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Learning at home, home education and flexi schooling

Home education and flexi schooling

Last updated
5 Sep 2024

You have a right to home educate your child rather than sending them to school.

Home education

Home education is where a parent or carer chooses to become the main educator of their children. They take the legal responsibility for deciding what their children will learn and how. In most cases, this is without direct support from schools or a local council.

Home education is the official term for this type of education in the home. We use this rather than 'home schooling' or 'teaching at home'.

Choosing to home educate

You can choose to home educate your child.

You may need to talk to your local council about:

  • your plans for educating your child
  • removing your child from the school's list of pupils

Find more information about removing your child from school on gov.scot.

Support for children and young people with additional support needs

The local council does not have a legal responsibility to provide additional support when you home educate your child.

You can still ask your local council to find out both:

  • if your child has additional support needs
  • what level of support they might need

You can also ask the local council to do this for you if you are a:

  • child aged between 12 and 15
  • young person aged 16 or over

The local council does not have to carry out the request or provide any additional support.

Some councils may do so at their discretion.

Find out more about home education and additional support needs on Enquire.

Scottish government guidance

Scottish Ministers encourage local councils and parents to work together to develop:

  • trust
  • mutual respect
  • a positive relationship that functions in the best educational interests of the child

Find out more about the roles and responsibilities of parents and local councils on gov.scot.

If you have any questions about home education, you can contact the Home Education policy team on homeeducation@gov.scot.

Independent support

You can get support and advice from independent networks like:

Local councils

Aberdeen City Council Aberdeenshire Council Angus Council Argyll and Bute Council Clackmannanshire Council Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) Dumfries and Galloway Council Dundee City Council East Ayrshire Council East Dunbartonshire Council East Lothian Council East Renfrewshire Council Edinburgh Council Falkirk Council Fife Council Glasgow City Council The Highland Council Inverclyde Council Midlothian Council Moray Council North Ayrshire Council North Lanarkshire Council Orkney Islands Council Perth & Kinross Council Renfrewshire Council Scottish Borders Council South Ayrshire Council South Lanarkshire Council Shetland Council Stirling Council West Dunbartonshire Council West Lothian Council

Flexi schooling

Some parents may wish to arrange for their child to attend school on a part-time basis. This is flexi schooling. To do this, you may need the local council's consent.

The local council should consider each request on its own merit. Each local council and school gets to decide if they can support the request or not.

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