Elective Home Education Hub

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Books and bricks

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.

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EHE Hubs

The EHE team offer parent/carer drop-in sessions at Libraries and Family Centres across Southend City. Why not drop in and see us?

Prittlewell Priory Visitor Centre, Southend-On-Sea, SS2 6NB (Nicola Gray, EHE Advisor)

Tuesday 2nd September 10am-2pm

Tuesday 7th October 10am-2pm

Tuesday 4th November 10am-2pm


Westcliff Library, London Road, Westcliff-On-Sea, SS0 9PD (Mollie Small, EHE Advisor)

Tuesday 5th August 09:30am to 12:30pm

Tuesday 2nd September 09:30 to 12:30pm


The Forum Library, Elmer Square, Southend on Sea, SS1 1NS (Elizabeth Light, EHE Advisor)

Tuesday 2nd September 10am-2pm

Tuesday 7th October 10am-2pm

Tuesday 4th November 10am-2pm

Tuesday 2nd December 10am-2pm

If you would like to meet with the team at a different date and time please email us at: ehe@southend.gov.uk

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The Lighthouse Centre - Workshops for Parents

The Lighthouse Child Development Centre is running workshops and support sessions for children between 5 and 18 years old and their families.

SEND Surgeries

The Southend City SEND Team hold monthly ‘SEND Surgeries’ in locations across Southend City (9:00am to 11:00am). If you have a child or young person with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and have any questions or need advice, drop-in and see us:

  • Please note there is no session in August

  • Wednesday 24 September 2025. Hamstel Junior School, Hamstel Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 4PQ

  • Friday 17 October 2025. The Eastwood Academy, Rayleigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 5UU

  • Monday 17 November 2025. Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Manchester Drive, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 3HS
  • Thursday 11 December 2025. Venue to be confirmed

Officers that will be in attendance at each surgery include representatives from the school age EHCP team, the Inclusion team, Occupational Therapy, the Supporting Families team, the School Nursing Team and the Local Offer team.

  • If you are unable to come to a surgery, but need help with anything related to SEND, contact us at LocalOffer@southend.gov.uk or 01702 212328.

For locations and further details, visit www.southend.gov.uk/SENDSurgeries

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.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EHE Hubs

The EHE team offer parent/carer drop-in sessions at Libraries and Family Centres across Southend City. Why not drop in and see us?

Prittlewell Priory Visitor Centre, Southend-On-Sea, SS2 6NB (Nicola Gray, EHE Advisor)

Tuesday 2nd September 10am-2pm

Tuesday 7th October 10am-2pm

Tuesday 4th November 10am-2pm


Westcliff Library, London Road, Westcliff-On-Sea, SS0 9PD (Mollie Small, EHE Advisor)

Tuesday 5th August 09:30am to 12:30pm

Tuesday 2nd September 09:30 to 12:30pm


The Forum Library, Elmer Square, Southend on Sea, SS1 1NS (Elizabeth Light, EHE Advisor)

Tuesday 2nd September 10am-2pm

Tuesday 7th October 10am-2pm

Tuesday 4th November 10am-2pm

Tuesday 2nd December 10am-2pm

If you would like to meet with the team at a different date and time please email us at: ehe@southend.gov.uk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Lighthouse Centre - Workshops for Parents

The Lighthouse Child Development Centre is running workshops and support sessions for children between 5 and 18 years old and their families.

SEND Surgeries

The Southend City SEND Team hold monthly ‘SEND Surgeries’ in locations across Southend City (9:00am to 11:00am). If you have a child or young person with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and have any questions or need advice, drop-in and see us:

  • Please note there is no session in August

  • Wednesday 24 September 2025. Hamstel Junior School, Hamstel Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 4PQ

  • Friday 17 October 2025. The Eastwood Academy, Rayleigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 5UU

  • Monday 17 November 2025. Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Manchester Drive, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 3HS
  • Thursday 11 December 2025. Venue to be confirmed

Officers that will be in attendance at each surgery include representatives from the school age EHCP team, the Inclusion team, Occupational Therapy, the Supporting Families team, the School Nursing Team and the Local Offer team.

  • If you are unable to come to a surgery, but need help with anything related to SEND, contact us at LocalOffer@southend.gov.uk or 01702 212328.

For locations and further details, visit www.southend.gov.uk/SENDSurgeries

  • World Book Day - Thursday 6th March

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    In collaboration with Southend Museums why not join us on World Book Day at Prittlewell Priory Visitor Centre from 11:30am-1:30pm - dress up as your favourite book character and join in with some fun activities - we look forward to seeing you there!

  • Southend City Day - Sat 1st March 2025

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    As part of the Southend City Day celebrations, Southend Museums are holding a Gardening wellbeing event - everyone is welcome 12pm-2pm - FREE refreshments and all equipment will be provided. Email museums@southend.gov.uk to register your interest.



  • Preparing For Adulthood SEND strategy

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    Two engagement sessions for Parents to help shape the future for young people with SEND.

