Is home education legal in the UK?

Yes. In England, section 7 of the Education Act 1996 places the duty on parents to ensure a child of compulsory school age receives efficient full-time education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude and to any special educational needs, either by regular school attendance or otherwise. Home education is that 'otherwise'. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own frameworks.

Do home educators have to follow the national curriculum?

No. Home educating parents in England are not required to follow the national curriculum, sit national tests, or teach in school hours or school subjects. The legal test is whether the education is efficient, full-time and suitable for that child.

How many children are home educated in the UK?

Department for Education data from the autumn 2025 school census suggested around 126,000 children were in elective home education in England, roughly 1.5% of children of school age.

Can you home educate a child with SEN or an EHCP?

Yes, and section 7 requires the education to be suitable to any special educational needs the child has. If your child has an EHCP the local authority retains duties in relation to that plan, and if your child attends a special school you need local authority consent before removal from the roll. Check current GOV.UK guidance and speak to your local authority first.

Does We Can Be count as a home education curriculum?

We Can Be is an enterprise and life skills programme for ages 6-18, not a full curriculum and not a school. It is one strand alongside your other provision and produces real artefacts - a plan, a priced offer, a pitch, a written reflection - that families keep in a portfolio. It is not a qualification and awards no GCSEs or accredited certificates.

What ages is it for, and what does it cost?

Four age tracks: 6-8, 9-11, 12-14 and 15-18. Module 1 is free on every track with no card needed, along with printable resources, the 101 business ideas list and most tools. Full family access is a one-off £29, or £49 for the educator and group version.

Home Education in the UK: A Life Skills Strand That Actually Sticks

By Kim Loudon · 7 September 2026 · 10 min read · Category: For Parents

Home educating families in the UK do not have to follow the national curriculum, so the most efficient thing you can teach is a project that carries several subjects at once. Taking one small business idea from thought to first customer covers maths, writing, speaking, research, ethics and money, and it produces something your child can point at afterwards.

The legal position

In England the duty sits with parents under section 7 of the Education Act 1996: efficient, full-time education suitable to the child's age, ability and aptitude and to any special educational needs, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. You are not required to follow the national curriculum, teach in school hours, or enter your child for national tests. Tell the school in writing if your child is on a school roll, and note that local authority consent is required if your child attends a special school. Around 126,000 children were in elective home education in England in the autumn 2025 census, roughly 1.5% of school-age children.

What one enterprise project covers

Maths: costs, pricing, percentages, profit and break-even. English: persuasive writing, a customer email, a spoken pitch. PSHE and citizenship: money decisions, fairness and ethics. Design and technology: prototype, test, iterate. Computing and AI literacy: research and age-appropriate AI use. Careers: real UK founders and how they started.

A six-day project

Pick something real. Cost it. Price it. Ask one person. Make one sale or one pitch. Write it up. Spread over a week or a term - the order matters, the pace does not.

SEN, anxiety and school refusal

Section 7 requires education suitable to your child's special educational needs, which is permission to go slower and deeper. Our material is self-paced with no timers or live classes, uses short single-task missions, has no peers or leaderboards, supports reduced motion and keyboard navigation, and lets the child choose the topic. It is not therapy, not a SEN intervention, and not a substitute for professional support. If your child has an EHCP or attends a special school, take advice from your local authority and organisations such as IPSEA before deregistering.

What We Can Be is and is not

It is an enterprise and life skills strand for ages 6-18, free to start, printable, UK-specific, and it produces portfolio evidence. It is not a full curriculum, not a school or registered provider, not a qualification, not automatic approval by anyone, and not a SEN intervention.

Where to start, free

Pick an age track (6-8, 9-11, 12-14, 15-18) with Module 1 free, open the 101 UK business ideas list, print the free one-page business plan, or browse the free resource library. Full family access is a one-off £29; the educator and group version is £49.