Information for Elective Home Educators during the Coronnavirus Crisis.  There is now an increased offer from Careers South West to those families who home educate in Torbay.   Links to the educational sites whilst educating children at home due to COVID-19 restrictions: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/dailylessons The Oak Academy – online classroom offering free access to nearly 10,000 video lessons, quizzes and worksheets Coronavirus: 101 free resources for home learning (tes.com) please also scroll down this webpage for lots of other useful websites Keeping your child safe online. Below are some useful links to help parents and carers: Thinkuknow (advice from the National Crime Agency to stay safe online) Internet matters (support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online) Parent info (support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online) Net-aware (support for parents and carers from the NSPCC) Let’s Talk About It (support for parents and carers to keep children safe from online radicalisation) UK Safer Internet Centre (tips, advice, guides) Support available to parents to help them maintain their family’s wellbeing whilst home educating Social connections, alongside exercise, sleep, diet and routine, are important protective factors for mental health. Public Health England’s Rise Above platform supports young people around wellbeing and is worth a visit.  Social isolation, reduced exercise, and bereavement, may affect children’s wellbeing in this period.  Resources to promote and support children and young people’s mental wellbeing also include: MindEd educational resources for adults about children and young people’s mental health, which is relevant for parents and carers as well as volunteers, teachers, and other professionals working with children the Every Mind Matters platform which supports looking after your own and other’s mental health guidance on looking after wellbeing and mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak guidance on supporting children’s wellbeing and mental health (NEW) Special provision is now available for primary school-aged children in Torbay who are missing school due to the coronavirus crisis. Find out the latest advice and information about Coronavirus in Torbay Covid 19 resources for Schools, Parent and Carers in relation to children and young people who have SEND Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) in relation to children and young people with SEND during period of Coronavirus (Covid 19)

 

Elective Home Education

Information for families Electively Home Educating in Torbay

The law requires every child of statutory school age to be educated, either by regular attendance at school or, if parents choose, at home, providing the child receives an efficient full-time education suitable –

(1) to their age, ability and aptitude, and

(2) to any special educational needs they may have.

If you choose to make your own arrangements to educate your child at home you will be fully responsible. The Local Authority does not provide any assistance with examination costs, curriculum materials or additional resources.  The decision to educate your child at home is a big step; it will take a considerable amount of your time, energy and money. Please read through the guidelines booklet below if you are considering elective home education.

Home Education Guidelines
A guide to help parents/carers understand what may be involved if they are considering electively home educating their child outside the school system

If you decide to electively home educate and your child currently attends a school, it is important to inform the school by writing to the Headteacher.

If you are electively home educating in Torbay, please complete the voluntary registration form and return this to ehe@torbay.gov.uk.  This can be downloaded by clinking on the tab below.

Download the home education voluntary registration form 

Once the local authority is aware that a child is electively home educated, the EHE Team will contact parents to request information on the education at home.

Torbay Elective Home Education Team contact information:

Email:  ehe@torbay.gov.uk                       

Tel No:  01803 206473 Business Support, Elective Home Education Team

Postal address:  Elective Home Education Team, Torbay Education, 2^nd Floor, Electric House, Castle Circus, Torquay, TQ1 3DR

EHE Lead Professional:  David Bevan

Senior Head of Vulnerable Students Team:  Dan Hamer

For more information about Elective Home Education, explore this web page and all the information and resources it provides.

A copy of the Elective Home Education Policy and Procedures document can be requested by contacting the Elective Home Education Team. 

Torbay Council work hard to provide our customers with the best possible service.  Many people wish to compliment us on what we do for example where a member of staff has been particularly helpful or polite or where a service has exceeded expectation or where a policy has resulted in great customer satisfaction.  Sometimes, however, we are unable to meet our customers’ expectations, and as with compliments, when we have done something well, we use any complaints as learning points to try and improve our services.  Any complaint about the Elective Home Education Team, should be through the central councils complaints procedure, which can be found at https://www.torbay.gov.uk/council/get-in-touch/feedback/

South Devon College - Elective Home Education Scheme

Please click the image below to learn more about this very successful programme, which provides a broad and diverse Key Stage 4 curriculum for learners in year 10 & 11. 

Doorstep Arts 

Doorstep Arts are the creative education company in residence at the Palace Theatre, Paignton. They also provide 14 drama groups across Torbay at key doorstep sites – youth clubs, church halls and schools.  The young people who attend these groups range in age from 0-25. They write their own stories and songs, and they explore original ideas through drama process, play, and imagination. The groups provide safe educational spaces to experiment with what it means to be an artist and to explore your own voice.

Play Torbay Adventure playgrounds and Holiday programmes 

• Fort Apache - open access adventure playground in the heart of Torquay
• Indigos - a place to build dens, slide, swing, toast marshmallows on a fire and generally ‘hang out’ in Brixham
• Wild Fox - Adventure Playground in Paignton

Please also scroll down for weblinks related to Elective Home Education that you may find useful. 

There are also a wide range of online forums that you may wish to explore yourself.