Considering educating your child at home
De-registering your child in order to educate them at home is a big decision and it is important that you take the step seriously. Your child's education is very important in order to prepare for the rest of your child's life.
You do not have to be a qualified teacher to provide education for your child at home. It is important that you are aware that the Local Education Authority does not provide funding, an education service or work plans or resources for the Elective Home Education (EHE).
As a parent or carer, you take all the responsibility of providing an efficient and suitable, full-time education for your child. You must ensure that your child develops in accordance with his/her age, ability and if he/she has Additional Learning Needs (ALN), it is required that those needs are met.
Information for parents and carers who are educating their child at home and those who are considering doing so.
Home education: handbook for home educators
Here are some factors to consider before de-registering your child from school:
- It is a big responsibility that will require considerable time and energy.
- Contact home schooling organisations to talk to other parents who are already home schooling.
- Look at the costs associated with home schooling.
- Remember that you must ensure that there are opportunities for your child to socialise with other children, individually and in groups.
- Do not de-register your child following a disagreement / dispute with the school. Contact the Welfare Officer to discuss options you have if there is a deterioration in your relationship with the school.
- You must ensure that your child's welfare is your priority at all times.
After you have carefully considered the above factors and you wish to educate your child at home, you should write a letter to the school stating your intention. Once the Headteacher has received it, the official Local Education Authority form will be completed and sent to the ALN&I Department. Following that, your local Education Welfare Officer will contact you to arrange a date to complete an initial assessment.
As a Local Authority, we have a responsibility to identify children who are of compulsory school age who are not registered at a school. It is then our duty to make enquiries to establish that a suitable education is provided. Therefore, the EHE Officer will offer a meeting on an annual basis or more often if required. The Specialist Teachers will work together to support the family. If the education provision is not suitable then the process of a School Attendance Order will begin.
Contact us
If you would like to discuss elective home education, you may wish to contact the Elective Home Education Specialist Teachers.
Contact details for the Local Authority
Cyngor Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey County Council - Additional Learning Needs and Inclusion Service
Address: Education Dept, Additional Learning Needs and Inclusion Service, Council Offices, Castle Street, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 1SE
Phone: 01286 679007
Email: GweinyddolADYaCh@gwynedd.llyw.cymru
Website: www.adyach.cymru