The Home Ed Starter Checklist

Home Ed

The Home Ed Starter Checklist

Everything you need to know before you begin home educating in the UK. Legal rights, deregistration letter template, first week plan, and essential resources.

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⚠️ LAW CHANGE IN PROGRESS (April 2026): The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill has passed both Houses and is in its final "ping pong" stage. Next event: 15 April 2026. Expected Royal Assent by Easter 2026. It introduces mandatory registration for all home-educated children in England. The right to home educate is NOT being removed. Actual requirements won't take effect until late 2026 at earliest (secondary legislation needed). See our Home Ed Hub for live updates.

Your Legal Rights — Current Law (April 2026)

Home education is a legal right in England and Wales under 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 to his age, ability and aptitude, and to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise."

The word "otherwise" is the legal foundation. Education is compulsory. School attendance is not.

Under current law, you do NOT need:

  • Permission from the school to withdraw your child
  • Permission or approval from the local authority
  • A teaching qualification of any kind
  • To follow the National Curriculum
  • To follow school hours, school terms, or any set timetable
  • To allow the local authority into your home
  • To allow the LA to see or interview your child

Case law has confirmed that local authorities cannot insist on inspecting parents or children in their home or elsewhere (source: Departmental Guidance for Local Authorities on Elective Home Education, DfE).

What you DO need:

  • Efficient education — meaning it achieves what it sets out to achieve. This was defined in the case of Harrison & Harrison v Stephenson (Worcester Crown Court, 1981).
  • Suitable education — suitable for YOUR child's age, ability, aptitude, and any SEN. Not compared to school. Not judged against the National Curriculum. Suitable for your child.
  • Full-time education — but there is NO legal definition of full-time for home education. The DfE guidance states: "There is no legal definition of 'full-time'. Home education does not have to mirror school hours." In practice, 2-3 focused hours per day for primary-age children is widely accepted because one-to-one teaching is vastly more efficient than classroom instruction.

What the Children's Wellbeing Bill will change:

  • Mandatory register: All home-educated children must be registered with their local authority, including those already home educating
  • Information duty: Parents must provide basic details and keep them updated
  • Home visit powers: LAs can request a visit within 15 days of registration. Refusal can be factored into School Attendance Order decisions
  • Consent for some families: If your child is/was recently on a child protection plan (Section 47/31 Children Act 1989) or classified as a child in need (Section 17), the LA must consent to deregistration

What is NOT changing:

  • Your fundamental right to home educate
  • Freedom from the National Curriculum
  • No teaching qualifications required
  • No LA power over your educational approach or content
  • The legal definitions of "suitable" and "efficient"

How to Deregister from School

Step-by-step process:

  1. Write a deregistration letter to the headteacher (template below)
  2. Send by recorded delivery — you need proof it was received
  3. Keep a copy with the recorded delivery receipt
  4. The school must remove your child from the roll (Regulation 8(1)(d) of the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006)
  5. The school will notify the local authority
  6. The LA will typically contact you within 2-6 weeks

Deregistration letter template:

Dear [Headteacher's Name],

I am writing to inform you that I have decided to withdraw [child's full name], date of birth [DOB], from [school name] with effect from [date], in order to provide education otherwise than at school, in accordance with Section 7 of the Education Act 1996.

Please remove [child's name] from the school register and confirm in writing that this has been done. I understand you will notify the local authority of this change.

Yours sincerely,
[Your full name]
[Your address]
[Date]
EHCP Exception: If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan and attends a special school through LA arrangements, they cannot be removed without the LA's consent (Section 348 Education Act 1996). This applies to special schools only. If your child has an EHCP but attends a mainstream school, you can deregister normally — though the LA retains its duty to review the EHCP annually.
Upcoming change: The Children's Wellbeing Bill will require LA consent before deregistration for children who are or have recently been subject to child protection enquiries (S.47), care proceedings (S.31), or classified as a child in need (S.17) under the Children Act 1989. Not yet law as of April 2026.

Responding to the Local Authority

After deregistering, the LA will contact you. Under Section 436A of the Education Act 1996, they have a duty to identify children not receiving suitable education. This is an enquiry duty — not an inspection power.

Your options:

  • Option A: Written report (recommended) — Describe your educational approach, give examples, explain how you meet your child's needs. No work samples or lesson plans required.
  • Option B: Neutral-location meeting — Meet at a library or café. You do NOT have to meet in your home.
  • Option C: Decline — Legal, but risks escalation to Section 437 notice and potentially a School Attendance Order.

Response template:

Dear [LA Officer],

Thank you for your letter dated [date] regarding [child's name].

I can confirm that [child's name] is receiving suitable full-time education in accordance with Section 7 of the Education Act 1996.

Our approach is [eclectic/Charlotte Mason/structured/child-led]. Education includes:
• [Literacy]: Daily reading, creative writing, and discussions about books and current events
• [Numeracy]: Practical maths through cooking, budgeting, measuring, and dedicated practice using [resource name]
• [Science]: Hands-on experiments, nature observation, and documentary-based learning
• [Humanities]: Project-based exploration of historical periods and geographical topics through library resources, museum visits, and documentary films
• [Physical]: Regular outdoor activity, [sports/swimming/cycling], and home ed group sports sessions
• [Social]: Weekly home education group meetups, [clubs/activities], and regular community interaction

Example of recent work: [1-2 specific examples, e.g. "This term [child] has been researching the Viking era through library books, built a model longship, and wrote a creative story from the perspective of a Viking child. In maths, they have been working on fractions and decimals through cooking measurements and a budgeting project."]

