Requests for Elective Home Education (EHE) from parents and carers can be a complex area for schools to navigate. We have detailed below a few key points for schools as well as the processes that Barnet Education & Learning Service ask schools to follow.

This section covers the following areas:

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• What Elective Home Education is.

• What Elective Home Education is not.

• Key points for the school and parent/ carer.

• Separated parents/ carers in dispute.

• Financial responsibilities of home educating parents/ carers.

• Deregistration and consent.

• Deregistration for a child with a School Attendance Order (SAO) or Education Supervision Order (ESO)

• Residence.

• Where a child/ young person is moving to live overseas.

• Where a parent/ carer states that the child/ young person is being withdrawn from the school roll.

• Where a child/ young person is being educated via online education providers.

• Process for schools to follow with a request for home education from a parent/ carer.

• Safeguarding concerns.

• Further information.

• Enquiry form QR code and link.

 

What Elective Home Education is.

• Elective Home Education covers the education of a child/ young person at home, usually by their parents/ carers. However, parents/ carers may also involve outside providers, including private tutors, online education providers etc. Parents/ carers take full responsibility for their child’s education, including organisation of learning and examinations as well as financing all aspects of the home education provision.

 

What Elective Home Education is not.

• Elective Home Education is not:

  • Flexi schooling.

  • Education taking place at home whilst a child is on roll at a school (whether organised by the parents/ carers or the school.)

  • Education provided by the Local Authority when a child is on roll at a school but unable to attend for medical reasons.

  • Education provided by the Local Authority when a child cannot attend school due to exclusion or other reasons.

  • Education provided at home during the pandemic – sometimes referred to as ‘home schooling.’

  • EOTAS (Education Other Than At School) - whilst a child registered as EOTAS may be educated at home, the local authority remains responsible for providing the child’s education package. 

 

Key points for the school and parent/ carer.

• The Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) Elective Home Education team are an Advisory service.

• Elective Home Education (EHE) must always be the choice of and led by parents/ carers.

• Parents/ carers have a legal right to home educate. Currently, consent from the local authority is only required where a child has an EHCP and attends a Special School.

• The Barnet Education & Learning (BELS) Elective Home Education (EHE) team work within government guidance: www.gov.uk/government/publications/elective-home-education

• Home education should be referred to as Elective Home Education (EHE) rather than ‘home schooling’ to avoid confusion with other forms of education that parents/ carers may be overseeing for their child.

• The Barnet Education & Learning (BELS) Elective Home Education (EHE) team only register children and young people for elective home education resident within the London Borough of Barnet.

 

Separated parents/ carers in dispute.

• Where separated parents/ carers are unable to come to an agreement in relation to a child being home educated, the school should suggest taking legal advice. The Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) Elective Home Education team are unable to provide any such advice or intervene in relation to disagreements between parents/ carers.

• The Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) Elective Home Education team are unable to intervene and/or mediate between parents/ carers in these matters.

• The Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) Elective Home Education team are unable to stop a referral for elective home education due to disagreement/s between separated parents/ carers in relation to their child’s education placement. Either parent/ carer with parental responsibility (PR) is legally entitled to deregister their child from a school for Elective Home Education.

• Relevant guidance can be found below:

www.assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bf6d2bdcb0757928e5bd47/Elective_home_education_departmental_guidance_for_local_authorities.pdf (paragraph 10.3. on pages 31 and 32.)

 

Financial responsibilities of home educating parents/ carers

• Home educating parents and carers assume all financial and organisational responsibility for their child’s education. The London Borough of Barnet, Barnet Education and Learning Service (BELS) and the child’s previous school will not oversee, organise or finance the home education. This means that there is no financial help for costs with exams, subscriptions, outings, clubs, laptops, books, teaching and tutors from The London Borough of Barnet, Barnet Education and Learning Service (BELS) and the child’s previous school.

• Where a home educated child has an EHCP, the local authority is not under a duty to make the special educational provision set out in the EHCP, provided it is satisfied that the arrangements made by the parents/ carers are suitable. This is in line with paragraph 10.32 of the SEND Code of Practice. The duty under section F is discharged from the Local Authority.  If there is health care provision in Section G of a child/ young person’s EHCP, the health body must still arrange this. 

• There is no ‘home schooling programme’ available from The London Borough of Barnet, Barnet Education and Learning Service (BELS) or the child’s previous school for home educated children/ young people.

 

Deregistration and consent

• Consent for a parent/ carer to deregister a child/ young person from school for Elective Home Education is only required when that child/ young person has an EHCP and attends a Special School. This consent must be obtained via the SEN team at BELS before deregistration. The Elective Home Education team will not register the child without this consent.

 

Deregistration for a child with a School Attendance Order (SAO) or Education Supervision Order (ESO)

• Where a child has a School Attendance Order (SAO) or Education Supervision Order (ESO) they cannot subsequently be deregistered from school without the order being revoked. The School Attendance Pupil Registration Regulations 2024 refer: www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/208/made​ The Elective Home Education team will not register the child without the order being revoked.

