Home education with SEN or an EHC plan
How SEN, ALN and additional support work for home-educated children – and when a child goes back to school. The rules depend on the type of school and the nation.
Home educating? Classfern Family keeps your plans, tutors’ lessons and records in one place – £40 a year for your whole family. What’s in Family
England
- Mainstream school, with or without an EHC plan: you don’t need the council’s permission to home educate. Write to the head teacher as usual.
- Special school arranged by the council: you need the council’s consent before your child’s name can be removed from the roll. Use our consent request.
- The EHC plan continues. The council must still review it at least once a year.
- Who provides the support? The council’s duty to secure the special educational provision in the plan doesn’t apply if you have made suitable alternative arrangements. Talk to your council’s SEN team about what this means for your child – arrangements vary.
- The education must suit your child’s needs. Your legal duty includes education suitable to any special educational needs.
- Not yet assessed? You can ask the council for an EHC needs assessment while you home educate.
- The SEND code of practice (paragraphs 10.30 to 10.38) covers home education.
Wales: additional learning needs (ALN)
- Leaving a special school needs the council’s permission first.
- You can ask the council to decide whether your child has ALN. If it does, it must prepare an individual development plan (IDP).
Scotland: additional support needs
If your child attends a council school, you need consent to withdraw them (see Scotland). Ask your council what support it offers home-educated children with additional support needs.
Northern Ireland
If your child is at a special school, tell the Education Authority as well as the principal, and ask what support is available.
Coming later: the new law
When the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 home education parts start (not yet – see the status), council consent will be needed in England and Wales for children at special schools arranged by the council, with a right to ask for a review.
Going back to school
- England: contact your council’s SEN team. You can ask for a school to be named in the EHC plan, and a school named in the plan must admit your child.
- Wales: an IDP can name a school – talk to the ALNCo or the council’s ALN team.
- Scotland: tell the council about your child’s additional support needs. Placing request appeals for a child with a CSP go to the Additional Support Needs Tribunals.
- Northern Ireland: a statement names the school; talk to your EA officer.
More in going back to school.
Keeping records of support
A simple log of therapies, tutors and progress helps at annual reviews. Our tutor session log and records templates are free.
Official sources
- GOV.UK: Educating your child at home
- School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024, regulation 9
- Children and Families Act 2014, section 42
- Children and Families Act 2014, section 36 (requests for an EHC needs assessment)
- DfE: SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years (home education: paragraphs 10.30 to 10.38)
- Education Act 1996, section 7
- Welsh Government: Home education handbook for home educators
- Scottish Government: Home education guidance – Withdrawing a child from school
- Education Authority (NI): Elective home education
Last checked against these sources: 25 October 2026.
General information, not legal advice. This page sums up the official guidance in our own words. Rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and can change. Check the official sources and your council’s own guidance, and get qualified advice for your situation. Classfern is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department for Education, the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government, the Education Authority or any council. Official guidance is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.