Are home schoolers in the UK subject to any checks?

Question

on quality of education provided? Do they have to follow the National Curriculum?

Answer 1

No, we're not subject to any checks. The law says that parents are the ones responsible for their children's education, not the state. Local Authorities can only legally investigate IF they have grounds to believe that an education is not taking place. Parents telling them to bog off is NOT grounds.

We do not have to follow the National Curriculum, thank goodness!

The DCSF guidelines published last year are a very clear explanation of the law and what LAs should and should not be doing (see link below - it's a PDF file of the whole document). You can tell they're good because most of the LAs were not at all happy with them and the home ed community was (tee hee)

Answer 2

I was home educated for over six years and we had very little interference from the LEA, who make sure children are getting an education.

You have the right to refuse to meet with them......because of this we have had only a hand full of visits and not necessarily with me or my brother present. They don't always provide the amount of help they say they will so we keep any meetings brief.

I only followed a national curriculum when I started studying for GCSE's. The rest of the time my education was based on what I was interested in.

At one point my brother was very interested in the Romans so his education was based around this.....he did Roman cookery....Roman numerals (maths)....and it also fitted in with History and archaeology. He also went on field trips to Roman Forts and to reenactment events and our annual holiday was to Italy to visit Roman buildings.

Have fun :)  and hope this helps

Answer 3

Home schoolers do not have to follow the National Curriculum.  The law states that the children have to be educated to their age and ability.  There are very strict rules covering what the local education authority can do to check on home educated children.  They have no right to enter the home or meet the  child.  They can request to meet the parents but the parents can expect this to be in a mutually chosen place - not home or LEA offices. Most parent's keep a work diary or samples of work to prove their child is learning but that is all they have to do.  

Saying that, most LEAs are very supportive of home schooling parents and give good advice and support but there are some who will do everything in their power to stop any parent (good or bad) from homeschooling and make life difficult so it is important that home schoolers know the law regarding their rights.