Deciding to home educate a child who's already in school involves one extra practical step schooled-from-the-start families don't have to think about: formally deregistering. It's a more straightforward process than it sounds, but it helps to know the shape of it in advance.
The basic process in England
If your child is on a school roll, you'll need to notify the school in writing that you're removing them to home educate. Once the school receives this, they're required to remove your child's name from the admissions register. You generally don't need permission from the school or the local authority to do this — it's a notification, not a request, provided your child isn't at a special school (where the process can differ) or already subject to certain school attendance orders.
What happens next
- The school informs the local authority that your child has left the roll
- Your local authority may get in touch to ask about your home education plans — this varies by council, and responding is generally optional but often reassuring for both sides
- You are not required to submit a formal curriculum or teaching plan in most circumstances, though some families choose to share an outline anyway
Timing worth thinking about
There's no fixed "right time" to deregister — some families do it mid-term, others wait for a natural break like the end of a school year. If your child is unhappy in their current setting, there's no requirement to wait for September; the process works the same at any point in the year.
Before you deregister
- Read your own local authority's current guidance — processes and expectations vary by council, and this can change, so check theirs directly rather than relying solely on general guides like this one
- Connect with a local home education community if you can — practical, first-hand advice from families who've just been through the process is often more useful than any single article
- Have a rough plan for the first few weeks, even a loose one — see our beginner's guide to starting home education at Key Stage 1
This is a general overview, not legal advice — rules and expectations can vary between local authorities and may change over time, so always check your council's current guidance before acting.
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