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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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.

• 5 years old and over: workshops run by the Lighthouse Development Centre | Livewell Southend
• Under 5 years old: workshops run by the Lighthouse Development Centre | Livewell Southend

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