Home education
Find out more about home education and the support we offer.
What you need to know
You need to:
- show you're providing an education that meets your child's needs
- provide a variety of resources including physical education
- meet the cost of this
Qualifications
Your child doesn't need to sit any formal qualifications but you can arrange for your child to sit exams. For example, through a school or college. However, you would have to pay for your child to sit these exams.
Withdrawing a child from school
If you live in East Renfrewshire and your child goes to one of our schools you need to make this request in writing either by letter or email.
You should include your child's name, date of birth and current school and tell us about your proposal to educate your child at home.
What happens next?
We'll reply within 1 week of getting your request and let you know how we'll use your information. We'll let you know the outcome of your request within 6 weeks.
The Quality Improvement Officer (QIO) responsible for home education will get in touch and ask to arrange to meet with you. They may also speak with school staff or an educational psychologist where appropriate.
We'll invite your child to share their views during the process. We'll also ask about your plans to educate your child at home to make sure we have all the information we need.
We'll consider your request in line with United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Our decision
We'll write to you with either our decision or to ask for more information.
If we decide that your proposal to educate your child at home will ensure that they receive a suitable education then we'll agree to remove them from the school roll. You'll then be responsible for your child's education.
We'll let health services know to make sure your child can still get vaccines and health support.
When your child turns 16, the Skills Development Service (SDS) can arrange to contact them.
Staying in touch
We'll contact you once a year to see how you're getting on and give support if you need it.
You can choose to update us through a meeting or in other ways. For example, in writing or a recording. We'll also take your child's view into account.
We may ask for more regular contact if it's needed or if we have any concerns.
We can take further action if you don't follow up on any concerns.
Additional support needs
You can educate your child at home if they have additional support needs.
We'll ask you to outline how you will meet these needs.
Contact us
For more information contact QISupport@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
