Home education (Elective home education)

It is a parent or carer’s choice to take legal and financial responsibility for their child’s education out of a school setting (at home or otherwise). You don’t need our approval to start home education unless your child attends a maintained special school as stated on their EHCP (Education Health Care Plan).

Where your child is enrolled at a school, we ask that you tell the school that you are going to home educate in writing and request their name be removed from the school roll. It is the school’s duty to inform the Council of your decision.

Please look at our leaflet to find out some key information about EHE.

For additional information, please read the documents linked below.

This first document covers the following information:

1. What is elective home education?
2. Things to consider before home educating
3. How to begin home educating and Solihull Council’s role thereafter
4. Support and resources

Additional information about EHE

• Solihull EHE Policy and Procedures
• Elective Home Education - Guide for Parents
• Elective Home Education - Departmental Guidance for Local Authorities
• Primary Support Pack
• Secondary Support Pack
• Suitability Checklist

Flexi-schooling is an arrangement between parent and school where children of compulsory school age are registered at the school in the usual way but attend part-time and for the rest of the time they are home educated. This guidance provides some more detail as well as supporting examples of flexi-school agreements:

• Guidance on Flexi-Schooling 

Exemplar documents:

• Attendance agreement 
• Flexi-schooling parental agreement 
• Flexi-schooling school agreement 

We have a duty to find out whether home educated children are receiving suitable full-time education.

We will get in touch with EHE families on an annual basis to informally discuss the education being provided at home. 

This is usually by requesting a:

• meeting
• phone call
• video call
• written overview

When an education is found to be unsuitable, the team will support families through practical suggestions and ideas. If the education continues to be unsuitable we may take additional steps to ensure that children are returned to school.

Any personal reports about your child are sent securely via the Attendance and EHE Advisory Team email address.

This document shows you what to expect when you are sent a secure message from us, and how to access it.

We are always happy to offer support and advice: whether that be providing you with more information; contacting your child’s current or previous school; or providing support or answers whilst you are home educating.

Please do not hesitate to call or email the team using the following contact details:

• Email: ehe@solihull.gov.uk
• Telephone: 0121 704 6191