Elective Home Education Policy

Section 7 of the Education Act 1996, allows for parents/carers of children with Special Educational Needs to home educate their child.

If the child has an Education and Health Care Plan and is registered at a Special School, the parent/carer must make an application requesting permission to remove the child's name from the school roll. The council SEN department will convene an EHCP review meeting to which the parent and child will be invited. It is important that the parent/carer attends the meeting with a clear outline and evidence as to how home education will take place taking into consideration the child's special educational needs as detailed on the EHCP. The SEN team will make a decision based on all available information and provide the parent/carer with the outcome of the decision within 5 days from the date of the meeting. It is intended that this process is neither lengthy nor complex. If the parent/carer does not agree with the decision then the parent has a right to appeal. Appeals should be submitted in writing to the SEN team.

In cases where a child has an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) regardless of whether the child previously attended a special school or not the Local Authority is required to review a child's EHCP on an annual basis or sooner if requested. The parent and the child will be invited to attend an annual review. Although parents are under no obligation to attend, we believe that it is in the child's best interests to work in partnership with the SEN team and EHE officer as the voices of the parent and pupil are instrumental in the review.