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Home education and SEND

EHCP and home education: what changes and what does not

A clear England-only guide for families weighing elective home education, EHC plan duties, Section F and Section I, annual reviews, deregistration, EOTAS and funding questions.

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  • Portrait of Robin GibbonsLead authorFounder & CEO·Latimer Tuition
  • Reviewed byHeather LatimerTutor Matching & Customer Service·Latimer Tuition
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Current answer

Can you home educate a child with an EHCP?

Yes. In England, a child with SEN or an EHC plan can be electively home educated. The Department for Education says the right to educate at home “applies equally” where a child has SEN, whether or not the child has an EHC plan. See DfE guidance for parents and the SEND Code of Practice.

An EHCP does not automatically disappear because home education starts. The important question is who is arranging the education and the special educational provision. If parents choose elective home education and make their own suitable arrangements, the local authority may not have to secure the provision in the plan where it is satisfied those arrangements are suitable. If the local authority agrees that education should be arranged otherwise than at school and it arranges the provision through the EHC plan, the authority remains responsible for securing that provision.

For basic EHCP context, GOV.UK explains that an EHC plan is for children and young people up to 25 who need more support than SEN support, and that it sets out the additional support needed to meet education, health and social care needs.

Key facts before you make a decision

These points are the foundation for the rest of the guide.

The plan does not automatically end

An EHC plan can continue while a child is home educated. It may still be reviewed, amended or ceased through the normal process.

Suitable education remains the test

Parents must secure education suitable to the child’s age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs.

Home education does not have to copy school

DfE parent guidance says home-educating parents do not have to keep school hours, follow the National Curriculum, use a school-style timetable or aim at particular qualifications. Suitability still matters.

Assessment can still be requested

A child who is already home educated can still be considered for an EHC needs assessment or reassessment.

Mainstream and special schools differ

Parents generally do not need local authority consent to remove a child from a mainstream school for home education. If the child attends a special school arranged by the local authority, permission is required before removal from the register.

Personal budgets are not automatic funding

A personal budget or direct payment may be relevant in some EHC plan situations, but it is not automatic funding for parent-chosen home education.

Tutors can support learning

Private tutors or online tuition can help some families with subject teaching and structure, but tutoring is not the same as statutory EHCP provision.

What changes, and what does not change

Use this table to separate continuing responsibilities from the points that may need a local authority conversation.

Comparison of what usually stays the same and what may change when a child with an EHCP is electively home educated in England.

AreaWhat usually stays in placeWhat may changeWhat to check

Right to home educate

The right to home educate applies where a child has SEN or an EHC plan.

The local authority may make enquiries about suitability and provision, especially if the child has an EHC plan.

Keep clear written records of the intended education and how SEN will be supported.

EHC plan status

The plan does not automatically end when home education starts.

The plan may later be kept, amended or ceased through the statutory review process.

Ask how the next annual review will be organised if the child is not attending school.

Section F provision

Section F remains the part of the EHC plan that describes special educational provision.

If parents make their own suitable arrangements, the local authority may not have to secure the Section F provision. If the authority arranges otherwise-than-at-school provision, it remains responsible.

Ask the local authority to confirm in writing what it says will happen to each item in Section F.

Section I setting

Section I is still relevant because it names the school, college, other institution or type of institution where applicable.

The wording may need review if the child is no longer attending the named setting.

Ask whether Section I will be reviewed or amended and what process the authority intends to use.

Assessment and reassessment

A home-educated child can still be considered for an EHC needs assessment or reassessment.

The assessment decision is still made under the normal EHC process; an assessment request does not guarantee a plan or a particular package.

Use current evidence of needs, provision and progress when making or supporting a request.

Deregistration

Parents can choose elective home education, but the child’s current setting matters.

Mainstream schools and local authority arranged special-school placements are treated differently.

Check whether the child is at a mainstream school, a special school arranged by the local authority, or affected by a school attendance order.

Funding and personal budgets

Personal budgets and direct payments can be relevant to EHC plans.

They are not automatic home-education funding. Responsibility depends on the plan and on who is arranging the provision.

Look at Section J where relevant and ask whether any personal budget or direct payment is being considered.

Key terms in an EHCP and home education decision

Section 7 wording quoted in DfE parent guidance refers to education “either by regular attendance at school or otherwise”. That is why home education can sit within the legal duty to secure suitable education. See DfE guidance for parents.

EHCP or EHC plan

An Education, Health and Care plan for children and young people up to 25 who need more support than SEN support.

Elective home education

Parent-arranged education otherwise than at school. This is the main process term for England; “home schooling” is common search language but is less precise here.

Suitable education

Education suitable to the child’s age, ability and aptitude, and to any special educational needs they may have.

Section F

The part of an EHC plan that sets out the special educational provision needed.

Section I

The part of an EHC plan that names the school, college, other institution or type of institution where relevant.