 

Residence.

• A child must be resident within the London Borough of Barnet to be registered with the Elective Home Education team at BELS.

 

Where a child/ young person is moving to live overseas.

• Where a child/ young person is simply leaving school to live overseas, this is not Elective Home Education and should not be referred to the Elective Home Education team at BELS.  The matter should be referred to the school’s Education Welfare Officer and/ or the Child Missing Education Officer (CME) at Barnet Education & Learning Service for advice.

 

Where a parent/ carer states that the child/ young person is being withdrawn from the school roll or will remain at home.

• Where a parent/ carer states that the child/ young person is simply being withdrawn from the school roll or will remain at home, this is not Elective Home Education and should not be referred to the EHE team at BELS.  The matter should be referred to the school’s Education Welfare Officer and/or the Child Missing Education Officer (CME) at Barnet Education & Learning Service for advice.

 

Where a child/ young person is being educated via online education providers.

• Elective Home Education can include the use of online education providers. Where parents/ carers inform the school that their child is being removed from the school role to be educated via an online education provider, this is Elective Home Education.

• In these circumstances, the parent/ carer deregistration letter to the school should state that they are electing to home educate and the date that this will start.

• The parent/ carer deregistration letter to the state should not refer to deregistering from a school for an online provider i.e. not mention Elective Home Education.

• The off-rolling form completed by the school must include Elective Home Education and not the name of an online education provider.

 

Process for schools to follow with a request for home education from a parent/ carer.

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1. Before finalising their decision to home educate their child, the school should suggest to potential home educating parents/ carers to contact Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) EHE for impartial advice. The parent/ carer can initiate this via our enquiry form: Make an enquiry about Elective Home Education.

The EHE team will always endeavour to respond promptly to such contact.

The parent/ carer is under no obligation to contact the Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) EHE team. However, where possible, the team would like the opportunity to discuss home education with the parent/ carer and answer any questions that they may have.

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2. Where a child has an EHCP and attends a Special School.

• The parent/ carer should be immediately directed to seek consent to home educate from the Local Authority – via their SEN caseworker at Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS). The child should not be off rolled before this consent has been obtained. The Elective Home Education team will not register the child without this consent.

• Where a child has an EHCP and attends an ARP at a mainstream school, consent is not required.

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3. Where a child has a School Attendance Order (SAO) or Education Supervision Order (ESO.)

• A child cannot be deregistered from a school for Elective Home Education without the School Attendance Order (SAO) or Education Supervision Order (ESO) being revoked. ​ The Elective Home Education team will not register the child without evidence that the order has been revoked.

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4. Exit meeting.

a. The school should request an exit meeting with the parent/ carer to discuss their decision to home educate. However, parents/ carers are under no obligation to attend such a meeting.

b. The school should confirm with the parent/ carer that they will be home educating their child and that the child is and will be resident in the London Borough of Barnet.

In circumstances where parents/ carers state that their child is:

• being withdrawn from the school roll;

• being ‘home schooled’ whilst remaining on the roll of the school;

• being kept at home;

• moving overseas to live;

• being educated via an online school and that they do not wish their child to be considered as home educated;

• the education arrangements for the child are unknown;

and/or where Elective Home Education is not explicitly confirmed in writing to the school, the matter should be referred to the school Education Welfare Officer and/or the Child Missing Education Officer at BELS to determine the child’s education placement and whereabouts. These cases should not be referred to the Elective Home Education team and will be returned to the school.

The Elective Home Education team are unable to accept off rolling of children and young people from schools where the parents/ carers have not explicitly stated within their deregistration email to the school that the child will be/ is being home educated and the date of commencement.

c. The school should confirm to the parent/carer by email that in electing to home educate, they will be assuming all financial and organisational responsibility for their child’s education. The London Borough of Barnet, Barnet Education and Learning Service (BELS)and the school will not oversee, organise or finance the home education. This means that there is no financial help for costs with exams, subscriptions, outings, clubs, laptops, books, teaching and tutors from The London Borough of Barnet, Barnet Education and Learning Service (BELS) and the school. It should also be confirmed to the parent/s/ carer/s that the school will not provide or organise work, resources, tuition, assessments and examinations for their home educated child.

d. The school should confirm to the parent/ carer by email that there is no ‘home schooling programme’ available from The London Borough of Barnet, Barnet Education and Learning Service (BELS) and the child’s previous school.

e. The school should confirm by email to the parent/ carer of any child/ young person with an EHCP who is electing to home educate, that the local authority is not under a duty to make the special educational provision set out in the EHCP, provided it is satisfied that the arrangements made by the parents/ carers are suitable. This is in line with paragraph 10.32 of the SEND Code of Practice. The duty under section F is discharged from the Local Authority.  If there is health care provision in Section G of a child/ young person’s EHCP, the health body must still arrange this. 

f. The school should email the parent/ carer the Barnet Education & Learning Services Elective Home Education registration link and QR code:  Register my child for Elective Home Education.

