Do Home Educated Children Have to Follow the National Curriculum?
Quick Answer
No, home educated children in the UK are not required to follow the National Curriculum in England (or the Curriculum for Wales, the Northern Ireland Curriculum or the Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland) by law. Parents have the flexibility to choose how and what their child learns. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the education must by law be full time and “suitable” for a child’s age, ability, and needs. In Scotland the law states that the education provided must be “efficient” and “suitable”.
Introduction
One of the most common concerns when starting home education is whether you need to follow the National Curriculum or the Curriculum for Wales, the Northern Ireland Curriculum or the Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland).
For many parents, this question is closely linked to worries about “doing it right” or making sure their child is learning what they should.
In practice, home education in the UK allows for much more flexibility than school, including how learning is structured and what is included.
This guide explains focuses on the National Curriculum in England although the law applies across the UK. We are using the National Curriculum as our example, because that is where most of our learners live, but the same rules apply!
What Is the National Curriculum?
The National Curriculum is a framework used by state schools in England. In Wales, the curriculum followed by Schools is the Curriculum for Wales. Northern Ireland follows the Northern Ireland Curriculum and in Scotland the Curriculum for Excellence is followed.
These documents set out:
– subjects to be taught
– learning objectives for each subject
– expectations for different age groups
They are designed to provide consistency across schools.
Do Home Educated Children Have to Follow It?
No — home educated children are not required to follow the National Curriculum or the equivalent curriculum in other parts of the UK.
The law requires that children receive a “suitable education”, but it does not define this in terms of a specific curriculum.
This means that families can:
– follow the National Curriculum (or equivalent)
– adapt parts of it
– use completely different approaches
You can explore the legal framework in more detail in Home Education Laws in the UK.
What Does “Suitable Education” Mean?
Providing a “suitable education” as a home educating parent means:
– suitable to the child’s age
– appropriate to their ability
– adapted to any additional needs
This allows learning to be shaped around the individual child rather than a standardised model. This means that it is far easier in home education to make education child-led and be responsive to the actual learning needs and interests of your child!
You can explore how this works in practice in How to Start Home Education in the UK
Why Some Families Choose Not to Follow the National Curriculum
Many families choose not to follow these national curricula because this allows them to:
– move at their child’s pace
– spend more time on areas of interest
– adapt learning to suit different needs
– include a wider range of experiences
For some, this flexibility is one of the main reasons for choosing home education.
Why Some Families Do Use It
Other families choose to use these national curricula either fully or in part because they recognise that there are some useful learning stepping stones to the curriculum or because they want to know that specific learning has been covered.
Using all or some of these curricula can:
– provide structure
– guide subject coverage
– support preparation for exams such as GCSEs
Some families use it as a reference point rather than a strict framework.
How Learning Can Be Structured Without It
Without the structure of a nationally recognised curriculum, learning can be structured in different ways.
This might include:
– subject-based learning
– project-based learning
– interest-led learning
– a combination of approaches
You can explore these options in Home Education Learning Pathways.
How This Links to GCSEs and Qualifications
Not following the National Curriculum does not prevent children from taking GCSEs or other qualifications, although it is worth noting that it is important to follow the curriculum for any specific exam your child is taking, so that they cover all of the necessary material and go into their exam feeling confident in their ability to answer all the questions.
Many families:
– choose subjects based on their goals
– prepare independently or with support
– use the exam syllabus specifically to prepare for a specific exam.
You can explore more about on this page – GCSES.
How Learn Laugh Play Can Support Learning
Learn Laugh Play families tend to join us for a range of reasons, and often more than one! Main reasons for doing lessons with us include:
– live classes (with recordings included in each class membership)
– parents wanting the reassurance that there won’t be any gaps in their child’s learning
– children benefiting from learning alongside other learners (and making friends)
– parents finding it hard to teach their child or children not wanting to be taught by their parent!
You are welcome to explore our classes and see what works for your child.
Conclusion
Home educated children in the UK do not have to follow the National Curriculum or the equivalent curriculums in other parts of the UK.
Instead, families have the flexibility to choose an approach that suits their child, whether that involves structured learning, more flexible methods, or a combination of both. You should do what feels right for your family and your child.
You can explore more guidance on different learning approaches throughout this section as you develop a pathway that works for your family.