Alternative Education
Information about educating your child at home, or outside of formal education.
Education Otherwise Than At Schools (EOTAS)
The Children and Families Act 2014 (CFA) Section 61 makes specific legal provision for the education of children and young people, for whom education in a school or post-16 institution would be inappropriate. This is called Education Otherwise Than At School, or EOTAS.
EOTAS is where a child or young person with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan can receive special educational provision (Section F) outside of a formal education setting. Under an EOTAS arrangement, the child or young person will not be required to be on the roll of, or in attendance at an educational setting.
Instead, they will receive their education and special educational provision either at home, or in some circumstances, within an external setting that is not a registered educational setting.
Under Section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014 (Read at legislation.gov.uk) a Local Authority is placed under an absolute legal obligation to make sure a child or young person receives all of the provision contained in Section F of their EHC plan.
EOTAS is not the same as elective home education (EHE). While both EOTAS and EHE may have the same result in that the child will be being educated at home, they each place completely different obligations on Local Authorities.
Special Needs Jungle provide an explanation of EOTAS and how you can access it. You can find the details on the Special Needs Jungle website.
Elective Home Education (EHE)
Elective Home Education is a term used to describe a choice by parents or carers to provide education for their child or young person, instead of sending them to school to receive an efficient full-time education (suitable to the child’s age, ability and aptitude and to any Special Educational Needs they may have) and being responsible for providing their education. This is different to education provided by a Local Authority other than at a school, for example, for children who are too ill to attend school.
If your child is currently at school, you should tell the school if you plan to educate them at home. The school must accept if you’re taking your child out completely. They can refuse if you want to send your child to school some of the time.
If your child has never been enrolled at a school, you are under no legal obligation to inform the Local Authority that he or she is being home educated or gain consent for this. However, it is strongly recommended that you do notify your Local Authority, in order to access any advice and support available. If your child is currently on the roll of a school, you are not obliged to inform the school that he or she is being withdrawn for Home Education or gain consent for this. However, it is sensible to do so, in order to avoid subsequent misunderstandings as to how you intend to fulfil your parental responsibility for your child’s education.
The school is obliged to inform the Local Authority of children removed from its admission register and will give Home Education as the reason, if notified of this by the parent. Parents of children withdrawn from school for Home Education are not legally obliged to inform the Local Authority themselves, but again it is sensible to do so, either directly or using any local registration scheme which exists, to facilitate access to advice and support.
Education quality and curriculum
You must make sure your child receives a full-time education from the age of 5, but you do not have to follow the National Curriculum.
The LA can make an ‘informal enquiry’ to check your child is getting a suitable education at home. They can serve a School Attendance Order if they think your child needs to be taught at school.
If your child has special educational needs (SEN)
If your child has SEN and attends a special school, you’ll need to get the LA’s permission to educate them at home. You do not need the LA’s permission if your child attends a mainstream school, even if they have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.
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