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Presenting home education information for families

Guidelines on presenting evidence of home education inclusion, attendance and welfare service

Plymouth City Council has to determine whether the education that is being provided is an efficient and full time education, suitable to the child’s age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs that the child may have. When we look at the examples that parents present, we look at it in this light.


The first thing that we would like to know about is your approach to education. Once we have an idea of this, it becomes your responsibility to provide examples which clearly demonstrate the suitability of your child’s education provision

Does the information demonstrate that the home education is efficient?

  1. The information should demonstrate a home educators approach to assessment and planning in order that learning can facilitate academic progress.
  2. The information should demonstrate progression expected across the period, whether or not this has been achieved (unless home education has only just started) and what next in order to further extend the child’s knowledge.
  3. The information presented should demonstrate opportunities for learning, including the range of subjects covered and information about a child’s access to learning resources and social opportunities.
  4. The information should demonstrate the ways in which the child is being introduced to a wide range of knowledge, understanding and skills.
  5. Each topic should be allotted sufficient time but not to the detriment of other essential areas of learning i.e. literacy and numeracy.
  6. It is also important for home educators to present opportunities for personal, social and health education, outdoor and environmental education, citizenship,

Does the information demonstrate that the home education is full time?

The information should enable Plymouth City Council to assess the overall time devoted to home education of a child on the basis of the number of hours per week, and weeks per year. Home educator’s should be able to demonstrate that the education is occupying a significant proportion of a child’s life (making due allowance for holiday periods).

Does the information demonstrate the home education is suitable to the child’s age, ability and any Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) that the child may have?

  1. It is important that you include information about your child’s ability and how this is been assessed.
  2. We also need to know whether or not your child has SEND and to what extent (if any) this impacts on their ability to meet age related expectations.
  3. The information provided should demonstrate what the child is taught, and how it is taught, taking into account of the child’s age, abilities, aptitude and any SEND.

What other factors will Plymouth City Council take into account when making a decision?

  • Plymouth City Council may use minimum expectations for literacy and numeracy in assessing suitability, whilst bearing in mind the age, ability and aptitude of the child and any special educational needs he or she may have;
  • education may not be ‘suitable’ even if it is satisfactory in terms of content and teaching, if it is delivered in circumstances which make it very difficult to work (for example in very noisy premises). This might also affect whether it is ‘efficient’ and indeed, whether it is ‘received’ at all for the purposes of s.7 Education Act 1996; and
  • education may also not be deemed suitable if it leads to excessive isolation from the child’s peers, and thus impedes social development.

When might the home education be considered to be unsuitable?

There may be a variety of reasons why the information / evidence provided has not been deemed suitable by the local authority. This may include:

  1. The education provision described lacks detail and it is difficult to ascertain what is being taught / what subjects are being studied.
  2. There is no or very limited examples of work submitted.
  3. There is no or very limited information regarding resources used internally and externally.
  4. There is no or very limited detail of how the child’s progress is being monitored or examples of work to demonstrate relevant progression.
  5. There is no clear academic or time structure.

It is important to note that the above is for guidance and by way of example only and is not an exhaustive list. Each case is judged upon its own individual circumstances.

What types of evidence and information can I submit to Plymouth City Council?

Plymouth City Council must be satisfied that appropriate education is taking place and therefore it will be about building a full picture of the individual circumstances rather than rigid adherence to a check list.


As a guide the types of information and evidence that can be submitted may include:

  • A report written by the home educator
  • timetables
  • curriculum plan
  • photographs
  • work books
  • progress reports
  • dated work over time
  • conversations with the child / parent; home visits; etc.
  • original work (or photocopies of this);
  • art work;
  • scrapbooks;
  • musical, academic and sporting achievements (certificates);
  • diary of events and activities;
  • recordings;
  • on-line blogs.

When preparing evidence, please note that security restrictions within Plymouth City Council are not compatible with Google Drive documents and therefore we are unable to access the information. Please ensure that documents are submitted in word of PDF formats. You are also able to use Egress to submit evidence.

There are as many ways of demonstrating examples of education provision as there are home educators. Plymouth City Council will always be happy to listen, add to the above list as new ideas are suggested and to share good practice.