ENGLAND AND WALES EDUCATING CHILDREN AT HOME 1. Parents must ensure that their child receives an efficient full time education, suitable to his or her age, ability and aptitude, and to any special needs the child may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. 2. Although parents are not legally required to inform the Local Education Authority (LEA) where they decide to educate their child at home, it is helpful if they do this. Parents should also inform the LEA of any significant change in circumstance, or a change of address. 3. The LEA will need to satisfy itself that a child is receiving suitable education at home, and will arrange to visit the child at home, to talk to the parent and child, and to look at examples of work. The LEA will need to be satisfied that the parent is willing and able to provide a suitable education. At this initial meeting the nature and frequency of future contact should be agreed. 4. LEAs, however, have no automatic right of access to the parent's home. Parents may refuse a meeting in the home, if they can offer an alternative way of demonstrating that they are providing a suitable education, for example, through showing examples of work and agreeing to a meeting at another venue. 5. Where it appears to an LEA that a child of compulsory school age is not receiving efficient or suitable full time education, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise, they are under a duty to serve a notice on the parent requiring them to satisfy the authority that their child is receiving suitable education "otherwise than at school". If the parents' reply is unsatisfactory, or if they fail to reply, the LEA may issue a school attendance order. 6. Traveller children make up a significant group of those whose parents choose to educate them at home. For this group specialist support in securing children's integration into schools and continuity of learning may be available through an LEA Traveller Education Service. CONTACTS FOR PARENTS WHO CHOOSE TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME You may find it useful to contact 'Education Otherwise', a voluntary organisation which offers advice about home teaching. Education Otherwise's legal advisers keep detailed records of all the cases relating to home education and advise members who request information or support. Decisions relating to policy are made at local meetings and each area in the country has a local volunteer co-ordinator. They can be contacted at:- Education Otherwise PO Box 7420 London N9 9SG Tel: 01283-523547 Emergency tel: 0891-518303 http://www.netlink.co.uk/users/e_o/ You could also contact : The Home Education Advisory Service P O Box 98 Welwyn Garden City Hertfordshire AL8 6AN Tel/Fax 01707 371854 email 100752.1061@compuserve.com http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/home_ed_advisory_srv/ The Home Education Advisory service is not opposed to schools, but believes that every parent should have information about the option of home education. Other information: DfEE publications are available from Prolog, Tel: 0845 602 2260 National Curriculum Guide for Teachers from Christians, Tel: 0171 277 0988 The Association of Home Tutors, Tel: 01604 624171 SCOTLAND, NORTHERN IRELAND AND OTHER COUNTRIES Not all countries allow parents to educate their children at home. If you are considering home education because you are moving out of England or Wales, you should contact the relevant Embassy or Education Department to find out what rules apply. Parent here refers to those who have legal parental responsibility. Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable (a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and (b) to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.