School refusal: What are the next steps for your child?

The huge rise in home schooling

Recent government statistics have revealed a huge surge in parents opting for homeschooling or ‘Elective home education’ (EHE) with the number of those being home educated increasing from 153,300 in 2024 up from 126,100 the previous year. Academic research has also confirmed a rapid increase in the number of families opting for home education in the UK (Zhang and Gibson 2024). A meta-analysis has revealed diverse motivations driving parents to choose home education, including concerns about the traditional education system, a preference for personalized learning, and personal lifestyle choices and ideologies. The research data presented suggests that participants had diverse and dynamic daily routines shaped by their unique educational philosophies when being educated at home. (Zhang and Gibson 2024) 

What do I need to do if I decide to remove my child from mainstream education?

If you have established that situation for your child in school is a long-standing, worsening issue that is not being helped by meetings with the school SEN teams then it may be time to consider home schooling. You are not legally obliged to inform the school or local authority (LA) but it is strongly advised that you do notify them if you remove your child and it is legally necessary if special arrangements have been made by the LA for SEN children. If you do decide to homeschool there are no legal definitions regarding a specific curriculum to follow or hours that they must be schooled. Despite this, the government expects that the child's needs and aspirations are recognised and that homeschooling facilitates them to function in wider society. Although no evidence is needed the LA may ask to inspect your homeschooling process so it is always wise to keep a photo journal and a brief description of activities 

Can my child thrive in a home education environment?

Studies that have analysed a vast amount of research into homeschooling have shown that results indicate a significant positive impact of homeschooling on learning motivation, as it enhances students' engagement and learning interests. (Eldeeb et al 2024). Many notable authors and clinicians are now talking about the positive and fulfilled lives that children can lead when they are practicing alternative approaches to mainstream schooling in the home-environment (Fisher and Fricker 2025). Dr Naomi Fisher, in particular, discusses in her many published books such as ‘A different way to learn’ how neurodivergent children thrive in the home environment when being allowed to take the initiative in their learning process, an approach known as ‘Self-directed learning’. Her writings include powerful testimonies that combine lived experiences with psychological theory to discuss how the move away from traditional learning centers the child and lessons the trauma response developed from negative learning experiences.

What about socialisation?

Despite the overwhelming evidence that states homeschooling has positive outcomes, many parents share common concerns. Two key concerns are centered around a lack of socialisation, funding and how time consuming it can be to implement homeschooling.

Ironically, research suggests that children who are homeschooled are generally happier with higher quality friendships and better relationships with their parents and other adults (Medlin 2013). Other research has shown that those who are homeschooled are soially active individuals who successfully transitioned to further education, if they desired to do so (Kostelecká &Beláňová 2025). Parents of children educated at home state that the growing homeschooling community provides extensive opportunities for their children to socialise through extracurricular events and community events. A client of The CODE Education, Katie explains ‘My child has a far fuller social life now than she ever did at school. Regular meet ups mean that there is an extensive amount of time for children to play and for us to connect with other parents on this journey. This was simply not the case in school, especially when we knew that our daughters' emotional dysregulation was leading to isolation and bullying’.  

What about my career if I choose to homeschool?

In a household where both parents work this can perhaps be the trickiest hurdle of them all. Often it will involve one parent having to step away from work or dramatically reduce their hours in order to ensure that the learning environment at home is suitable. Local groups such as forest schools and other clubs can help to fill their time and there may be other online learning platforms or play based activities that can keep them occupied if working from home is an option. Perhaps the most popular way to successfully implement a home learning programme is to lean on the support of tutors, coaches and other private educators. Alice describes how ‘I have an online tutor work with my son for 2 hours a day which allows for me to ensure that he is covering his academic interests.

This is an excellent solution alongside the clubs my son attends. It is also a huge relief to have a professional who has knowledge of executive functions, can monitor the learning process and adapt the approach based on my son's needs. He is now looking to take 4 GCSE’s this summer at an independent exam center whilst still pursuing and developing his interest in coding and photography’.

You don’t have to figure this out alone

At The CODE Education, we specialise in helping families explore these options and design a learning journey that truly works for their child.You don’t have to figure this out alone.

Here are some ways forward:

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