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Education Other than at School
Parents have the option of educating their children at home. However, the education a child receives must be ‘suitable education’, that is efficient education suitable to the child’s age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs he or she may have.
If a LEA considers that a child of school age is not receiving suitable education at home, it may serve the parents with a notice requiring them to satisfy the LEA that the child is receiving a satisfactory education.
If the LEA is not satisfied by the parents that the child is receiving a suitable education then it can serve the parents with a school attendance order requiring the parents to register a child at a named school. It is a criminal offence to fail to comply with a school attendance order and conviction in the Magistrates’ Court is punishable by a fine.
Before deciding to prosecute the parents, the LEA should consider whether it would be appropriate to take the alternative route of making an application in the family proceedings court for an education supervision order, which would last one year and would enable a supervisor or education social worker to advise, assist, befriend and give directions to both the child and the parents.
If a LEA considers that a child of school age is not receiving suitable education at home, it may serve the parents with a notice requiring them to satisfy the LEA that the child is receiving a satisfactory education.
If the LEA is not satisfied by the parents that the child is receiving a suitable education then it can serve the parents with a school attendance order requiring the parents to register a child at a named school. It is a criminal offence to fail to comply with a school attendance order and conviction in the Magistrates’ Court is punishable by a fine.
Before deciding to prosecute the parents, the LEA should consider whether it would be appropriate to take the alternative route of making an application in the family proceedings court for an education supervision order, which would last one year and would enable a supervisor or education social worker to advise, assist, befriend and give directions to both the child and the parents.