    Face to Face - Tuesday 4th February from 1pm - 2.30pm - Civic Centre, Jubilee Room

    Online - Wednesday 5th February 7pm - 8pm

    For more information - www.livewellsouthend.com/pfa

  • IPECO - Open Evening - 20th February 4:30pm

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    Ipeco are holding an Open Evening at 4:30pm on Thursday 20th February 2025. Please contact trainingcentre@ipeco.com for more information or to book your place.

  • Ballet & Tap Class starting February 2025

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    To find out more or book your space please contact Amanda Restell directly on: admin@amandarestellacademy.com or 01702 712000

  • Home to School Travel Assistance - Consultation

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    Between 2nd December 2024 to 31st January 2025 the Home to School Travel Assistance Consultation will take place and they are looking for Parents, Carers, Young People and professionals views - to get involved email: consultations@southend.gov.uk

  • FYV (Find Your Voice) Youth Clubs

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    Find Your Voice (FYV) Youth Clubs

    Summer's over, and our youth clubs are back in action! Join us for fun, friends, and exciting activities.

    On Wednesdays, we have the Southend Town Centre Youth Club at
    📍 Location: The Bridge Hub, 6 Warrior Square, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 2JE

    The session for
    👉 10-13-year-olds runs from 3:30 PM to 5 PM, followed by the
    👉 13-17-year-olds from 5:30 PM to 7 PM.

    On Thursdays, head over to Leigh on Sea Youth Club at
    📍 Location: Leigh Community Centre, 71-73 Elm Rd, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 1SP

    👉 6 PM to 8 PM for 11-17-year-olds.

    Don't miss out!

    If you would like more information about fun activities like this, please sign up for our youth platform at www.fyv-southend.org.uk

  • Children Not In School Forum (CNIS) - request from DfE

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    What is this for?

    We are the team at the Department for Education who are responsible for working on Elective Home Education policy for England. The Children’s Wellbeing Bill will include legislation regarding the introduction of local authority Children Not In School registers, including home educated children. The Bill will also create a new duty for all local authorities to provide support to home educating families who request it. We want to hear from home educating families, as part of our policy development processes, to ensure that we take into account all views.

    We are setting up a Children Not In School Implementation Forum and looking for home educating parents to take part in a productive discussion about our implementation considerations. Meetings will be run by policy officials.

    Timings and attendance

    We hope to arrange 3 to 4 meetings, lasting 1 hour - 1.5 hours each. All meetings will be held virtually. The first meeting will be held in early December (tbc) and future meetings will be spread across the remaining 2 years (approximately) of the implementation process.

    Why are we collecting data?

    The form below asks for some personal information from you. This is to help us ensure that the broadest range of home educating families is represented on the implementation forum, including families with varying lengths of experience of home education, reasons for home education, children of different age groups, and geographical locations etc. The questions asked in this form are to inform us about the balance of home educating experience across the group selected.

    If you are interested in participating but are not selected for the implementation forum, we may be able to offer other opportunities for you to share your views.

    If you are a home educating parent or guardian and wish to participate, please register your interest.

    Applications must be received by Wednesday 27 November.

    Please submit your completed form via email to: elective.homeeducation@education.gov.uk

    Please include “CNIS Implementation Forum application” in the subject line of your email to help us ensure that email applications are correctly identified.

  • World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness week

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    Every year, during November (18th -24th), we celebrate World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness (WAAW) week, which is a global campaign to raise awareness and understanding of AMR. Link: World AMR Awareness Week 2024 World Health Organization (WHO)

    What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)? Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microbes, such as bacteria, fungi or viruses, change in a way that makes the medicines used to treat them ineffective. This means that medication such as antibiotics may not work as well, and infections may be much more difficult to treat. By using antimicrobial medicines appropriately and reducing the chance of infections though vaccination and good hygiene practices we can reduce the spread of drug resistant antimicrobials. In building the resilience of future generations, you can make a positive impact by communicating AMR messages to children and young people.

    Southend City council Public Health Team would like the EHE community to get involved with a challenge to design a poster for WAAW.

    Take part in our poster design challenge Ask children to develop an eye-catching A4 poster to show others how and why they should protect antibiotics. Areas to focus on could include: • Microbes • Hand Washing • Respiratory Hygiene • Spread of infection • Not using antibiotics for viral infections • Going to the pharmacy before a GP for colds, coughs and sore throats • Getting vaccinated to prevent getting ill

    Please scan and email posters to WAAW@southend.gov.uk Or alternatively please post artwork to WAAW Public Health, Southend-on-Sea City Council, Floor 6, Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6ER by Friday December 13th 2024 This is not a competition so posters will appear in a virtual gallery on www.livewellsouthend.com or in print in local community spaces

    Home Educators can also find FREE educational resources for eBugs - Home

  • Festive Xmas Market - Arts & Crafts 30th November 12pm-6pm

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    The Blokhouse Studio invite you to their annual Festive Market at the Blokhouse Studio, Unit 18-20, Grainger Rd Ind Estate, SS2 5DD on Saturday 30th November 12-6pm

Page last updated: 30 Jul 2025, 04:02 PM