Key Facts
| Legal duty | The parent must ensure a suitable full-time education (Education Act 1996, s.7 in England and Wales; Education (Scotland) Act 1980, s.30; Education and Libraries (NI) Order 1986, Art. 45) |
|---|---|
| Curriculum | Home-educated children do not have to follow the national curriculum |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
The pros and cons of home education depend heavily on the child, the parents' time and the stage of education. For some children, learning at home gives a pace, focus and calm that school could not, and for others it brings isolation, gaps or pressure on the family. Since the legal duty to provide a suitable education passes to the parent, the decision deserves a clear look at both sides. Below are the main advantages and disadvantages, the questions that usually decide it, and the ways families reduce the drawbacks.
The advantages of home education
- Learning at the child's pace. A child can move quickly through what they find easy and spend longer on what they find hard, without waiting for a class or being left behind by it.
- One-to-one attention. Even an hour of focused one-to-one work covers a lot of ground, which is why home-educated children often need far fewer hours of formal study than a school day contains.
- A curriculum built around the child. Home-educated children do not have to follow the national curriculum, so families can follow a child's interests in depth, add subjects schools rarely offer, or take exams early or late.
- Flexibility in time and place. Learning can happen at any time of day, in museums, outdoors or while travelling, and family life can fit around it.
- A calmer setting for some children. Children who struggled with anxiety, bullying or the sensory demands of a busy school sometimes do much better at home.
- Closer family relationships. Many families value the time together and the chance to share in the child's learning.
The disadvantages of home education
- Time and income. Home education usually needs at least one parent to be available for much of the day, which can mean reduced working hours and a lower household income.
- Cost. There is no funding for most home-educating families in England, and parents pay for resources, activities, tutors and exam entries, including centre fees for GCSEs and A-levels.
- The parent carries the responsibility. Planning, teaching or arranging teaching, and keeping track of progress all fall to the parent, and the council can make enquiries if it is not satisfied the education is suitable.
- Social contact takes effort. Friendships and group activities do not come built in, so families need to arrange groups, clubs and activities.
- Exams are harder to arrange. Private candidates must find a centre that will accept them, and subjects with science practicals, speaking assessments or coursework can be difficult to sit.
- Specialist subjects. Few parents can teach every subject to GCSE or A-level, especially sciences, modern languages and further mathematics.
- Losing school-based support. A child with special educational needs may lose support that was delivered through the school, and the position on support varies across the UK.
- Returning to school is not always simple. A child's previous school place is usually lost, and a place at a popular or selective school may not be available later.
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Enquire about this tutorThe questions that usually decide it
| Point to weigh | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The family's reasons | Moving towards something works better than moving away from a problem that might be solved at school |
| The child's wishes | A child who is willing usually adapts far better |
| Who leads the education, and for how many hours | The parent's time is the main resource |
| Cover for specialist subjects and exams | Exam years need a plan for tutors, courses and an exam centre |
| Social life | Groups and activities need to be found and kept up |
| Any SEN support | Support delivered through school may stop |
| Short-term or long-term plan | A return to school, especially mid-phase, needs planning |
Reducing the drawbacks
Most disadvantages can be reduced with planning:
- Specialist teaching can come from online tutors, distance-learning courses or a mix, so the parent coordinates the teaching and does not have to teach every subject. The online homeschooling page compares the options.
- Exams are easier with an early plan: choosing boards and specifications two years ahead and contacting centres early. The exam centres for private candidates page explains the process.
- Social contact comes from home education groups, sport, music, drama, volunteering and part-time courses.
- Costs can be kept down with free resources, libraries and museums. The home schooling costs page sets out what to budget for, and the funding guide covers what help exists.
- A partial approach, such as flexi-schooling, keeps a school place while adding time at home, where the school agrees. The flexi-schooling guide explains how it works.
Home education and special educational needs
For children with special educational needs, the balance can be different. Home education can give a tailored pace and a calmer setting, while the loss of school-based support and specialist provision can be significant, and the rules on plans and support differ in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The home education with SEN page covers the position in each nation.
Making the decision
Families who are unsure often find it helps to talk to other home-educating families, read the guidance for their nation, and speak to the school about whether the reasons for considering home education can be resolved there first. Once the decision is made, the home schooling guide covers the law in each nation, and the deregistration guide explains how to leave school.
Related guides
- Home schooling in the UK: the law, deregistration and how to start
- Home education in England
- Online homeschooling: online schools and tutor-led home education
- Home education curriculum by age
- Home schooling costs
- Flexi-schooling guide
Tutoring for home-educated children with Taylor Tuition
Families weighing home education often plan for a tutor in the subjects a parent prefers not to teach, particularly once a child starts working towards exams. More than half of our tutors hold Qualified Teacher Status and around three in five hold a master's degree or doctorate, and tutors who work with children hold an enhanced DBS check, and most are registered on the DBS Update Service.
Sessions run online for families across the UK and internationally, and in person in central London. Fees start from £50 per 50-minute session and depend on tutor level and subject; there is no registration fee and the initial consultation is free.
Read more about our home education tutors, or send an enquiry and we reply with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the main advantages of home education?
- Learning at the child's pace, one-to-one attention, a curriculum built around the child, flexibility in time and place, and a calmer setting for children who struggled at school.
- What are the main disadvantages of home education?
- The time and income it takes, the cost of resources and exams, the parent carrying the responsibility, the effort needed for social contact, and the difficulty of arranging exams and specialist subjects.
- Do home-educated children miss out socially?
- Social contact takes effort, since it is not built into the day. Families usually arrange it through home education groups, clubs, sport, music and part-time courses.
- Can a home-educated child go back to school?
- Yes, by applying for a school place in the usual way, although the previous place is usually lost and a place at a popular or selective school may not be available.
- Is home education right for a child with SEN?
- It can be, especially where a tailored pace and calmer setting help, but school-based support may stop, and the rules on support differ across the UK.
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