Hey there! If you’re researching home education in England, you’ll often see the term Elective Home Education, usually shortened to EHE. It’s the official phrase used when parents choose to educate their child outside school. Let’s keep it simple.
Understanding Elective Home Education (EHE)
Elective Home Education (EHE) means parents choose to take responsibility for their child’s education outside school, rather than the child receiving their education through regular attendance at school.
In England, home education is lawful. The key legal point is that parents must make sure their child receives an efficient, full-time, suitable education, either at school or otherwise.
- “Elective” means chosen by parents: it usually refers to home education chosen by the family, not education arranged by the local authority.
- It does not have to look like school: EHE does not automatically mean following the national curriculum or school hours.
- It still needs to be suitable: education should fit your child’s age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs.
Elective Home Education can look different from family to family. Some families use a structured approach, some are more project-led or child-led, and many use a mixture of methods. What matters is whether the education is suitable for the individual child.
You may also hear from your local authority if your child is home educated. Local authorities can make enquiries if it appears a child may not be receiving a suitable education, but they do not automatically approve or reject home education as a general choice.
If you want to understand the legal background, our guide to Home Education Law in the UK / England explains the current position in more detail. You may also want to read about Section 7 of the Education Act 1996, which is the key legal starting point.
Because rules and expectations around home education can feel confusing, many families find it helpful to keep simple records of learning over time. This might include activities, photos, projects, reading, trips and short notes about progress.
Tools like Strew’s home education reports can help you turn everyday learning into a clear, structured report if you ever need to share information with your local authority.
So, in short: Elective Home Education (EHE) means parents choosing to educate their child outside school. It is lawful in England, but parents remain responsible for providing an efficient, full-time and suitable education.
What does Elective Home Education (EHE) mean to you?
If you have got something to add to our Elective Home Education (EHE) page, please do let us know.