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5. 10-day window

The Senior Management Team at Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) offer a 10-day window for deregistration of children and young people from school rolls for Elective Home Education. However, where parents/ carers request immediate deregistration, this must be respected in line with School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024.

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6. Deregistration email from the parent/ carer to the school

a. The school must request that the parent/ carer provides the school with a dated email/ letter (deregistration email) clearly stating that they intend to home educate, will be taking full responsibility for their child’s education and the date that this will start. The rules for taking a child out of school are set out in The School Attendance Pupil Registration Regulations 2024 www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/208

Barnet Education and Learning Service (BELS) are unable to accept registrations for Elective Home Education (EHE) without the above deregistration email and receipt of all off rolling documentation from the school.

b. The deregistration email must be written/ typed by the parent/s/ carer/s only and should be sent to the EHE team in it’s original format. School forms, meeting notes, enquiries, emails, redacted emails and phonecalls from school staff etc. will not be accepted in place of a signed deregistration email from the parent/s/ carer/s in it’s original format.

c. Elective Home Education can include the use of online education providers. Where parents/ carers inform the school that their child is being removed from the school roll to be educated via an online education provider, this is Elective Home Education and the parent/ carer deregistration letter should clearly state that the child will be home educated and the date that this will start. The deregistration email should not refer to deregistering from a school for an online provider only.

The child will not be registered with the Elective Home Education Team where the deregistration email and/or off rolling form refers to an online education provider only and does not refer to the child being home educated with a relevant start date.

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6. Once the school has received the parent/ carer deregistration email stating Elective Home Education.

a. The parent/ carer should be encouraged to register with Elective Home Education at Barnet Education and Learning Service (BELS) via the link: Register my child for Elective Home Education.

b. The school should complete and submit the BELS EHE online off rolling form for schools:  School off rolling form for Elective Home Education.

 

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c. The school should send the following paperwork to EHE@Barnet.gov.uk copying EWT@Barnet.gov.uk marked clearly with the child’s full name, DOB and UPN alongside submission of the BELS EHE online off rolling form:

1. Parent/ carer deregistration email which clearly states that the child will be home educated and the date that this will start. This email should be sent to the EHE team in it’s complete and original format. Redacted emails, school forms, meeting notes, emails and phonecalls from school staff etc. will not be accepted in place of a signed deregistration email from the parent/s/ carer/s in it’s original format.

iii. Attendance record.

iv. Any meeting notes regarding the decision to home educate.

v. EHCP (if any.)

vi. Consent to home educate notification from the Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) SEN co-ordinator if the child has an EHCP and attends a Special School. This is not required for a child with an EHCP attending a mainstream school (including ARPs at mainstream schools.)

vii. Evidence of revocation of a School Attendance Order (SAO) or Education Supervision Order (ESO) – where relevant.

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7. The child’s paper and/or online school file/s.

• Any paper and/or online school file should remain with the school until such a time as the child/young person returns to school (where relevant), at which time it should be transferred to the child/young person’s new school. Please do not send paper or online pupil files to Elective Home Education (EHE) at Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS.)

 

Safeguarding concerns.

• Kindly note that Elective Home Education (EHE) at Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) cannot make a MASH referral on the basis of a school’s concerns.

• Any safeguarding concerns should be referred by the school directly to MASH: mash@barnet.gov.uk

• A safeguarding referral can be made online at: www.barnet.gov.uk/directories/directme/multi-agency-safeguarding-hub-mash-team-childrens

 

Visiting and seeing the child whilst home educated and monitoring a child’s home education.

• The Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) Elective Home Education team are an Advisory service. The team works within current Elective Home Education Guidance: www.gov.uk/government/publications/elective-home-education

• The Elective Home Education team receive a number of requests from schools and other professionals to ensure that home educated children are regularly visited and seen by the Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) Elective Home Education team and for monitoring of their education.

• Schools should note that local authorities ordinarily make contact with home educating families on an annual basis (i.e. once a year) to determine the suitability of the education provided. This is in line with elective home education guidance. Kindly note that local authorities may not monitor a child’s home education.

• Whilst local authorities can request or offer an annual meeting or further meetings with home educating families, they are under no obligation to accept. Home educating families can simply decline to meet with the Elective Home Education team and instead provide written information, which if suitable, the team are obliged to accept. Similarly, in circumstances where a family may accept a home visit, they are under no obligation to introduce or ensure that the home educated child is seen by the Elective Home Education team.

• Home educating families can also ignore and/or decline all contact with the Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) Elective Home Education (EHE) team. This is in line with government guidance. Under these circumstances, a Child Missing Education (CME) referral is made by the team and the case closed to the Elective Home Education (EHE) team.

 

Further information

• The Elective Home Education (EHE) guidance can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/elective-home-education

 

Enquiry form QR code and link

• The Barnet Education & Learning Service (BELS) Elective Home Education (EHE) team can be contacted via our enquiry form: Make an enquiry about Elective Home Education. This link should be used for enquiries only and not for off rolling, registrations or reviews.