How to start homeschooling in the UK: a step-by-step guide

Thinking about home education for your child? You are not alone — thousands of UK families homeschool, and the law is firmly on your side. This guide walks through the practical first steps, from the legal position to planning your first week.

1. Know your legal position

In England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, parents have the right to educate their child at home. The law requires that every child receives a suitable full-time education — but that education does not have to happen in a school.

If your child has never been enrolled at a school, you do not need to tell anyone. If they are currently at a state school in England or Wales, you simply write to the headteacher asking for your child to be taken off the admissions register. The school must accept and will inform the local authority. You do not need the school's or the council's permission.

The rules differ slightly if your child attends a special school, or in Scotland, where you need the local authority's consent to withdraw a child who has already started school.

2. Decide what 'suitable education' means for your family

There is no requirement to follow the National Curriculum, sit SATs, or keep school hours. Your education must be suitable to your child's age, ability and any special educational needs — and you get to decide what that looks like.

Most families find a rhythm that mixes core subjects (English, maths and science) with the child's own interests. Some follow a structured timetable; others learn through projects, outings and conversation. Both approaches are lawful.

3. Plan your week

A simple weekly plan helps everyone settle. Many families teach core subjects in the morning when children are freshest, and leave afternoons for reading, sport, art and meeting other home-educating families.

This is where live online lessons can help. At Growing Roots Academy, children join small live classes with qualified teachers from Year 1 to Year 11 — so you keep the flexibility of home education without having to teach every subject yourself.

4. Connect with other families

Local home education groups meet in most areas of the UK for park days, museum trips, sports and shared classes. They are also the best source of honest advice about exam centres, tutors and resources near you.

5. Think ahead to GCSEs

Home-educated students take GCSEs as private candidates at approved exam centres. It is entirely routine, but it pays to plan early: entries close months before the exams, and some subjects need a centre that can handle coursework or speaking assessments.

Our GCSE courses follow AQA, Pearson Edexcel and OCR specifications, and we help families find a local exam centre, choose the right board and tier, and meet every deadline.

Ready when you are

You do not have to do this alone. Browse our courses to see the live classes we run from Key Stage 1 to GCSE, or register your interest and we will talk through your child's situation personally.