EHE Procedure for Hillingdon Schools

Although most local authorities encourage parents who withdraw a child from school for home education to notify the school and/or the authority, (and DfE guidance to parents also encourages this) there is no legal obligation on parents to provide such notification, either in writing or otherwise, or indeed to provide any reason for withdrawal. The only exception to this is that a child may not be removed from the roll of a special school without the consent of the local authority if enrolled there under arrangements made by the local authority.

However, it should be noted that until a child is removed from the school roll (which can only be when one of the trigger points specified in the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 as amended is reached, the parent is at risk of prosecution for not securing attendance at the school even if suitable home education is being provided. This means that it is in a parent's interests to notify the school in writing of withdrawal for home education.

Hillingdon Local Authority has created the following procedure to acknowledge the recent recommendations made by the Children's Commissioners report 'Skipping School: Invisible Children and Ofsted's research 'Moving to home education in secondary schools' stated:

• Schools and LAs should develop clear processes for working together once a parent's intention to home-educate is known
• LAs and schools should be aware that when a school writes a letter to remove a child to home education on behalf of a parent, this may be evidence of off-rolling.
• After a move to home education is made, it would be good practice for schools to provide parents with children's previous classwork.

Action

All schools are expected to provide the borough's Elective Home Education Officer, with the following information via the dedicated online EHE school referral form which can be accessed  through the EHE tile on LEAP 

• Parent's letter, or email, informing the school of their decision to home educate
• Reason/s the school are aware of why the parent has decided to home educate.
• An up-to-date attendance record for the child.
• List of attainment levels (useful for education advisers when they visit, or if the case is referred to the Fair Access Panel).
• Any potential vulnerability factors that may have been identified by the school. This will help us to signpost effective support to families. These could be:
  • Disadvantaged or eligible for Pupil Premium
  • Refugee or asylum seeker
  • Previous exclusions (permanent or fixed term)
  • Mental health or wellbeing concerns
  • Looked After Child (including previously LAC)
  • English as an Additional Language
  • Known to any other agencies
• Any existing or previous safeguarding concerns: Early Help, CIN or CP. 
• Details of the allocated social worker, if the child has one.
• Notification/information if the child has special educational needs with or without an Education, Health and Care Plan.
• Confirmation that the school have offered to provide parents with either previous classwork or a summary of the curriculum followed to date (and possibly the future curriculum plan). This will assist the parent with their planning for home education. The parent may decide to ignore this documentation hence their reason to EHE as they may have dissatisfaction with the education system. However, this will be a useful tool for some.

* Special schools should arrange a meeting with the parent and Local Authority to confirm arrangements prior to removal from roll and completion of the form.

Parents must not, under any circumstances, be encouraged, or coerced, into home educating their child. Also, please see the Local Authorities Elective Home Education policy available via the following web page: LB HIllingdon Elective Home Education (opens new window)

Recording Attendance

Under the Pupil Registration Regulations (2006), the school is required to deregister the child or young person upon receipt of the parent letter and inform the child or young person's home Local Authority (LA). In order to promote the recommendations stated by Ofsted the Local Authority feel it would be good practice for schools to temporarily keep a pupil on roll for 5 school days following referral to the Elective Home Education Officer. This will allow time for the officer to process the request and attempt to engage the family further to seek a resolution (if necessary) before removal from roll. The removal should only be done following confirmation from the Local Authority. This confirmation will be made in writing with the school (via email).

During the 5 school days schools can record the pupil as an authorised absence under Code C. After this time, if it is agreed that the pupil will become deregistered then schools will be able to back date the attendance to the date specified by parents.