Welcome to the Schoolhouse
Important Notice: Read Before Proceeding
Constitutional Foundation and Legal Status
Homeschooling in England is fully legal and parent-directed. It is protected under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996, which places responsibility for a child’s education on the parent—not the state. The law states that the parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause them to receive an efficient full-time education suitable to their age, ability, and aptitude, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. That one word—“otherwise”—is the legal basis for home education in England.
Parents do not need permission to home educate, nor are they required to follow the National Curriculum. If a child has never been enrolled in school, no formal action is required. However, if a child is being withdrawn from a registered school, parents must submit a written notice to the headteacher, who will then notify the local authority.
While registration with the local authority is not mandatory for all home-educating families, many local authorities maintain voluntary registers. Local authorities may contact home-educating families to ensure the child is receiving a suitable education, but parents are not legally obligated to accept home visits or follow prescribed methods.
Examinations and Qualifications
There is no mandatory testing for home-educated students in England. However, many families choose to pursue formal qualifications through:
- GCSEs and A-Levels: Students can sit as private candidates at local exam centers through boards such as AQA, Edexcel, and OCR.
- International GCSEs (IGCSEs): Preferred for their flexibility and lack of required coursework.
- Functional Skills and Access to Higher Education Courses: These provide alternative pathways for older students.
- Online or Distance Learning Providers: Many English home educators pair self-directed study with structured online platforms.
>> Families must register directly with exam centers and are responsible for associated fees and preparation.
How SchoolhouseTeachers.com Supports Homeschooling in England
SchoolhouseTeachers.com equips families in England with a complete home education platform grounded in a Christian worldview. Our flexible, all-in-one membership gives parents the tools they need to build a legally sound and academically rich home education plan.
- Use our Letter of Intent to Home Educate Template to notify your local authority, if desired.
- Use our Letter of Withdrawal from School to formally remove your child from a school roll.
- Map out your year with our Education Plan Builder.
- Track learning and maintain records using the Applecore Record Keeping system.
READY TO BEGIN?
>> Explore the Learning Pathway Options
>> Contact Our Support Team with Questions
SchoolhouseTeachers.com is here to support your family in England with a robust, Christian platform for home education.
Demographics and Motivations
Home education in England has grown substantially in recent years. According to Department for Education statistics, the number of children identified as being educated at home increased by over 34% in just two years, reaching more than 125,000 children by 2023. This growth reflects both temporary pandemic-era adjustments and permanent shifts in parental priorities.
Reasons English families choose home education include:
- PERSONALIZED EDUCATION: Tailoring learning to a child’s pace, interests, and strengths.
- CHRISTIAN VALUES: Aligning education with a Biblical worldview.
- SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT CONCERNS: Avoiding issues such as bullying, rigid testing, or overcrowding.
- FLEXIBILITY: Supporting travel, life circumstances, or a family’s specific schedule.
- SEN SUPPORT: Meeting the needs of children with special educational or neurodiverse profiles.
Educational Approaches
Home educators in England draw from a wide variety of methods:
- Traditional “School-at-Home” models
- Classical or Charlotte Mason methods
- Unschooling or child-led learning
- Online, modular, or hybrid learning models
- Religious instruction and faith-integrated curricula
SchoolhouseTeachers.com accommodates all of these approaches with flexible, Christian curricula that is self-paced, online, and adaptable to different teaching styles.
Challenges and Opportunities
Challenges:
- Exam Access: Locating exam centers and budgeting for exam fees can be a hurdle.
- Inconsistent LA Support: Local authority approaches vary widely across counties.
- Social Pressure or Misunderstanding: Home education is still misunderstood in some communities.
Opportunities:
- Legal Freedom: England offers one of the clearest legal protections for home educators.
- Growing Communities: Local co-ops, Facebook groups, and regional meetups continue to grow.
- Post-Pandemic Normalization: Remote learning has broadened acceptance of non-traditional education.
Support Networks
Families in England benefit from a range of supportive resources:
- Home Education UK (HE-UK): A national advocacy and information site.
- Christian Home Educators UK: Offers support, resources, and online community.
- Local Co-ops and Meetups: Church-based and regional gatherings for group classes and fellowship.
- Online Resource-Sharing Networks: Thousands of families connect digitally to exchange ideas.
These networks reduce isolation, build confidence, and provide practical encouragement.
SchoolhouseTeachers.com: A Comprehensive Resource
✔ All-in-One Home Education Platform
- Complete PreK–12 Curriculum
- One Family Membership Covers All Students
- Self-Paced, Online Courses with No Hidden Fees
✔ Tools for Success
- Education Plan Builder
- Record Keeping & Transcript Tools
- Letter of Intent and Withdrawal Templates
✔ Enriched Learning
- Access to 25,000+ Family-Friendly Streaming Videos
- Faith-based video content for Bible study, parenting, and family learning—available through our streaming partner
- World Book Online Access ($250/year value!)
- Our license with World Book Online provides members with free access to this premium encyclopedia (a $250/year value).
Special Lifetime Membership Offer for Families in England
As home education continues to expand across England, we are offering a Lifetime Membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com. This one-time fee provides permanent access to our entire platform of curriculum, planning tools, and family support resources.
Important Disclaimer:
SchoolhouseTeachers.com offers curriculum, planning tools, and support resources for home-educating families. We do not offer legal advice nor guarantee compliance with local authority policies. Parents are responsible for ensuring their home education provision meets legal requirements. Consult your local authority or an education solicitor for guidance.
Final Thoughts
Home education in England is thriving. With clear legal footing and a growing network of support, Christian families have every reason to educate confidently and faithfully at home.
SchoolhouseTeachers.com supports families homeschooling internationally—including those in England—with flexible tools, curriculum, and encouragement.
You’ve got this—and we’re honored to walk with you.
Let’s get started!
Blessings,
The SchoolhouseTeachers.com Team
Get Everything You Need—Join Today!
By becoming a SchoolhouseTeachers.com member, you’ll gain access to:
✔ THE EDUCATION PLAN BUILDER: Create and download a structured homeschool plan.
✔ THE LETTER OF INTENT TO HOMESCHOOL TEMPLATE: Draft and download a formal home education notice.
✔ THE LETTER OF WITHDRAWAL FROM PUBLIC SCHOOL: Notify your school and local authority professionally.
✔ THE FULL CURRICULUM LIBRARY: Choose from 100s of courses for all subjects, PreK–12.
✔ APPLECORE RECORD KEEPING: Track assessments, grades, and progress in one place.
✔ TRANSCRIPT TOOLS (Annual & Lifetime Members): Generate transcripts to document coursework for college or career.
Discover the freedom, flexibility, and faith-filled support your family needs to homeschool with confidence in England.
Join today and home educate with confidence!
Most of the courses on SchoolhouseTeachers.com are presented in English. However, you can translate any page on our website into many major languages using your browser’s built-in translation feature. To do this, click on the three dots or three lines (menu) in the upper right corner of your screen and select “Translate . . .” from the options.
Looking for homeschool support in other countries? SchoolhouseTeachers.com offers Christian homeschooling resources and curriculum to families across the globe. Explore our international homeschool pages for country-specific guidance.
