Scottish Government

HOME EDUCATION CONSULTATION REPORT

ANNEX 2
GUIDANCE ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH PARENTS
MAY CHOOSE TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME

Issued under Section 14 of the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act 2000

THE ORIGINAL DRAFT THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED FOR CONSULTATION IS INCLUDED BELOW FOR EASE OF REFERENCE.THE DRAFT HAS SINCE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY AMENDED TO REFLECT THE RESPONSES.

THIS VERSION SHOULD NOT BE USED TO INFORM PRACTICE

Contents

Section 1 Introduction
Section 2 Legislative position on home education
- Parents' right to educate their children at home
- Consent to withdraw children from school
- Monitoring education provision
Section 3 Information for parents
Section 4 Applications for consent to withdraw children from school
- Procedures for considering applications
- Timescale within which applications should be considered
- Parents' reasons for applying
- Considering parents' proposals for home education
- Children's views
- Recognised qualifications
- Children with SEN
- Reasonable reasons for refusing an application for withdrawal
- Review of authorities' procedures for considering applications
Section 5 Home educated children who move into the area or who have never attended a public school
- Children who have never attended school
- Children who move between education authority areas
- Children who are withdrawn from an independent school
Section 6 Practical support for home educators
Section 7 Monitoring home education provision
- Monitoring agreements
- Access to the child and home
- Frequency of monitoring
- Procedures for monitoring
- Criteria for assessment of provision
- Dissatisfaction with provision
- Review of authorities' monitoring procedures
Appendix 1 Qualifications options
Appendix 2 Contacts