EHE is relatively permissive and acknowledges that parents’ education provision will reflect a diversity of approaches, methods, and interests.

Some parents may provide education in a formal and structured manner which follows a traditional school curriculum and uses a fixed timetable that mirrors school hours and terms. Other parents may decide to make more flexible provision that is responsive to the developing interests of their child.

EHE officers appreciate families may choose to educate their child(ren) in different ways and this will be acknowledged. To aid home educators in understanding the factors that will be taken into account in considering whether the education being received by a child amounts to ‘suitable, efficient and full time’.

Rotherham Council has developed through consultation with home educators and other partners a list of key considerations. This list is not intended to be prescriptive, and the absence of one or more of these in a child’s education will not automatically mean it is unsuitable, as each child and family will be treated individually. However, the factors considered have been informed by the DfE non statutory Guidance and are intended to provide guidance to parents on the type of assurances being sought by Rotherham Council. The individual identify of children will be considered in all decisions made by the EHE team in Rotherham. This may include, but is not limited to, Special Education Needs and Disabilities, Cultural diversity, Religion, Gender, Sexual orientation.

• The home education provision supports the child to prepare for adulthood and independence and acknowledges their aspirations, wishes and feelings.
• The programme is matched to the learner’s interests and strengths.
• A range of learning opportunities are provided across a variety of subjects, topics, areas suitable to the learner’s age, ability, strengths and individual needs.
• There is a planned approach to literacy and numeracy suitable to the learner’s age, ability, strengths and individual needs.
• There are planned learning outcomes and parents are assured that progress is being made.
• Sufficient time is allocated to the home education programme, and this is appropriately supervised and supported.
• There is a safe and suitable learning environment that allows for comfortable and confident learning to take place.
• There are opportunities to develop interpersonal skills and experience social inclusion.
• Opportunities for physical activity, appropriate to the learner’s ability, form part of the home education.
• The learner’s physical, social and emotional health and wellbeing are being promoted and any risk factors are being appropriately supported.
• The learner’s thoughts on the home education programme are being sought and taken into consideration.
• If any formal qualifications form part of the learner’s journey to adulthood, there is a plan in place for how these will be arranged.
• Education at home should not directly conflict with the Fundamental British Values as defined in government guidance.
• If education is arranged by the parent from a third party, that the parent has assumed responsibility for ensuring that this is a suitable person(s) to have access to children, any premises being used are safe and suitable for education to be delivered in and that their child is not attending an unregistered setting. Further information about unregistered settings can be found at Report an unregistered school - GOV.UK

Flexi Schooling

Although children educated at home are not normally registered at a school, parents may wish for a child to attend school or an alternative setting to receive part of their educational provision. The purpose of this will often be to provide education in specific subjects which parents may be unable to teach at home.

It is important to note that schools are under no obligation to agree to flexi schooling but if they do agree then the child should be added to the admission register and marked as an authorised absence on the days that they are being educated at home.