We must make sure that all children of compulsory school age in our area are receiving a suitable education.
We do this by:
- providing clear, easy‑to‑understand information about elective home education
- recognising that families educate in different ways
- focusing on how a child is learning
Our duty to make enquiries
The local authority has a legal duty to make enquiries about a child’s education if they are of compulsory school age and not on a school roll. This helps us understand whether they are receiving a suitable education.
How we work with families
Our approach aims to be:
- proportionate and non‑intrusive
- clear and consistent
- timely and respectful
We work with parents to discuss any concerns and agree next steps within clear timescales.
We aim to build open, constructive relationships so children receive a suitable education, while respecting parents’ right to choose how that education is provided.
Informal enquiries
If we have questions about a child’s education, we’ll usually write to you first and ask you about how education is being provided.
You can do this in different ways, such as:
- meeting with an officer
- sharing written information
- providing examples of learning
You are not legally required to respond, but responding can help us understand your approach and avoid further steps.
We prefer to meet families, but this is not required. Children may also be invited to share their views – this is optional.
An informal enquiry is not a formal notice, it does not mean formal action will follow. It’s not a judgement about the education you provide.
What happens next
After reviewing the information:
- if we are satisfied, we’ll confirm this in writing and contact you again in a year
- if we are not satisfied, we’ll make further informal enquiries or give you up to 3 months to make any required changes
Until we are satisfied that a child is receiving suitable full‑time education, they may be treated as a child missing education.
If concerns remain, we may consider formal action.
Formal notice
If concerns about a child’s suitable education cannot be resolved through informal enquiries, the law allows us to take further steps.
This may include issuing a formal notice asking parents to show that a suitable education is being provided. You’ll be given reasonable time to respond.
Formal notices are only used when informal approaches have not resolved concerns.
School Attendance Orders
If suitable education cannot be demonstrated, and it’s considered appropriate for the child to attend school, we may issue a School Attendance Order.
A School Attendance Order requires a child to be registered at a named school. It’s only issued after reasonable efforts to resolve concerns without formal action. You can apply at any time to have an order withdrawn if you can show that you’re providing a suitable education.
If concerns cannot be resolved, the case may be referred for independent consideration. A court may decide whether the education being provided is suitable.
Formal action is always a last resort.
Policies and procedures
We regularly review our elective home education (EHE) policy to reflect current law and government guidance. We also take feedback from home‑educating parents into account, as we value their experience and insight.
Our policy aims to provide clear and helpful information, and sets out roles, rights and responsibilities so families know what to expect and where to find support.
All officers working with elective home education follow our policy, government guidance and current legislation to ensure a consistent approach.