Educating your child at home

Legal responsibilities

Under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, parents of school‑age children must provide efficient education either:

• by ensuring regular attendance at a public school, or
• “by other means”, which includes Home Education.

Most parents meet this duty by sending their child(ren) to school. However, Home Education is a valid alternative. Any home‑based education must be:

• suitable to the child’s age, ability, and aptitude
• responsive to any additional support needs

Support from Education Resources

We aim to support families considering Home Education by providing clear information to help with decision‑making.

Choosing to provide Home Education on a permanent basis is a significant commitment. It involves removing your child(ren) from the school roll and taking full responsibility for their education.

You may find it helpful to:

• speak with your child’s Head Teacher or Depute Head Teacher
• talk to other parents who home educate
• request an informal discussion with the Home Education link officer

Requesting consent to home educate

If you decide to request removal from the school roll, you will be asked to share your plan for providing an efficient education. This can be done in writing or verbally.

We must also gather information from its own records and from other services or agencies to determine whether consent can be granted.

Consent may not be granted in situations such as:

• when a child is subject to a voluntary or compulsory supervision order
• when there are child protection concerns reported to Social Work or Police

If any missing information causes a delay, this will be discussed with you.

Your child(ren) must continue attending school while your request is being considered.

Further Information

If you would like a copy of the parent booklet or the Home Education form, please contact the Inclusion Service.

For additional resources and guidance, please refer to the additional information on this page.

Contact

Address: Education Resources, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 0AA

Email: educationinclusion@southlanarkshire.gov.uk

Phone: 0303 123 1023