I am confident this provision is suitable for [child's] age, ability, and aptitude. I do not consent to a home visit at this time but am happy to continue providing written updates.

Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
Practical tip: Keep this report brief but specific. Real examples are more convincing than vague descriptions. You don't need to prove you're replicating school — you need to show your child is learning and developing.

Deschooling: The First 1-3 Months

When a child leaves school, they need time to decompress. This is called deschooling and skipping it is the number one mistake new home educators make.

What deschooling looks like:

  • Week 1-2: Let them sleep, play, watch TV, be bored. No teaching. No worksheets. Let the pressure valve release.
  • Week 2-4: Observe. What are they naturally drawn to? What questions do they ask? What do they choose to do with free time?
  • Month 2: Introduce gentle rhythm — not a timetable. Reading after breakfast, outdoor time midday, creative time in the afternoon.
  • Month 3+: Gradually add structure if your child responds to it. Some thrive with routine; others learn through freedom.
Rule of thumb: Allow roughly one month of deschooling per year in school. A child who attended school for 5 years may need up to 5 months to fully decompress. Don't panic if they seem to be "doing nothing" — they're processing, recovering, and rediscovering curiosity.

Choosing Your Approach

Charlotte Mason

Short lessons (15-20 mins for young children), real literature instead of textbooks, narration (child retells what they've learned), nature study, picture study, composer study, and habit training. Ideal for families who love books and nature.

Montessori

Child-led, hands-on learning. Emphasis on practical life skills, sensory exploration, and following the child within a prepared environment. Best for younger children and tactile learners.

Unschooling

Entirely child-led. No curriculum. Learning through play, life, conversation, and following interests. Parent facilitates rather than directs. Based on the philosophy of John Holt.

Classical Education

The trivium: grammar stage (facts), logic stage (reasoning), rhetoric stage (expression). Uses primary sources, may include Latin. Best for academically inclined families.

Eclectic (most common)

Mix and match. Structured maths on Monday, unschooling in the woods on Tuesday, Charlotte Mason nature study on Wednesday. Most families end up here.

Recommendation: Start loose. Don't buy expensive curricula until you've tried different approaches for at least a month. Your approach WILL change as you learn what works for your child.

Essential Free Resources

  • BBC Bitesize (bbc.co.uk/bitesize) — Full curriculum, all ages
  • Khan Academy (khanacademy.org) — Maths, science, computing
  • Oak National Academy (thenational.academy) — Free video lessons
  • Your local library — Books, audiobooks, BorrowBox/Libby e-books, events, WiFi
  • Museums — Most UK museums are free (Natural History, Science, V&A, British Museum, etc.)
  • Duolingo — Free language learning
  • MEP Maths (cimt.org.uk) — Free rigorous maths programme
  • YouTube — Crash Course, Numberblocks, Horrible Histories, SciShow Kids

GCSEs and Qualifications

  • Home-educated children sit GCSEs as private candidates at exam centres
  • Registration typically opens October for summer exams
  • Fees: £30-£100 per subject
  • IGCSEs (Cambridge/Edexcel) are popular — often 100% exam-based, no coursework
  • Not the only path: Functional Skills, BTECs, Open University modules, portfolio applications all valid
  • Universities accept and actively recruit home-educated students

Answering the Big Questions

"What about socialisation?" → "Home ed groups, sports clubs, community activities. They interact with all ages, not just 30 same-age children in a room."
"How will they get GCSEs?" → "Private candidate exam centres. Many home ed kids sit them. Universities accept home-educated students."
"Isn't it illegal?" → "No. Education Act 1996, Section 7. Education is compulsory. School attendance is not."
"What qualifies you?" → "No qualification needed. I know my child. Plus: thousands of free resources, qualified online tutors, and a massive home ed community."

Your First Week Checklist

  • ☐ Deregistration letter sent (recorded delivery)
  • ☐ Copy kept with postal receipt
  • ☐ Joined at least one local home ed Facebook group
  • ☐ Library trip — stacked up on books
  • ☐ NO formal teaching for minimum 2 weeks
  • ☐ Observing what child gravitates towards
  • ☐ Art supplies and notebooks stocked
  • ☐ First home ed group meetup attended or booked
  • ☐ Response prepared for "socialisation" question
  • ☐ Read: "Free to Learn" (Peter Gray) or "How Children Learn" (John Holt)
  • ☐ Deep breath taken. You've got this.
Free updates included. When we update this product, you automatically get the latest version at no extra charge. Content is versioned and dated — you will always have access to the most current information. Last updated: April 2026.

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Legal Disclaimer — Home Education: This content provides general information about home education law in England and Wales as of April 2026. It is not legal advice. The law in this area is actively changing — the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent in 2026 and will introduce new requirements including mandatory registration for home-educating families. For advice about your specific circumstances, consult a qualified solicitor, contact Education Otherwise (educationotherwise.org), or seek guidance from your local home education support network. Darling Mellow Ltd (Company No: 16314161) accepts no liability for any decisions made or actions taken based on the information provided. You are responsible for verifying the current legal position before acting.
Digital Product Terms: This digital product is provided by Darling Mellow Ltd (Company No: 16314161) for personal, non-commercial use only. By accessing this content, you acknowledge that: (1) digital products cannot be returned once accessed, in accordance with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 — you were informed of this before purchase and access; (2) you may not reproduce, distribute, resell, publish, or share this content in any form without prior written permission; (3) while every reasonable effort has been made to ensure accuracy as of April 2026, information may become outdated and you are responsible for verifying critical information; (4) free lifetime updates to this product are included. For technical issues: mellow@darlingmellow.co.uk.
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