Elective home education, also known as homeschooling, is an increasingly popular option for families when mainstream education isn’t meeting a child’s needs.
Whether you’re exploring this alternative to school for flexibility, individualised teaching, or specific family circumstances, this guide covers everything — from legal responsibilities to socialisation, curriculum options, and how TLC LIVE can support your journey.
Jump to section:
- Essential questions about homeschooling
- Homeschooling legal status and requirements
- Homeschool curriculum and teaching
- Homeschooling for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
- Homeschooling socialisation, clubs, and support networks
- Homeschooling costs and funding
- Family life and homeschooling practicalities
- Homeschooling benefits and challenges
- How TLC LIVE can support your online homeschooling
1. Essential questions about elective home education/homeschooling
To help you get started, let’s look at some of the most common questions families have when considering elective home education in the UK.
What is elective home education/homeschooling?
Homeschooling is where parents or carers take full responsibility for their child’s education outside a traditional school setting. In the UK, this is called elective home education (or EHE for short), though it may also be called home education.
Is part-time homeschooling allowed?
Some families choose part-time home education, known as flexischooling or hybrid schooling, which involves an arrangement with a school and follows different regulations from full-time elective home education.
How many children are homeschooled in the UK?
Homeschooling is fully legal and increasingly popular. As of autumn 2024, around 111,700 children in the UK were being homeschooled. This is up from an estimated 92,000 children the autumn term the year before.
Are parents responsible for homeschooling?
If you choose this method of education, you are responsible for planning, delivering, and resourcing your child’s education. Your child will not be registered at any school. If your child is already at school and you wish to move to homeschooling, you must notify the headteacher in writing. The school will accept the withdrawal if the child is being entirely removed.
Why do families choose elective home education?
Families choose elective home education for many reasons including:
- A desire to personalise their child’s education,
- The need for better support for children with additional needs,
- Flexibility to fit around family, religious, or cultural values,
- Dissatisfaction with local school options,
- Making education more manageable for children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND),
- Providing 1:1 teaching for children who are advanced or need extra support.
How does home education work?
With elective home education, parents and carers are fully responsible for their child’s learning:
- You can use non-traditional methods, structured homeschooling curriculum, private tutoring, or online learning platforms and schools (such as TLC LIVE Online School) to support your child’s education, or parents and carers can teach their children themselves.
- Local authorities aren’t required to help with homeschooling costs but may connect you with other home educating families.
- Home educated children don’t have to take SATs, GCSEs, or A-Levels, but if you choose for them to take exams, registration (typically by the January before the exam) and an entry fee will be required.
Parents hold full responsibility for homeschooling their children.
2. Homeschooling legal status and requirements
Choosing elective home education is a major decision, so it’s important to understand the legal responsibilities and rights:
Is home education legal in the UK?
Yes. Elective home education is fully legal in the UK, allowing parents and carers flexibility to educate children outside mainstream school.
What are the legal requirements for home education?
The law (Education Act 1996, Section 7) requires parents to provide “efficient full-time education suitable to the child’s age, ability, aptitude, and to any special educational needs—either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.”
There’s no strict definition of “full-time” or “suitable,” but education should be age-appropriate and facilitate a child’s development.
Do I need permission to homeschool?
If your child attends school, you must inform the school in writing before withdrawing them. The school cannot refuse unless you seek part-time flexischooling.
Do I need to register my child for homeschooling?
You don’t need to formally register your child for elective home education in England. If you’re withdrawing a child from school, you must notify the headteacher in writing. Some councils keep a voluntary register.
Can I home educate a child with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)?
Yes. You can educate a child at home with an EHCP, and you may find plenty of benefits in doing so. If your child attends a special school, you need local authority approval. The local authority must give consent unless there are safeguarding concerns, and the EHCP should be updated.
Does there need to be a structure?
No legal requirements exist around the homeschooling curriculum, timetable, teaching days, or hours. Parents are free to establish the style and structure that best suits their child.
Can homeschooling be done partially or completely online?