Annual review

The local authority review of an EHC plan to decide whether it should be kept as it is, amended or ceased.

Personal budget and direct payments

Ways of identifying or managing funding for provision in an EHC plan where agreed or required. They should not be treated as automatic home-education funding.

EOTAS or section 61 provision

Local authority arranged education otherwise than at school, used where school or another institution is inappropriate. It is not the same as ordinary elective home education.

Deregistration

Removing a child from the school roll. The rules and practical checks differ between mainstream and special-school situations.

School attendance order

A formal step that may be used if the local authority is not satisfied a child is receiving suitable education and believes school attendance is needed.

Before deregistering a child with an EHCP

Deregistration is not the same in every setting. The SEND Code of Practice also warns: “There is no provision in law for a ‘trial period’ of home education.” Use this checklist before acting, especially if the child attends a special school or the local authority is already involved.

  • Confirm the current setting

    Is the child on roll at a mainstream school, a special school arranged by the local authority, or another setting?

  • Check consent requirements

    Mainstream deregistration usually does not need local authority consent. A special school arranged by the local authority requires permission before the child is removed from the register.

  • Check attendance concerns

    Ask whether any school attendance order is in force or being considered. If so, get specific advice before taking action.

  • Read Section F

    List the special educational provision in the plan and ask what the local authority says will happen to each part if you make your own arrangements.

  • Read Section I

    Check the named setting or type of setting and ask whether the local authority expects that wording to be reviewed or amended.

  • Ask about the annual review

    Ask when the next review will happen and how advice will be gathered if the child is not attending school.

  • Keep records

    Keep copies of letters, emails, provision plans, tutor details, work samples and review notes so suitability and SEN support can be discussed clearly.

Provision, funding and personal budgets: who is responsible?

Funding questions are often where families receive over-simple answers. The safer question is: who is arranging the provision, and what does the EHC plan say?

How responsibility and funding cautions differ between parent-arranged elective home education and local-authority arranged provision otherwise than at school.

SituationWho arranges education or provisionWhat to check in the EHCPFunding and personal-budget caution

Parents choose elective home education and make their own suitable arrangements.

Parents arrange the education. The local authority may make enquiries about suitability and must keep the EHC plan under review if it continues.

Check Section F, Section I and any Section J wording.

There is no automatic duty to meet parents’ costs where the authority is satisfied the parents’ own arrangements are suitable.

The local authority agrees or decides that provision should be arranged otherwise than at school.

The authority arranges and secures the special educational provision in the EHC plan.

The plan should make clear that the child will be educated at home or otherwise than at school, and should specify the provision.

A personal budget or direct payment may be relevant, but it depends on the plan and the rules for that provision.

Parents are already home educating and believe the child needs an EHC needs assessment or reassessment.

Parents can ask the local authority to assess or reassess.

If a plan is issued or amended, check how education, special educational provision and any setting wording are described.

An assessment request does not guarantee a plan, a personal budget or funded tuition.

Questions to ask the local authority before you decide

These questions help keep the decision practical and written down. They are not demands; they are points to clarify.

  • How will the arrangement be treated?

    Do you view this as parent-arranged elective home education, or are you considering section 61 provision otherwise than at school?

  • What happens to Section F?

    Please explain what you say will happen to each part of the special educational provision if we make our own home-education arrangements.

  • What happens to Section I?

    Will the named setting or type of setting need to be reviewed or amended?

  • What is the annual review plan?

    When will the next review happen, who will be invited, and how will advice be gathered if the child is not attending school?

  • Is a personal budget relevant?

    Is any personal budget or direct payment being considered for provision in the plan? If not, what is the reason?

  • Is special-school consent needed?

    If the child attends a special school arranged by the authority, what permission is needed before the name can be removed from the register?

  • Are there any attendance issues?

    Is a school attendance order in force or under consideration, or are there any current suitability concerns we should respond to?

Message to the local authority SEND or home education team

Suggested wording: asking for written clarification

When this applies

Use when you need the local authority’s written position on how the EHC plan would be treated if you choose elective home education.

Suggested wording

Dear [name/team],

I am considering elective home education for [child’s name]. Before making a decision, please confirm in writing how the local authority would treat the current EHC plan if we made our own home-education arrangements.

In particular, please confirm:

  • what would happen to the provision in Section F;
  • whether Section I would need to be reviewed or amended;
  • whether the authority considers section 61 provision otherwise than at school relevant;
  • how the next annual review would be arranged if [child’s name] is not attending school;
  • whether any personal budget or direct payment is relevant to the provision in the plan; and
  • whether [child’s name]’s current setting means local authority permission is needed before removal from the register.

Please also let me know if you believe there are any current suitability or attendance concerns that we should address before making a final decision.

