Starting home education: first steps checklist

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1. Check which rules apply to you. They depend on where you live: England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
2. Check whether you need permission first. You do if your child is at a special school arranged by the council (England and Wales), if a school attendance order is in force, or if you live in Scotland and your child attends a council (public) school. Otherwise, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a mainstream school must take your child off the roll once you tell it in writing.
3. Send your letter and keep a copy. Use our template letters. Ask the school to confirm the date your child came off the roll. In Scotland, write to the council and wait for its decision before your child stops attending.
4. Find your council’s home education team. Our council directory lists every team. The school normally tells the council; many families also introduce themselves. If your child has never been to school, the guidance in England, Wales and Scotland encourages you to let the council know.
5. Write a short description of your approach. A page is enough: how you’ll teach (structured, child-led or a mix), the main areas you’ll cover, resources, a typical week, and how your child will mix with others. Councils often ask for this, and you can send it in writing.
6. Choose what to learn. You don’t have to follow the national curriculum or keep school hours. Many families still use it as a checklist – see our curriculum pages, year planner and free practice tests.
7. Set up simple records from day one. Dated notes of what was learned, samples of work, trips and clubs. They make any conversation with the council easier. Try the free records templates and planner and timetable.
8. Plan time with other people. Local home education groups, libraries, sport, music, scouts or guides, museums and volunteering. Councils look at social contact as part of a suitable education.
9. If you use tutors, check them. Safeguarding is your responsibility. Ask for references and a recent criminal record check (DBS in England and Wales, PVG in Scotland, AccessNI in Northern Ireland). Our tutor session log helps you keep a note.
10. Think ahead about exams (age 13 and up). Exams aren’t required, but if your child wants GCSEs or IGCSEs, you find an exam centre and pay the fees. Centres set their own deadlines. See exams for home-educated children.
11. Look after everyone’s wellbeing. The first weeks are often a time to slow down. If your child has had a hard time recently, give them time. If you’re worried about a child’s safety, call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. Children can call Childline free on 0800 1111.

Costs and funding

In general, there is no funding for home education: parents pay for books, resources, tutors and exam fees. Some councils help with things like exam fees at their discretion – ask your council’s team.

Going back to school

You can apply for a school place at any time – usually through your council’s school admissions team, which is often a different team from home education. A place at the old school isn’t kept for you. Our going back to school guide covers in-year applications, SEN, exams and settling in.