Yes. Homeschooling is very flexible, and parents can educate their children partially or entirely online, or completely offline. It is up to each family to assess how they want to teach their child. Learn more about online homeschooling.
Will the local council check on my homeschooling?
Local authorities may make enquiries to ensure a suitable education. Check your local council’s elective home education guidance for details.
What if the council thinks my homeschooling isn’t suitable?
If the council is concerned, they’ll ask for evidence. If issues persist, they may issue a School Attendance Order. Keeping clear records and responding promptly usually prevents problems.
Are there exams or inspections for homeschooling parents?
There are no Ofsted inspections or exams required for parents. However, councils may request learning reports or examples of your child’s work to check you are delivering a suitable education.
In the UK, children can be homeschooled partially or fully online.
3. Homeschooling curriculum and teaching
With elective home education, there’s no statutory curriculum to follow, and parents have complete choice over what is studied.
- You can follow the National Curriculum, adapt it, or design your own learning themes entirely independent of it.
- Most families ensure core subjects – English, maths, and science – are covered, often adding other subjects such as languages, art, PE, and life skills.
- There are rich resources available, from online learning providers like TLC LIVE and educational websites to free platforms such as BBC Bitesize and specialist learning apps.
- Flexibility is a major benefit. You can build learning around daily timetables or themed projects, adapting for educational trips and family needs.
- Track and evidence progress with portfolios, samples of work, learning journals, or online platforms. This is especially important if you plan for future qualifications like GCSEs.
4. Homeschooling for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
Here’s what you need to know about homeschooling for SEND.
Can I home educate a child with an EHCP?
Yes — though you will need local authority approval if your child attends a special school, but elective home education can allow you to personalise learning for your child’s individual needs. The EHCP should be updated to reflect your new arrangement if you do homeschool.
How can I provide a suitable education for SEND students at home?
Some key tips include:
- Develop a flexible personalised routine
- Use multi-sensory resources
- Break lessons into manageable steps
- Prioritise well-being and social skills.
How can I tailor support for learning disabilities, neurodiversity, or gifted children
Some key tips include:
- Adapt strategies you’d usually use
- Use tools such as visual aids and speech-to-text technology
- Include enrichment challenges
How can I receive support for SEND homeschooling?
Local authorities may offer guidance or signpost resources —especially if your child has an EHCP. Peer networks and national organisations can also be valuable.
Can I use technology and specialist tutors?
Technology such as tablets, educational software, and adaptive online tutoring platforms like TLC LIVE can help SEND learners thrive. Specialist tutors are also available for targeted support.
Homeschooling can help you personalise learning for a children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
5. Homeschooling socialisation, clubs, and support networks
Many parents worry about socialisation when they choose elective home education. The good news is, there are plenty of ways to ensure children have rich and varied interactions:
- Join regional home education groups: Local authorities sometimes keep lists of home educating families, but social media and online forums (such as Reddit’s r/UKParenting or Mumsnet’s Home ed section) are the best places to find meetups, field trips, and resource sharing in your area.
- Ensure your child is part of enrichment activities: Home educated children can join sports teams, Scouts/Brownies, arts groups, drama, volunteering, and subject-specific clubs. Many home education groups organise regular group activities which encourage socialisation.
- Encourage regular interaction with friends, neighbours, and the community: Social development often happens through everyday activities. Visiting parks, libraries, community workshops, or playdates. These experiences help children practise communication and social skills naturally.
All of these strategies support your child in making friends, improving confidence, and enjoying collaborative learning. A homeschooling benefit is that you may find children have more time to socialise than if they were in school, though getting your child outside and interacting with others is key.
6. Homeschooling costs and funding
Elective home education can quickly rack up costs for parents and carers. Here are some points to consider:
How much does homeschooling cost in the UK?
Costs vary based on resources and activities. There is no set estimate of how much it costs per child, though it is important to be mindful of what you can and can’t afford before exploring homeschooling. Expenses may include textbooks, stationery, learning subscriptions, exam fees, private tutors or online schools, as well as outings.
Is homeschooling free in the UK?