Kind regards, [Your name]

Why this helps

It separates elective home education from authority-arranged provision, focuses on the parts of the plan that matter most, and asks for a written answer before the family acts.

Sources used for this guide

This page prioritises official England guidance, with Contact used as a parent-friendly explainer and Latimer used only for the tutor-search note.

  • GOV.UK: Elective home education

    Department for Education landing page for elective home education guidance.

    Open source

  • DfE: Elective home education — guidance for parents

    Parent guidance on suitable education, SEN, EHC plans, tutors and home-entry limits.

    Open source

  • DfE: Elective home education — guidance for local authorities

    Local-authority guidance on suitability, EHC plans, section 61 provision, costs and attendance concerns.

    Open source

  • GOV.UK: SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years

    Official publication page for the statutory SEND Code guidance.

    Open source

  • SEND Code of Practice

    Detailed guidance on home-educated children with SEN, annual reviews, personal budgets and EHC plan sections.

    Open source

  • GOV.UK: Children with SEND — extra help

    Parent-facing EHC plan definition, assessment and personal-budget overview.

    Open source

  • Contact: Home education

    Parent-friendly England explainer on elective home education and EOTAS.

    Open source

  • Latimer Tuition: Find a Tutor

    Current Latimer tutor-search page used only for the restrained tutoring support note.

    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.

Can I home educate my child with an EHCP?

Yes. In England, the right to home educate applies where a child has SEN or an EHC plan. The main issues are whether the education is suitable and whether the arrangement is parent-arranged elective home education or local-authority-arranged provision otherwise than at school.

Does home education automatically end an EHCP?

No. An EHC plan does not automatically disappear because a child is home educated. It can still be reviewed, amended or ceased through the proper process, so it should not be treated as guaranteed to continue unchanged.

Do annual reviews continue if my child is home educated?

Yes, where the EHC plan continues, annual review duties remain important. The local authority still needs to review the plan and decide whether it should be maintained, amended or ceased.

Can I ask for an EHCP if my child is already home educated?

Yes. A home-educating parent can ask the local authority for an EHC needs assessment or reassessment. The authority must decide under the normal process, so a request does not guarantee a plan or a particular package of support.

Do I need council permission to deregister a child with an EHCP?

Usually not from a mainstream school, but the position is different if the child attends a special school arranged by the local authority. Families should also check whether any school attendance order is in force or being considered.

Is EHCP funding or a personal budget available for home education?

A personal budget may be relevant in some EHC plan situations, but it is not automatic home-education funding. Responsibility depends on what the EHC plan says and whether parents are making their own suitable arrangements or the local authority is arranging provision otherwise than at school.

Is EOTAS the same as elective home education?

No. Elective home education is parent-arranged suitable education. EOTAS, or section 61 provision otherwise than at school, is local-authority-arranged provision through the EHC plan, so responsibility is different.

Can the local authority inspect my home if I home educate?

DfE guidance does not give local authorities a routine right to enter the home to check elective home education suitability; entry is by invitation in this context. Safeguarding powers are separate.

Sources and references

Sources and references

Official guidance

  • 1.
    GOV.UK: Elective home education

    Department for Education / GOV.UK · Published 1 November 2007; last updated 19 August 2024 · Accessed

    Official landing page for elective home education guidance in England.

  • 2.
    DfE: Elective home education guidance for parents

    Department for Education · Linked from GOV.UK elective home education page last updated 19 August 2024 · Accessed

    Parent-facing guidance on elective home education, SEN, EHC plans, suitable education, tutors and home-entry limits.

  • 3.
    DfE: Elective home education guidance for local authorities

    Department for Education · Linked from GOV.UK elective home education page last updated 19 August 2024 · Accessed

    Local-authority guidance on suitability, section 61 provision, cost responsibilities, special-school consent and annual review continuity.

  • 4.
    GOV.UK: SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years

    Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care / GOV.UK · Published 11 June 2014; last updated 12 September 2024 · Accessed

    Official publication page for the SEND Code of Practice.

  • 5.
    SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years

    Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care · January 2015 PDF; linked from GOV.UK page last updated 12 September 2024 · Accessed

    Detailed guidance on home-educated children with SEN, EHC plan duties, annual reviews, personal budgets and EHC plan sections.

  • 6.
    GOV.UK: Children with SEND — extra help

    GOV.UK · No page date shown; current GOV.UK guide page as accessed · Accessed

    Parent-facing information on EHC plans, EHC needs assessments and personal budgets.

  • 7.
    GOV.UK: Children with SEND overview

    GOV.UK · No page date shown; current GOV.UK guide page as accessed · Accessed

    Parent-facing SEND overview used for key-term context.

Internal pages

Other sources

  • 1.
    Contact: Home education

    Contact · No page date captured in research; page accessed as current · Accessed

    Parent-friendly England explainer on elective home education, EOTAS and common family questions.