Home Schooling

Parents have the primary responsibility for ensuring their children receive a suitable education. Although most parents choose to use schools, an increasing number are exercising their responsibilities directly by providing an education based at home and in the community. Whichever course you take, it is good to talk with your children and take their wishes and feelings about their education into account.

This page provides information about home education and Torfaen Council’s responsibility and duties towards home educated children. It is expected that you as the parent(s) or carers and we, the Local Authority (LA), both aim to ensure that your child has the best possible opportunity for learning during their period of home education. To achieve this aim at its most effective level we need to work together from time to time and be able to communicate on a reasonably regular basis. You may need some help and support and we need to give you the opportunity to present evidence of the systematic learning experience which your child is receiving and to demonstrate your child's continuing educational progress.

Home Education

Home Education aims to support families who choose to educate their children "Otherwise than at School" in accordance with Section 7 of the Education Act 1996. 

We provide information and guidance to parents on the following topics:

• Home education and the law
• How to structure educational arrangements
• Suitable resources
• National curriculum, examination syllabuses
• Careers advice, college courses, employment law, health
• Monitor the educational provision of home educated children
• Respect the choice of parents to home educate
• Facilitate the return to mainstream school if parents request it

You can contact the Alternative Tuition Service for further help and guidance.

Home Tuition

Home tuition aims to teach and support the continuing education of children and young people of statutory school age who are unable to access mainstream education due to medical or psychological reasons.

What do we do:

• Support schools in ensuring that they are meeting responsibilities to provide a minimum statutory entitlement for pupils who cannot attend school because of illness, and enable schools to educate the young person with minimal disruption.
• Liaise closely with the host school to implement a continuing education plan and ensure continuity of provision.
• Oversee the work provided by schools in core subjects and other curriculum areas, so that sick children are not disadvantaged by their illness.
• Provide teaching in the home, hospital, libraries, schools and small groups (on a case by case basis) for sick and phobic pupils to enable them to mix with their peers, gain in confidence and prepare them for reintegration.
• Provide pupils with PC/laptop access in the home or teaching base and supportive software, curriculum on line and video lessons to establish effective links with schools and services to minimise disruption to pupils' education, raise attainment and access positive learning opportunities. (We do not provide pc/laptop access. We can provide information as to on line learning opportunities)
• Liaise with outside agencies, schools and families to develop strategies to raise levels of achievement for sick children. To support the attendance of sick children with re-integration into school, further education, work or training.

You can contact the Alternative Tuition Service for further help and guidance.