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Home education in England

Flexi-schooling vs elective home education: what changes in England

Understand the practical difference: whether your child stays on a school roll, who agrees the arrangement, what the local authority may ask, and the SEND/EHC plan caveats to check before you decide.

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Quick answer: the difference in one minute

Flexi-schooling and elective home education are different arrangements in England. With flexi-schooling, your child stays registered at school and the school agrees that part of their full-time education happens at home. With elective home education, you choose to provide education outside full-time school attendance and you take responsibility for making it suitable and full-time.

Department for Education parent guidance uses the phrase “otherwise than at school” when explaining how parents can meet their duty outside regular school attendance. That wording matters: elective home education is not an informal absence pattern or a school timetable tweak; it is a different way of meeting the parental duty to secure suitable education.

“otherwise than at school” — Department for Education

This guide covers England only.

Flexi-schooling vs elective home education at a glance

Use this table to separate school-roll status, agreement, responsibility, local authority involvement and cost before you decide which option you are really considering.

Side-by-side comparison of flexi-schooling and elective home education in England.

QuestionFlexi-schoolingElective home education

Does the child stay on the school roll?

Yes. The child remains a registered pupil.

Usually no. The child is normally removed from the school register, with important caveats for special schools and School Attendance Orders.

Who needs to agree?

The school needs to agree. Department for Education guidance says schools are under no obligation to agree to flexi-schooling.

For a mainstream school, do not frame elective home education as normally needing school permission. Special-school cases need separate local authority consent handling.

Who is responsible for the education?

The school and family need a clear agreement about which parts are taught at school and which parts happen at home.

Parents take direct responsibility for arranging suitable full-time education.

How is attendance treated?

The school still keeps attendance records. Agreed home-education sessions should be handled as flexi-schooling, not as a temporary part-time timetable.

The child is not attending school full-time; the focus is whether suitable full-time education is being provided outside full-time school attendance.

What might the local authority do?

It is mainly a school-agreed arrangement while the child stays registered at school.

The local authority may make enquiries about whether the education is suitable.

What if the child has SEN or an EHC plan?

The school agreement should be clear about need, provision, attendance and review.

The right to choose home education can apply, but EHC plan provision, annual reviews, funding and special-school register rules need separate care.

Who pays?

State-funded school sessions may remain free where agreed, but home-based teaching, tutoring, resources and exam costs may still fall to the family.

Parents choosing home education usually take on financial responsibility, including tutors, resources and exam costs unless a school, college or local authority chooses to help.

When might it be considered?

When a family wants part of school to continue and the school is willing to make a clear agreement.

When parents are ready to take direct responsibility for a suitable full-time education outside full-time school attendance.

How flexi-schooling works in practice

Flexi-schooling is best understood as a school-agreed arrangement, not as a right to design a custom school week.

It starts with school agreement.

Department for Education guidance says schools are under no obligation to agree to flexi-schooling. A family can ask, but the school can say no.

The child remains a registered pupil.

The school still has attendance and register responsibilities. The home-based part needs to sit inside a clear agreement rather than an informal absence pattern.

The whole package still needs to be full-time and suitable.

A flexi-schooling agreement should make clear what the school provides, what the family provides, how learning is reviewed and how attendance is recorded.

It may help with specific subjects.

Official guidance describes arrangements where a child receives part of their total education at school, often because a particular subject is easier to provide there than at home.

Part-time college access is not guaranteed.

DfE guidance notes that some home-educated children aged 14 to 16 may attend state-funded further education or sixth-form colleges part-time for particular subjects, but colleges are not obliged to offer this.

How elective home education works in practice

Elective home education gives families more freedom than school, but it also transfers a serious level of responsibility to parents.

“a major commitment of your time, energy and money” — Department for Education

Home education does not have to copy school.

There is no legal requirement to follow the National Curriculum, include particular subjects, enter public examinations, mirror school hours or holidays, use formal lessons or have pre-written lesson plans.

It still has to be suitable and full-time.

DfE guidance says there is no fixed legal hours definition for home education, but parents should be able to show that education has enough substance and occupies a significant proportion of the child’s life.

Notification depends on the child’s situation.

