Elective Home Education (EHE) is the term used by the Department for Education (DfE) to describe the education provided by parents at home, rather than providing education for their children by sending them to school. This is different to home tuition or education provided by a Local Authority other than at a school. It is recognised that parents may choose home education for a variety of reasons and deliver it in a variety of ways.

For the purposes of this policy, the term “parent”, unless the context requires otherwise in relation to a child of young person, includes any person:

• who is not a parent of, but who has parental responsibility for a child or young person, or
• who has care of the child or young person, except that in section 499(8) of the Education Act 1996, it only includes such a person if he/she is an individual

The following pages set out our policy and procedures that enable the London Borough of Bexley to comply with its duties towards children and young people living in the borough whose parents have elected to educate them otherwise than at school. It is published for parents, schools and other agencies with an interest in elective home education.

The London Borough of Bexley’s Elective Home Education Team can be contacted:

• by phone, calling 020 8303 7777 and asking for “Elective Home Education”
• by email, sent to EHE@bexley.gov.uk
• by post, addressed to Elective Home Education, Education and Services for Children, London Borough of Bexley Civic Offices, 2 Watling Street, Bexleyheath, DA6 7AT

Complaints

The London Borough of Bexley’s complaints procedure, includes a form to submit a complaint.

Alternatively, complaints can be made by email to complaints@bexley.gov.uk, by calling 020 8303 7777, or by writing to “The Complaints Team” at the Civic Offices address above.