Education Otherwise

Education Otherwise is a membership-based organisation that provides support and information for families whose children are being educated outside school.

Though education is compulsory in the UK for children between the ages of five and sixteen, school is not.

Many families prefer to educate their children otherwise than at school, and it is their right under UK law to do so.

Home educating families do not have to follow the National Curriculum and there is no single 'right' way to educate a child at home.

This site provides information and resources for home educating families and those considering home education for the first time, including guidance on home education and the law, SEN and disabilities; downloadable fact sheets covering many aspects of HE; and links to local HE groups across the UK.

If you are new to HE, you might like to start by reading our 'Frequently Asked Questions'.

Do you need teaching qualifications to educate your own child? How do you withdraw a child from school? Can a home educated child take public exams? What about socialisation? The answers are all here.

When you begin home education, you might find our downloadable information sheets useful for more detailed support in specific areas.

Further support is available to non-members in the public area of our online forum.

For all general enquiries about home education and starting to home educate, please call the Helpline in the first instance.

The lines are staffed entirely by volunteers, who may sometimes not be available when you call.

Please leave a message, and we will call you back as soon as possible.

UK Charity reg. no. 1055120