If a child has never been enrolled at school, parents are not under a legal duty to notify the local authority, though DfE strongly recommends doing so. If a child is already on a school roll, DfE says it is sensible to inform the school and local authority before starting elective home education.

Permission wording needs care.

For a mainstream school, elective home education should not be framed as normally needing school permission. Special schools and School Attendance Orders need separate handling.

Parents usually carry the cost.

Parents choosing education outside full-time school attendance usually pay for tutors, resources, part-time provision and public examination costs unless a school, college or local authority chooses to help.

Years 10 and 11 need extra planning.

DfE guidance tells families to think carefully before choosing home education during Years 10 and 11 because exam preparation and access can be harder to organise outside school.

What the local authority may ask about elective home education

Local authority involvement should be described accurately: not as automatic home inspection, and not as something parents can ignore if suitability is questioned.

1. Informal enquiries

The local authority may make informal enquiries to understand what education is being provided.

2. Evidence of suitability

Parents do not have to allow a home visit or show the child solely because of home education law. However, they should provide enough information to show that suitable education is taking place.

3. Formal notice if the authority is not satisfied

If it appears the child is not receiving suitable education, the local authority must serve a section 437(1) notice requiring the parent to satisfy it that suitable education is being provided. Parents must have at least 15 days to respond.

4. School Attendance Order if concerns remain

If the authority remains unsatisfied and considers school attendance expedient, it must serve a School Attendance Order naming a school. Non-compliance can lead to prosecution, although parents can seek revocation by showing suitable home arrangements have been made.

5. Safeguarding is a separate duty

DfE guidance says there is no proven correlation between home education and safeguarding risk. It also recognises that children educated at home may be seen less often by professionals, so ordinary safeguarding duties still apply.

Before you choose: questions to ask first

A useful decision is less about which option sounds more flexible and more about which arrangement your family can make work safely, clearly and sustainably.

  • School status

    Are you asking for a school-agreed flexi-schooling arrangement, or are you ready for elective home education and direct parental responsibility?

  • School agreement

    If you want flexi-schooling, is the school willing to consider it, and can it put the arrangement, attendance recording and review plan in writing?

  • Suitable education

    If you want elective home education, how will you plan, provide and show suitable full-time education over time?

  • SEND and EHC plan issues

    Does your child have SEN, an EHC plan, special-school placement or local authority provision that changes what you need to check before acting?

  • Costs

    Who will pay for resources, tutoring, exam entries, travel and any part-time provision?

  • Years 10 and 11

    If your child is approaching public examinations, how will you manage course coverage, exam entries and any practical or assessed components?

  • Social and emotional needs

    How will your child have contact, activities and support beyond home-based lessons?

  • Backup plan

    What happens if the main teaching parent becomes ill, work patterns change or the arrangement stops meeting your child’s needs?

  • Subject support

    Could a tutor, group or online tuition help with a particular subject while you keep parental responsibility clear?

A message you can adapt

Suggested wording for asking a school about flexi-schooling

When this applies

A family wants to discuss a possible flexi-schooling arrangement with the school before deciding what to do.

Suggested wording

Hello [name],

I am considering whether a flexi-schooling arrangement might meet [child’s name]’s needs. I understand this would need the school’s agreement and that [child’s name] would remain on the school roll.

Could we arrange a meeting to discuss whether the school would consider this, which days or subjects might be realistic, how attendance would be recorded, and how we would review the arrangement?

Before the meeting, please could you let me know any school policy or information you would like me to provide?

Kind regards, [Your name]

Why this helps

It acknowledges school agreement, school-roll status, attendance recording and review, so it is less likely to sound like a demand or an informal absence request.

Key terms in plain English

These terms often get mixed together. Use them carefully when speaking to a school, local authority or tutor.

Plain-English definitions for key home education and school attendance terms.

TermMeaning

Flexi-schooling

A school-agreed arrangement where a child remains a registered pupil but receives part of their overall education at home.

Elective home education

A parental choice to provide a child’s education at home or in another way instead of sending the child to school full-time.

School roll

The school register of pupils. A flexi-schooled child remains on roll; an electively home-educated child is normally removed, subject to important caveats.

De-registration

The practical removal of a child’s name from a school register when the child is withdrawn for elective home education. Mainstream and special-school cases should be treated separately.

