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Online Education Accreditation Scheme: how parents can judge online schools

The DfE scheme can help parents assess full-time online education providers in England, but it is voluntary, non-statutory and not a provider ranking.

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What the Online Education Accreditation Scheme means for parents

The Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS) is a voluntary Department for Education scheme for eligible full-time online education providers serving children in England. Ofsted carries out suitability checks and an accreditation visit against DfE online education standards; the DfE then decides whether to accredit the provider.

The scheme matters because GOV.UK describes the children’s online education sector in England as “currently unregulated” and notes that many providers may be a child’s “main or only source of formal education”. For a home-educating family, accreditation is therefore a useful assurance signal — but not a guarantee that a provider is the best fit for an individual child.

Use accreditation as one part of your decision: read the Ofsted accreditation report, check the provider on Get Information about Schools, then ask practical questions about safeguarding, live teaching, curriculum, SEND support, exam entry, fees, refunds, complaints and data privacy.

OEAS at a glance

GOV.UK puts the boundary clearly: “OEAS is a non-statutory scheme”. These are the main points parents should know before relying on the label “accredited”.

It applies to England

The scheme is for eligible full-time online education providers with at least one full-time compulsory-school-age pupil based in England. It should not be described as a UK-wide accreditation system.

It is voluntary

Eligible providers are encouraged to apply, but the scheme does not cover every online provider a family might find.

Ofsted checks against DfE standards

Ofsted carries out suitability checks and an accreditation visit. The DfE makes the accreditation decision after Ofsted completes its quality-assurance work.

Reports are public

DfE says Ofsted publishes inspection reports and accredited providers appear on Get Information about Schools.

It is not a school inspection grade

An accreditation report is about whether the provider met the online education standards; it is not a “good” or “outstanding” judgement.

It is not a provider ranking

Accreditation can support due diligence, but it does not tell you which provider is best for your child.

Key terms in plain English

These definitions help separate online-school marketing language from the official scheme language.

Plain-English definitions of OEAS terms parents may see when comparing online providers.

TermWhat it meansWhy parents should care

Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS)

A voluntary, non-statutory DfE accreditation scheme for eligible full-time online education providers serving children in England.

It gives you an official check to look for, but it does not replace your own judgement about fit.

Full-time online education

For OEAS, education that provides all, or substantially all, of a child’s education. DfE generally treats daytime provision for more than 18 hours a week as full-time, although less can count depending on the child’s circumstances.

A provider offering a few online lessons is different from a provider that is your child’s main education arrangement.

Accreditation visit

An Ofsted visit to assess whether an applicant provider meets the online education standards.

The report can show what was checked and whether the standards were met at the time of the visit.

Get Information about Schools (GIAS)

The official DfE register where accredited online education providers appear, according to the DfE OEAS policy page.

It helps you cross-check whether an accreditation claim matches an official record.

Elective home education (EHE)

A choice by parents to educate their child at home or otherwise instead of sending them to school full-time.

If you use an online provider as part of EHE, you still remain responsible for suitable education.

What accreditation means — and what it does not mean

The safest way to read OEAS accreditation is as minimum-standards assurance, not a badge saying a provider is perfect. Ofsted says “Inspectors will not make graded judgements” during an accreditation visit. DfE standards guidance also says the “standards should be met continually”, not just when a visit takes place.

Which online providers are in scope?

OEAS is narrower than many parents expect. The scheme is aimed at full-time online education, not every online class, tutor or resource platform.

Examples of online provision and whether they fit the OEAS scope.

ProvisionOEAS fitParent implication

An online-only provider offering a full curriculum or acting as a child’s main education arrangement, with at least one full-time compulsory-school-age pupil based in England.

Potentially in scope, if it meets the full eligibility criteria.

Look for an Ofsted accreditation report and a GIAS record if the provider claims accreditation.

A tutor, tuition agency or online lesson platform used for extra help in one or more subjects.

Normally outside OEAS.

Do not treat the absence of OEAS accreditation as the same thing as a failed inspection; use appropriate tutor and safeguarding checks instead.

An online provider serving pupils elsewhere, or not serving a full-time compulsory-school-age pupil in England.

Outside the England scope described by DfE.

Use the relevant national guidance and ask what independent checks, if any, apply.

A maintained school, academy, registered independent school or pupil referral unit offering education through its own existing arrangements.

OEAS is not the same as the inspection and regulation arrangements for those settings.

Check the official record for that setting rather than assuming OEAS applies.

