Starting Homeschool - How to Deregister Your Child From School for Homeschooling

If your child is already attending school and you've decided to home educate, deregistering them is actually a fairly simple process. This guide is specifically for England and covers what to do, what to write to the school and what happens afterwards.

1. Tell the school in writing

You need to tell the school that you are withdrawing your child to educate them at home. Just to clarify, this is a statement, you are not asking for permission. You do not have to build a case or try to convince them. It is your decision. The easiest way to do this is by email to the headteacher. Your letter should clearly state that your child will no longer attend the school after a particular date and that they will be educated otherwise than at school.

Copy-and-paste deregistration letter

You can use this as it is, simply replacing the sections in brackets: 

Subject: Withdrawal for Elective Home Education – [Child's Full Name]

Dear [Headteacher's Name], 

I am writing to formally notify you that I am withdrawing my child, [Child's Full Name], from [School Name] in order to educate them otherwise than at school.

 [Child's Full Name] will no longer attend [School Name] after [DATE]. 

I will be taking responsibility for providing their education at home, in accordance with my responsibilities under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996.

Please remove [Child's Full Name] from the school's admission register from the appropriate date and confirm in writing once this has been done.

Kind regards, 

[Your Full Name]

I'd send this by email so that you have a dated copy of exactly what you sent.

2. What happens after you send it?

The school should process your child's removal from the admission register and notify your local authority. You may then hear from your local authority's 'Elective Home Education (EHE) team'.

This isn't the same as asking the council for permission to homeschool. The local authority has a responsibility to establish whether children being educated outside school are receiving a suitable education, so they may contact you about what you're providing.

How this is handled varies between councils.

3. YOU ARE NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR CHILD'S EDUCATION

This is the bit I think is really important to understand before you deregister.

Home education means actually educating your child.

Once you remove your child from school, you are taking responsibility for making sure they receive a suitable, full-time education that is appropriate for their age and abilities, taking account of any special educational needs.

It doesn't mean simply keeping them at home. You don't necessarily need to sit down and recreate a school timetable, and learning can happen in lots of different ways. But there needs to be real education taking place.

That might mean teaching maths and English, reading together, working through a curriculum, doing science experiments, studying history, going outside and learning about nature, visiting museums, cooking, writing, working on projects or following your child's interests in a meaningful way. Exactly what that looks like is up to you.

But the responsibility is yours. If your child is spending their days watching YouTube, playing games and occasionally being told that everything they happen to encounter is “learning”, that's not what the legal responsibility to provide a suitable education is intended to mean.

You don't have to make home education look like school.

You do have to actually educate your child.

4. Do I need to wait until the end of term?

No. You can deregister your child during the school year. You don't need to wait for the end of a term or academic year. Just make sure your letter gives the date after which your child will no longer attend.

5. Are there any exceptions?

For most children attending a mainstream school, the process above is all you need. There are some important exceptions. 

- If your child attends a special school, you generally need the local authority's consent before they can be removed from the school register.

- There are also different rules if your child is subject to a School Attendance Order.

If either of these applies to your child, check with your local authority before sending a standard deregistration letter.

Keep it simple

Deregistering doesn't need to be a huge formal process. You're notifying the school of your decision, not applying for permission to homeschool.

Send the email, keep a copy and make sure you receive confirmation that your child has been removed from the register.

Then the responsibility for their education is yours. And that's when the real home education begins. 

 *This post is about elective home education in England. The rules are different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. For the most up-to-date legal guidance, check the relevant GOV.UK guidance.*

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Where to go next -

I've broken the rest of this guide into smaller, practical posts so you can work through one question at a time.

My Child Has Never Started School — How Do I Homeschool From the Beginning?

What to do if you're choosing home education instead of sending your child to school, including compulsory school age, Reception, early learning and getting started. 

 → Read: Home Educating a Child Who Has Never Started School 

Does the Council Check Homeschoolers?

What happens after you start home educating, including council contact, informal enquiries, reports, home visits and the new legislation.

→ Read: Does the Council Check Homeschoolers?

What Do You Actually Have to Teach When Homeschooling?

What "suitable education" means and how to make sure you're providing a genuine education without recreating school at home.

→ Read: What Do You Actually Have to Teach When Homeschooling? - 

🍁 Coming Soon 🌿

Do Homeschoolers Have to Follow the National Curriculum?

No — but what can you do instead? 

 → Read: Do Homeschoolers Have to Follow the National Curriculum? - 

🍁 Coming Soon 🌿

How Many Hours a Day Do You Have to Homeschool?

What "full-time education" actually means and why home education doesn't need to look like the school day. 

 → Read: How Many Hours a Day Do You Have to Homeschool? - 🍁 Coming Soon 🌿

How to Plan Your Homeschool

Curriculums, resources, routines, timetables and actually putting your first few weeks together. 

 → Read: How to Plan Your Homeschool -🍁 Coming Soon 🌿

Or find the full 'Starting Homeschool' series here.

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