Temporary part-time timetable

An exceptional, time-limited school attendance arrangement used in a pupil’s best interests. It is not the same as flexi-schooling.

Suitable education

Education appropriate for the child’s age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs, with enough substance for progress and future adult life.

Full-time education

For home education, there is no fixed legal hours count, but parents should be able to show that education occupies a significant proportion of the child’s life.

School Attendance Order

A formal order naming a school where the local authority is not satisfied that suitable education is being provided and considers school attendance expedient.

EHC plan

An Education, Health and Care plan setting out needs and special educational provision. Home education can affect who arranges that provision.

Special school

A school for pupils with special educational needs. If the child attends under local authority arrangements, local authority consent is needed before removal from the register for elective home education unless a specific exception applies.

Education otherwise than at school

Home-based or other non-school provision arranged by a local authority because school is inappropriate. This is not the same as parent-led elective home education.

Official guidance used for this guide

The guidance below is the main basis for the legal and practical points in this article. The main GOV.UK elective home education page was updated on 19 August 2024, and the GOV.UK attendance guidance page was updated on 9 June 2026. Local forms and timescales can vary by council or school.

  • GOV.UK: Elective home education

    Department for Education guidance hub. Accessed 13 June 2026.

    Open source

  • Department for Education: Elective home education guide for parents

    Parent-facing guidance on duties, definitions and practical considerations. Accessed 13 June 2026.

    Open source

  • Department for Education: Elective home education guidance for local authorities

    Guidance on suitability, enquiries, SEND, EHC plans and special schools. Accessed 13 June 2026.

    Open source

  • GOV.UK: Working together to improve school attendance

    Current attendance guidance page. Accessed 13 June 2026.

    Open source

  • Department for Education: Working together to improve school attendance

    Attendance guidance including temporary part-time timetables and flexi-schooling distinctions. Accessed 13 June 2026.

    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.

Related guidance

Children Not in School register: England Guidance

The 2026 Act has received Royal Assent, but several register, consent and oversight duties depend on start dates and guidance. Here is what families can understand and prepare for now.

Support and clarity

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers to the questions people ask most often.

What is the difference between flexi-schooling and elective home education?

Flexi-schooling keeps the child on a school roll and depends on school agreement. Elective home education means parents take responsibility for suitable full-time education outside full-time school attendance. Both are possible in England, but they carry different responsibilities.

Is flexi-schooling a legal right in England?

No. Department for Education guidance says schools are under no obligation to agree to flexi-schooling. Treat it as a request for a school-agreed arrangement, not something a family can demand.

Do I need permission to start elective home education?

For a mainstream school, elective home education should not normally be framed as school permission. If a child has never been enrolled at school, parents are not under a legal duty to notify the local authority, although DfE strongly recommends doing so. Special schools and School Attendance Orders need separate handling.

Is flexi-schooling the same as a temporary part-time timetable?

No. Flexi-schooling is an agreed arrangement where home education forms part of the child’s full-time education. A temporary part-time timetable is exceptional, time-limited, reviewed regularly and should not be used to manage behaviour.

What can the local authority ask if I electively home educate?

The local authority may make informal enquiries about the education being provided. Parents do not have to allow a home visit solely because the child is home educated, but they should provide enough information to show suitable education is taking place. If the authority is not satisfied, formal steps can include a section 437 notice and, later, a School Attendance Order.

Does home education have to follow the National Curriculum?

No. DfE guidance says there is no legal requirement for home education to follow the National Curriculum, include particular subjects, mirror school hours or lead to public examinations. The education must still be suitable and full-time in practice.

Can a child with an EHC plan be home educated?

Yes, the parental choice to home educate can apply where a child has SEN, including an EHC plan. The effect on special educational provision, annual reviews, funding responsibility and special-school register removal needs careful separate handling.

Who pays for tutors, resources and exam costs in elective home education?

Parents choosing education outside full-time school attendance usually take on financial responsibility. That can include tutors, resources, part-time provision and public examination costs unless a school, college or local authority chooses to help. Tutoring can support learning, but it does not replace the parent’s duty to secure suitable full-time education.

Sources and references

Sources and references

Official guidance

Internal pages