How to check an online education provider before relying on it

Use this checklist before you sign a contract, withdraw a child from school, or rely on an online provider as the main part of home education. The DfE standards guidance gives one particularly useful parent-facing test: “Pupils must have a means of communicating with their teachers in real time.”

  • Check the official record

    Search the exact provider name on Get Information about Schools and Ofsted reports. If the provider says it is accredited, the official records should support that claim.

  • Read the accreditation report, not just the badge

    Look for which standards were met, what the report says about curriculum, teaching, welfare, leadership and any areas that need attention.

  • Ask how live teaching works

    Find out how many sessions are live, how pupils interact with teachers, how understanding is checked, how attendance is recorded and how the provider responds if a child stops engaging.

  • Ask for safeguarding detail

    Ask for the safeguarding policy, online-safety policy, named safeguarding lead, staff vetting approach, staff training, reporting process for pupils and how the provider has regard to Keeping Children Safe in Education.

  • Check curriculum and assessment

    Ask which subjects are taught, what is live or independent, how work is marked, how progress is reported, and whether the curriculum is intended to be a full education or supplementary support.

  • Clarify SEND and wellbeing support

    Ask what support is available for your child’s needs, what evidence the provider needs from you, and when it would say online provision is no longer suitable.

  • Get exam-entry arrangements in writing

    Ask whether the provider arranges GCSE, IGCSE or other exam entries, which exam centres are used, who pays, what happens for practical or speaking assessments, and what support is available if your child changes provider.

  • Check fees, refunds and complaints

    Read the contract, trial-period wording, notice period, refund policy, complaints process and what happens if the provider changes timetable, staffing or platform access.

  • Ask about data and cyber safety

    Ofsted expects accredited providers to hold Cyber Essentials or a comparable or more stringent cybersecurity certification. Ask what systems are used, how pupil data is protected and how online lessons are monitored.

Questions to ask before booking

A message you can adapt before enrolling

When this applies

You are comparing an online education provider for home education or full-time online provision and need clear evidence rather than marketing claims.

Suggested wording

Hello, I am considering your online provision for my child and would be grateful for written answers to a few questions.

  1. Are you accredited under the Online Education Accreditation Scheme? If yes, please send the Ofsted report link and the Get Information about Schools record.
  2. Is your provision intended to be full-time education, supplementary tutoring, or something else?
  3. How many lessons are live each week, and how do pupils communicate with teachers in real time?
  4. Who is your safeguarding lead, and where can I read your safeguarding and online-safety policies?
  5. What staff vetting and safeguarding training do you carry out?
  6. How do you monitor attendance, engagement, progress and wellbeing?
  7. What support can you offer for my child’s specific learning needs, and where are the limits of that support?
  8. Who arranges exam entries, exam centres, access arrangements and exam fees?
  9. What are your fees, refund terms, complaints process and notice period?

Thank you — these answers will help me decide whether your provision is a suitable fit for my child.

Why this helps

The wording separates accreditation status, teaching model, safeguarding, SEND, exams and cost before a family commits.

Does OEAS apply across the UK?

The scheme is an England-specific DfE scheme. If your family is outside England, use the relevant home-education guidance for your nation and avoid assuming that OEAS changes local processes.

UK nation caveats for parents reading about the Online Education Accreditation Scheme.

NationOEAS positionWhat parents should use

England

OEAS applies to eligible full-time online education providers serving compulsory-school-age pupils in England.

Use GOV.UK OEAS guidance, Ofsted reports, GIAS, and DfE elective home education guidance for England.

Wales

Do not treat OEAS as Welsh home-education guidance.

Use Welsh Government elective home education guidance for Wales-specific responsibilities and local authority practice.

Scotland

Do not treat OEAS as Scottish home-education guidance.

Use Scottish Government home education guidance for Scotland-specific processes and responsibilities.

Northern Ireland

Do not treat OEAS as Northern Ireland home-education guidance.

Use the Education Authority Northern Ireland guidance on educating your child at home.

Good signs and red flags when comparing online schools

These signals do not rank providers. They help you spot whether a provider’s claims line up with the official scheme and with the practical needs of your child.

Red flag

Red flag: vague approval claims

Be wary of wording such as “government-approved”, “Ofsted registered” or “accredited school” unless the exact official record supports it.

Good sign

Good sign: live supervision is clear

The provider explains how teachers communicate with pupils in real time, check understanding and follow up non-attendance.

