Elective home education - children with additional learning needs

The parents must make suitable provision for the child's special needs, but due to the change in the child's educational setting, this provision may be different from that outlined in the statement which would apply in a school setting.

If the parents' arrangements are suitable, then the local authority is relieved of its duty to arrange the provision in the statement. If however, the parents' arrangements fall short of meeting the child's needs, then the parents are not making suitable arrangements and the local authority is not absolved of its responsibility to arrange the provision in the statement. The local authority's Additional Learning Needs Manager will be consulted on these issues.

Where a child has a statement of special educational needs and is educated at home, the statement does not automatically cease. While the statement is maintained it must be reviewed annually.

In the case of home-educated children Section 324(4A) of the Education Act 1996 does not require the name of a school to be provided in Part 4 of the Statement. There will be a discussion between the authority and the parents and, rather than the name of the school, Part 4 of the statement should mention the type of school the local authority considers appropriate but should go on to say that: 'parents have made their own arrangements under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996'.