Yes, in that there are no fees to pay to have a license to homeschool. However, parents are responsible for all costs involved as there is no government funding for home education.
Do I have to pay for my child’s GCSEs?
Yes, home educated children pay exam centre fees for GCSEs and other qualifications usually £35–£150 per subject, though this is different with each exam board. For example, for the 2026 exams, AQA charge £36.45 for their cheapest single GCSE, but £64.65 for their most expensive. If you’re considering A-levels too, these can see costs upwards of £200.
Is there funding for homeschooling in the UK?
No government grants are available, but some councils may offer advice or signpost support groups.
7. Family life and homeschooling practicalities
While there are plenty of benefits to elective home education, it is also a good idea to consider the practicalities.
As a parent, can I work and homeschool at the same time?
Yes, but it takes careful organisation, flexible working hours, and sometimes support from family, friends, or professional tutors. Many parents use a blend of schedules and resources to make this work.
Can I homeschool a child with special needs?
Absolutely! Home education is often well suited to children who need a more flexible or individualised approach. If your child has an EHCP, you’ll need local authority consent if removing them from a special school.
Can I homeschool my child part time?
This is called flexischooling or hybrid schooling and depends on agreement with your child’s school. It is not an automatic right as schools have the opportunity to say no, whereas with full-time homeschooling they legally can’t refuse.
Can my child return to school after elective home education?
Yes, children can return to school at any time, but a place at a specific school or year group isn’t always guaranteed. Keeping progress records can support a smooth transition.
How do I get started with elective home education?
First, do your research to ensure it’s the right fit for your family. Notify the school in writing if your child is enrolled. Seek out curriculum ideas, join local or online support networks, and plan your teaching and learning around your child’s needs and interests.
Many parents find homeschooling gives them more flexibility in their work and family lives.
8. Homeschooling benefits and challenges
Homeschooling has plenty of positives, but it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons before making any decisions.
Benefits of homeschooling
- Full flexibility: Parents have control over subjects, schedules, and learning styles — no fines for holidays or cultural days, and learning can happen anywhere.
- Personalised attention: Children, especially those with SEND or those who are gifted, can benefit from one-to-one learning, moving faster in some areas or getting extra support where needed.
- Learning at your child’s pace: Pace isn’t dictated by a class timetable. Children can spend longer on tricky topics or race ahead with the subjects they love.
- Wider learning opportunities: Homeschooling means learning happens outside the classroom too—nature walks, baking, museum visits, and hands-on activities make education fun and memorable.
- Stronger family bonds: More time together often means stronger relationships and the time to create more special family memories. Plus, there’s often less peer pressure or bullying, helping children grow in confidence.
Challenges to consider
- It’s time-consuming and can be costly: Elective home education is rewarding, but planning, teaching, and juggling your own commitments can be full-on. Also, external resources like private tutors or learning platforms can add extra costs to your monthly budget that add up fast.
- Fewer natural social opportunities: Without a regular school environment, you’ll need to take the initiative to arrange social time through playdates, clubs, and groups.
- Subject knowledge gaps: Not every parent feels confident teaching all subjects. Tracking progress helps highlight areas where extra support might be needed.
- Navigating exams and qualifications: If your child will be taking GCSEs or similar, it’s up to you to arrange exams—this can be costly and takes planning. Skipping formal qualifications can also affect future options.
- Less access to specialist resources: Many schools have dedicated facilities for science, art, sports, and more, plus professional teachers for each subject. At home, accessing these resources may take extra effort, money, or travel.
9. How TLC LIVE can support your online homeschooling
TLC LIVE’s Online School is designed to support UK home educating families at every step. We provide:
- Expert qualified teachers and online lessons mapped to the national curriculum,
- Flexible teaching with our online tutors and school that fits around your family’s routine, whether you need to supplement specific subjects or provide full-time learning,
- SATs and GCSEs preparation,
- Specialised SEN support,
- Regular progress updates and advice as your educational needs evolve.
Contact us today to discuss how TLC LIVE can help you and your child thrive with online elective home education.
Written by Ryan Lockett, Headteacher, TLC LIVE Online School