Red flag

Red flag: mostly passive learning sold as full-time

A package based mainly on videos, worksheets or asynchronous tasks is not the same as supervised full-time online education.

Good sign

Good sign: safeguarding is specific

The provider names its safeguarding lead, explains online reporting, and can describe staff vetting, training and cyber-safety arrangements.

Red flag

Red flag: costs and exams are unclear

Avoid relying on promises of free places, funded GCSEs or guaranteed exam access unless the provider gives a clear, current, written explanation backed by the relevant official process.

Good sign

Good sign: SEND boundaries are honest

The provider can explain what support it can offer, what evidence it needs, and when online provision may not be suitable.

Official sources used in this guide

The article is based on official DfE, Ofsted and UK-nation home-education guidance. Check provider-specific statuses close to any decision because accreditation records and reports can change.

  • GOV.UK: Accreditation for online education providers

    Department for Education policy page; updated 20 March 2023; accessed 15 June 2026.

    Open source

  • GOV.UK: How the online education accreditation scheme works

    Department for Education guidance landing page; published 31 January 2023; accessed 15 June 2026.

    Open source

  • Department for Education: online education standards

    Detailed standards PDF; January 2023; accessed 15 June 2026.

    Open source

  • Ofsted: Accreditation visits to online providers handbook

    Ofsted handbook; updated 11 April 2024; accessed 15 June 2026.

    Open source

  • GOV.UK: Elective home education

    DfE elective home education guidance page; last updated 19 August 2024; accessed 15 June 2026.

    Open source

  • Department for Education: Elective home education guide for parents

    Parent guidance PDF; April 2019 with GOV.UK page last updated 19 August 2024; accessed 15 June 2026.

    Open source

  • GOV.UK: Keeping children safe in education

    DfE statutory safeguarding guidance; last updated 1 September 2025; accessed 15 June 2026.

    Open source

  • Welsh Government: Elective home education guidance

    Welsh Government guidance; last updated 11 March 2025; accessed 15 June 2026.

    Open source

  • Scottish Government: Home education guidance

    Scottish Government guidance; published 23 January 2025 with errata 28 May 2025; accessed 15 June 2026.

    Open source

  • Education Authority Northern Ireland: Educating your child at home

    Education Authority Northern Ireland guidance; last updated 29 April 2026; accessed 15 June 2026.

    Open source

  • Get Information about Schools

    Official DfE service for checking provider listings.

    Open source

  • Ofsted: Find an inspection report

    Official Ofsted service for finding published provider reports.

    Open source

Related guidance

More guidance from this section

More guidance from this part of the Ed Centre that may help with the same decision, stage or next step.

Support and clarity

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers to the questions people ask most often.

What is the Online Education Accreditation Scheme?

It is a voluntary, non-statutory Department for Education scheme for eligible full-time online education providers in England. Ofsted checks and visits providers against DfE online education standards, and the DfE decides whether to accredit the provider.

Are online schools in the UK regulated like schools?

Not as a blanket rule. The DfE created OEAS because full-time online education provision for children in England was not regulated in the same way as traditional schools. Accreditation is not the same as being a maintained school, academy or registered independent school.

Does an Ofsted accreditation report give a good or outstanding grade?

No. Ofsted says inspectors do not make graded judgements during OEAS accreditation visits. The report is about whether the provider met the online education standards at the time of the visit.

How can I check whether an online education provider is accredited?

Search the exact provider name on Get Information about Schools and Ofsted’s report service, then read the accreditation report. Do not rely only on a provider’s badge, website wording or school-sounding name.

Can I use an online provider for elective home education?

In England, parents may use online tuition, tutors or other adults to help provide suitable education, but they are not required to. Using an online provider does not transfer the legal responsibility for suitable education away from the parent.

Are online schools free for home-educating families?

Do not assume that. DfE parent guidance says home-educating parents should be prepared to assume financial responsibility, including public-examination costs through an external exam centre, although some local authority help may be discretionary.

What if my child has an EHC plan?

In England, parents can home educate a child with SEN or an EHC plan. DfE guidance says that if parents arrange suitable education, the local authority does not have to arrange the special educational provision in the plan; if the home education is no longer suitable, the authority must act. This is a sensitive SEND point, so get advice before making major changes.

Does OEAS apply in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?

OEAS is an England-specific scheme for eligible full-time online education providers serving children in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate home-education guidance and processes, so families outside England should use their own nation’s guidance.

Sources and references

Sources and references