This publication provides data reported by local authorities on compulsory school age children in elective home education (EHE) in England. EHE is a term used to describe a choice by parents to provide education for their children at home instead of sending them to school full-time.
Local authorities have a duty under section 436A of the Education Act 1996 to make arrangements to establish the identities of children in their area who are not registered pupils at a school and are not receiving suitable education.
EHE is different to education provided by a local authority Otherwise Than At a School (i.e. EOTAS) - for example, tuition for children who are too ill to attend school. Such children are not counted in these figures.
EHE is also different to children missing education (CME) who are children of compulsory school age who are not registered pupils at a school and are not receiving suitable education otherwise than at a school. CME includes children who are awaiting a school place and children in receipt of unsuitable education, including those children whom local authorities are supporting to place into suitable education. An EHE child whose education is deemed unsuitable should no longer be classified as an EHE child and should be classified as CME. A separate release has been published relating to CME.
The figures are published as official statistics in development to provide national estimates of EHE for users. As a relatively new data collection we expect the quality of the data returns to improve over time as the collection becomes established. We welcome user feedback on these statistics via the details in the “contact us” section below.
Data is presented for both the number of children at a point in time on the autumn term 2023 census day, and the number of children who were EHE at any point during the 2022/23 academic year. Where a child was in EHE for more than one period during the year, they are only recorded once.
Future data will be published annually. The next publication in winter 2024 will include termly data collected up to autumn 2024.
As at census date in autumn 2023, an estimated 92,000 children were in elective home education (EHE). This includes adjustments made for non-response and is based on a figure of 87,700 reported by 95% of local authorities. This is an increase from an estimated 80,900 in the previous autumn term.
During the 2022/23 academic year, an estimated 126,100 children were EHE at any point. This includes adjustments made for non-response and is based on a figure of 119,200 reported by 94% of local authorities. This is an increase from an estimated 116,300 in 2021/22. Where a child was EHE more than once during the year, they are only recorded once.
As this is a new data collection (first collection in autumn 2022) increases are likely to be due at least in part because of improvements in data quality. Please see the Data Quality section for further information.
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Includes responses to the question - What support does your local authority offer to EHE children and their families?
The EHE and CME data collections have been developed to:
The following considerations should be noted when using this data:
However, recording practices for EHE within local authorities are well established. As an indication, estimates in this release closely align with previous estimates produced by the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS), noting that this release uses a different uprating methodology so is not directly comparable.
EHE counts will vary depending on the population within the local authority, which may change over time, for example there can be higher numbers of EHE at the start of a school year as parents await their preferred school place and EHE in the meantime. High or low counts should not be used as a reflection of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ practice.
As this is a new data collection since 2022/23, we expect the quality of the data returns to continue to improve over time as the collection becomes established. For example, reductions in the number of unknown values for detailed breakdowns and increased response rates.
Local authorities reported an estimated 92,000 children in EHE at the census date in autumn 2023. This includes adjustments made for non-response and is based on a figure of 87,700 reported by 95% of local authorities. This includes children of compulsory school age who are resident in the local authority and the local authority are aware of being electively home educated on census date. The rate of EHE was 1.1% of the population of comparable ages (based on ONS mid-year population estimates for children aged 5 to 16 years).
EHE increased each term throughout the 2022/23 academic year but decreased again between summer 2023 and the start of the 2023/24 academic year.
As this is a new data collection (first collection in autumn 2022) increases are likely to be due at least in part because of improvements in data quality. Please see the Data Quality section for further information.
The table below provides the primary reason why a pupil was EHE. Of those reasons known or provided, the reason most reported was philosophical or preferential reasons, accounting for 16% of pupils, followed by mental health (13%) and lifestyle choice (8%).
Of the primary reasons given, 40% were recorded under ‘unknown to the LA’, ‘other’, or ‘parent did not provide a reason’.
The proportion of children electively home educated varies by characteristics. The figures below relate to autumn 2023/24 but trends remained very similar to 2022/23.
SEN provision and in need status was as known to the LA as at the census day and therefore may exclude children with previous additional requirements and those that were not known.
Data was collected on the number of children reported by local authorities as being EHE at any point during the 2022/23 academic year. Where a child was EHE more than once, they are only recorded once. These are cumulative counts of all pupils reported by local authorities as EHE children at some point in the academic year and are not directly comparable to the point in time figures presented as at census day each term.
When adjusted for non-response, an estimated 126,100 children were reported by local authorities as EHE at any point during the 2022/23 academic year. This is based on a figure of 119,200 reported by 94% of local authorities.
There were an estimated 53,200 pupils reported as starting in EHE during the academic year, increased from 44,400 during 2021/22. An estimated 19,800 EHE children returned to a school setting during the academic year, a similar number to the estimate in 2021/22.
The table below shows, of those pupils who started EHE during the academic year, the previous school type attended by those pupils. The largest proportion of children EHE had previously been in academies. This is reflective of the fact that a large proportion of secondary schools are academies and that a higher proportion of older children are EHE.
Previous school type before EHE for children who started EHE during the 2022/23 academic year
| Academy | 47% |
| Local authority maintained | 27% |
| Home educated outside the local authority | 2% |
| Independent | 2% |
| Free school | 2% |
| None (previously not of compulsory school age) | 2% |
| Early years | 1% |
| Pupil referral unit | 1% |
| Alternative provision | low |
| Special | low |
| Elsewhere/unknown | 17% |
Source: EHE and CME census
Data was also collected on section 437(1) and school attendance orders.
A section 437(1) notice is issued by a local authority in advance of a school attendance order. Where it appears to the local authority that a child of compulsory school age is not receiving a suitable education, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise, then they must begin procedures for issuing a school attendance order (under section 437 of the Education Act 1996). The order will require the child’s parents to register their child at a named school. If they fail to comply with the order the parent can be prosecuted.
In the 2022/23 academic year, an estimated 3,900 section 437(1) notices were issued, an increase of 100 from the previous year. An estimated 1,100 school attendance orders were issued and 200 school attendance orders revoked in this period, both a decrease from the previous year estimates. School attendance orders may be revoked because local authorities are able to conclude that the child is receiving suitable education, a court acquits a parent who had been prosecuted for breaching a school attendance order, the local authority applies for an education supervision order, or the child becomes no longer of compulsory school age.
Usage of section 437(1) notices and school attendance orders varied across the country. 30 local authorities reported issuing no section 437(1) notices whilst 53 local authorities reported issuing no school attendance orders.
Find out how and why we collect, process and publish these statistics.
These statistics are undergoing a development. They have been developed under the guidance of the Head of Profession for Statistics and published to involve users and stakeholders at an early stage in assessing their suitability and quality.
They have been produced as far as possible in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics.
This can be broadly interpreted to mean that these statistics are:
Find out more about the standards we follow to produce these statistics through our Standards for official statistics published by DfE guidance.
If you have a specific enquiry about Elective home education statistics and data:
If you have a media enquiry:
Telephone: 020 7783 8300
If you have a general enquiry about the Department for Education (DfE) or education:
Telephone: 037 0000 2288
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