Elective Home Education Hub

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Welcome to Elective Home Education (EHE)

This page provides information for parent's who are considering educating their child at home, as well as on-going guidance and information for existing home educators.

Education is a fundamental right for every child and we recognise that parents have the right to choose to educate their child at home rather than at school. Parents are responsible for ensuring that their children receive a suitable education. Where parents have chosen to home educate, we want the home-educated child to have a positive experience.

The legal responsibility for a child’s education rests with their parents. While

Welcome to Elective Home Education (EHE)

This page provides information for parent's who are considering educating their child at home, as well as on-going guidance and information for existing home educators.

Education is a fundamental right for every child and we recognise that parents have the right to choose to educate their child at home rather than at school. Parents are responsible for ensuring that their children receive a suitable education. Where parents have chosen to home educate, we want the home-educated child to have a positive experience.

The legal responsibility for a child’s education rests with their parents. While most parents choose to educate their children by sending them to school, others choose to educate their children at home. So, education is compulsory but school isn’t.

Those parents who make the decision to take responsibility for their child’s education instead of sending to school are Electively Home Educating (EHE).

By choosing to electively home educate, parents are taking on the full responsibility for their children’s education, ensuring it is full-time, suitable and effective. There are no funds available for parents who decide to home educate their children.

As a local authority, we have a duty to ensure all children receive a full-time, suitable and effective education, including those who are electively home educated.

We are committed to working with home educating parents to ensure home education is a success for all.

We carry out our duty through regular engagement with families in a range of ways including visits, calls and parental reports. These reviews also offer the opportunity for home educating families to raise any concerns or requests for advice and guidance regarding the educational provision being made.

Further information on how the EHE team works with families and fulfils its duty please contact the team at ehe@southend.gov.uk or by the contact details on the 'who's listening' tab.

  • History Club I & II

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    Southend Museums offer History club.

    History Club was designed to provide a point in time and space where anyone could come along and become part of the community, make friends, and relax whilst also hopefully learning something new and interesting. It has been a runaway success with new members week on week! As a result from Wednesday 7th August we will be starting History Club II !!

    History Club remains at Prittlewell Priory Visitors Centre on Thursday mornings from 11am.

    History Club II is now at the Beecroft Art Gallery Lecture theatre on Wednesday afternoons from 3.30pm.

    Both clubs have a full schedule well into the new year, full to the brim with guest speakers, demonstrations, films and even the occasional away day!

  • Essex Fire Service - Home Education Sessions

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    Join Essex County Fire and Rescue Service for a fun and interactive session designed to help engage children in home fire safety and cyber safety. To find out more

  • School Admissions for September 2024

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    If you are interested in applying for a September 2024 school place you will need to apply from Monday 1st July using the link below. For further information on school admissions please go the Admissions Page Here

    To apply for School place click here

  • FREE Football Sessions with SUFC - PAN Disability

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    Southend United Community Foundation - PAN Disability free football sessions

    Free football sessions for participants with a PAN disability aged between 8 and 19. Sessions take place at Garon Park Leisure Centre, every Thursday between 5pm and 6pm.

    Premier League Kicks shows that anyone can play football.

    To find out more

  • Cycling Club

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    FREE Cycling Club

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  • Education Insights Newsletter - NHS

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    While general concern about COVID-19 has reduced, children and their teachers are still dealing with the longer-term fallout from the pandemic, including absence rates that have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels and rising levels of pupil anxiety.

    96% of school leaders felt learning gaps were still having an impact on pupil achievement in their schools in 20231.

    In this newsletter, we explore three interlinked areas where research and insight has highlighted the need for additional teacher support, and we highlight what support and guidance are available to you in these areas.

    To Find Out More

  • Autism Central

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    Autism Central for parents and carers


    Autism Central offers support provided by families/carers, for families/carers! The service provides information, group online sessions and one-to-one support via telephone or Microsoft Teams. Your child does not need a diagnosis for you to access this free service.

    Find out more: Autism Central for Parents and Carers | Autism Central

  • Lighthouse Centre Support Sessions

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    The Lighthouse Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) team and JIGSAW team are hosting a series of ASD support group sessions in Southend and the surrounding areas.

    If your child receives a diagnosis of ASD, you will be invited to a support group.

    If your child has not yet received a diagnosis, you are welcome to attend the sessions to access support.

    Find out more about upcoming sessions Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) website

  • Youth Health Champions Event

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    Youth Health Champions Event

    The IronWorks and Southend’s Youth Health Champions partnered to put on a free event that celebrates and empowers young people, and provides them with the tools they need to create a positive change to their mental health and wellbeing.

    The Youth Health and Wellbeing event was a huge success and took place on Saturday 4 February 2024 at The Ironworks Southend, 90 High Street, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 1JN.

    The event showcased a range of community partners and health professionals.

    There was interactive dance, spoken word and graffiti art workshops, exhibitions, a mental health awareness zone with sessions including yoga, meditation and a youth market place.

    Watch this space for future events!

Page last updated: 18 Feb 2026, 11:59 AM