Home education: responsibilities

You are legally entitled to educate your child at home. You do not have to be a teacher or have any particular qualifications.

Deciding to home educate means that you take full responsibility for all education and costs including any examinations.

If your child has never been to school, you don't have to tell us. However, many people do, and this helps us to offer support and work in partnership.

Let us know if your child is being educated at home

You can let us know by filling in a notification of home education.

If your child is currently attending a school

You need to write to the Head Teacher informing them that you wish to home educate (home- school). 

The school will then delete your child's name from the register and our team will contact you for some information; such as name, date of birth, preferred contact method and a brief outline of your education. This just helps us confirm that your child is not missing education.

If your child attends a special school

You must contact us as the Head Teacher cannot simply remove your child for their register.

If your child is returning to school after being home educated

This also includes if they have been removed from a school.

You will need to let us know by filling in a notification form.

If you plan to use an education provider

Anyone other than parents and carers who is involved in educating children and has unsupervised contact with them, either in a paid or voluntary capacity, should agree to an enhanced disclosure (with barred list where applicable) from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

If you are having contact with children through home education in Cumberland and are agreeable to an enhanced disclosure being made, you will need to fill in our declaration form.

Elective home education

The Cumberland elective home education booklet is designed to explain the basics of elective home education and the specific role of the home education team. It should help you to understand what happens in Cumberland to promote partnership between the home education team and families who choose to provide their child(ren) with education “otherwise” than “by regular attendance at school”.