The Education Act 1996 states:
"The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause her/him to receive efficient full-time education suitable to:
- Her/his age, ability and aptitude
- Any special educational needs s/he may have either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.
(Children are of compulsory school age from the beginning of the school term after their fifth birthday until the last Friday in June in the school year in which they are 16 years old.)
For most children, this means regular attendance at school. However, if you decide to teach your child otherwise then you assume responsibility for your child’s education, outside the school system, and no funding is available from the Children and Young People's Services.
Children and Young People's Services retains responsibility for monitoring that your child is receiving a satisfactory education; this includes any special education needs s/he may have."