You are currently under no legal obligation to notify the Local Authority of your decision to home school, unless your child has an education, health and care (EHC) plan. It is recommended that you notify your child's school if you are withdrawing them.

Whether you decide to home school your child full time, employ qualified teachers or enrol them part time in a local FE college, deciding on your approach in advance will smooth the transition.

If you are selecting your own teachers, ensure they have been background checked and hold the necessary academic and teaching qualifications.

Timetables and term dates help to structure your child's time. On average, primary children engage in 3 hours of learning time per day. This increases to five hours for secondary students.

Home schooling can be lonely for children. Developing a balanced extracurricular schedule will help them to make friends and learn new skills in music, art or sport.

You may choose to follow the national curriculum, teach beyond the national curriculum, or focus on practical skills. There are a range of free online teaching resources available to guide your lessons.

Home schooling means that you can track your child's progress across hard and soft skills. Their development is about more than just academics!

Entering your child for public exams, such as GCSEs, A levels or the International Baccalaureate involves careful planning. From exam boards to approved centres, our step-by-step helps you to understand this process.