Contents
- Elective Home Education introduction and complaints
- Policy Statement
- The Law relating to Elective Home Education
- Parental Rights, Responsibilities and Considerations
- The Local Authority’s Responsibilities
- Responsibilities of Schools in the London Borough of Bexley
- Elective Home Education and Safeguarding
- Children and Young People with an Education, Health and Care Plan
- Children in Care
- London Borough of Bexley’s EHE Procedures
- Where Formal Notice is Required
- Support, Guidance and Resources Provided by Bexley
- London Borough of Bexley’s EHE Service
- References
The Local Authority’s Responsibilities
London Borough of Bexley is supportive of parents who elect to educate their child at home; however, it has a statutory duty under section 436A of the Education Act 1996 to make arrangements to enable them to establish (so far as it is possible) the identities of children in their area who are not receiving a suitable education. This duty applies to all children of compulsory school age who are not on a school roll and do not appear to be receiving a suitable education other than being at school.
It is appropriate that parents and children choose a type of education that is right for them. It is equally important that EHE officers understand and are supportive of the many differing "ways of educating" that are all feasible and legally valid. The role of the EHE Officer is to respond to concerns that a child is not receiving suitable education for his or her age, ability and aptitude and, where appropriate, to provide support and information for parents. It is not the role of the EHE Officer to tell parents how to educate their children.
A further statutory duty requires London Borough of Bexley to serve a formal notice under section 437 of the Education Act 1996 if it appears that a child of compulsory school age is not receiving a suitable education. The formal notice requires the parent to satisfy the Local Authority that the child is in fact receiving suitable education. If London Borough of Bexley cannot be made confident that the child is receiving a suitable education, it has the power to commence the statutory process for the issue of a School Attendance Order (‘SAO’) requiring the parent to register the child at a named school. This process will be managed by a senior member of the Education Team at the London Borough of Bexley.
London Borough of Bexley has no legal power or duty to monitor home education on a routine basis, although it will make enquiries if it is not clear that a child is receiving suitable education. London Borough of Bexley sees its role in relation to home education as part of its wider responsibilities, including safeguarding, to all the children in its area.