Teaching your child at home

Rules

Legislation

The Irish constitution recognises the family as the primary educator of the child and defines duties and responsibilities for parents and the State in the education of children. Section 14 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 makes provision for parents to educate their children in places other than recognised schools, such as in the home or in private schools which do not follow a national curriculum. The Act states that parents must ensure their child receives a 'certain minimum education'. Guidelines on the Assessment of Education in places other than recognised schools (pdf) have been published under section 16 of the Act. The guidelines provide a working definition of “a certain minimum education”, describe home-based education and offer guidance on how it may be assessed. They also cover the legal background of home education.

Minimum education

The State has a duty to ensure that children receive a certain minimum education, but parents are free to determine how this education is provided. The law does not define a “certain minimum education”. The guidelines provide a definition of the broad characteristics, which require that a child’s education must:

• Be suited to the age, ability, aptitude and personality of the child
• Be responsive to the child’s individual needs, should take cognisance of the areas of learning that are of interest to the child, and should ensure that his/her personal potential is enhanced and not suppressed
• Address the immediate and prospective needs of the child, in the context of the cultural, economic and social environment
• Provide a reasonably balanced range of learning experiences, so that no one aspect of the child’s learning is emphasised to the exclusion of others
• Develop the personal and social skills of the child and prepare him/her for the responsibilities of citizenship
• Contribute to the moral development of the child
• Provide opportunities for the child to develop his/her intellectual capacities and understanding

The guidelines also require that basic skills, without which a child would be placed at a serious disadvantage, should be taken into account in a definition of this minimum education. Development and progression in oral language, literacy and numeracy are vital for other areas of learning and for the child to participate in society and everyday life.

Role of the National Educational Welfare Board

The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) was established under the terms of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 and is the body which deals with issues of non-attendance at school and of children receiving their education outside the school system. Under the Act, the NEWB is obliged to maintain a register of children who are receiving education but not attending a recognised school. In effect, this register will show the names of children who are being educated at home or in a non-recognised school - it is not a register of school dropouts. All parents or guardians who want to educate their children at home in Ireland must register their child with the NEWB. Registration is not automatic. It is a legal obligation and the onus is on parents or guardians to make an application on behalf of their child.

The registration process

If your child is already at school, you should inform the school that you will be educating your child at home and will be applying for registration with the NEWB. The school will pass this information to the NEWB who will contact you, or you can apply directly to the NEWB – see ‘Where to apply’ below. If your child has not yet started school, or has never attended school, you should apply to the NEWB directly. The NEWB will send you an application form and a copy of the guidelines by which they assess home education. An information leaflet concerning the requirements for children educated outside recognised schools is also in preparation.

Assessment: when you return the application form you will be contacted by the person who will make the assessment to arrange an interview. This person could be an educational welfare officer, an inspector from the Department of Education and Skills or another qualified person appointed by the NEWB. You must give your consent before any assessment can take place. The assessment will focus on the details of the education that is being provided to the child, the materials used in the course of the education and the time spent providing that education. This interview will take place in a venue of your choice and your child need not be present. The interview will be based on what you have said in your application. You need to show the interviewer that you are providing a minimum education. This is called the preliminary assessment. Your assessor will complete a draft assessment report, which they will discuss with you before it is finalised. Following the report your child’s name will either be entered into the register or your case will be referred for a comprehensive assessment.

If the NEWB is not able to determine whether you are providing a minimum education, a comprehensive assessment will be carried out. This is much more in-depth and involves the assessor spending some time with you, watching how you teach your child, inspecting your educational materials and talking to your child.

The appeals process

If the NEWB decides that you are not providing a certain minimum education for your child, it can remove your child’s name from the register or refuse to add it in the first place. It must inform you of its decision in writing and you have 21 days to appeal against the decision. The Minister will appoint a committee to hear the appeal and make a decision on the case. An appeal committee is made up of a District Court judge, an inspector and such other person as may be appointed thereto by the Minister. You and the assessor are invited to make submissions on the case. Depending on their decision, the committee will:

• Affirm the decision of the NEWB to remove or refuse to add your child’s name to the register
• Require the NEWB to add your child’s name to the register
• Require the NEWB to add your child’s name to the register, subject to your undertaking to comply with any requirements the appeal committee considers appropriate.

Role of the Schools Inspectorate

The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) under the Education (Welfare) Act (2000) may ask the Inspectorate to assess the education provided in places other than recognised schools. These assessments may assist the NEWB to decide if children in non-recognised schools are receiving an appropriate minimum education.

State examinations

When it comes time to sit formal exams, arrangements can be made through vocational education committees (VECs) or adult education classes. Junior and Leaving Certificate examinations can also be sat at any school by registering with the school in early January of the year that the exams will be taken. Further information is available from the State Examinations Commission.

Third-level education

If a child does not sit State examinations then entry to third-level education in Ireland is difficult. The normal route into Irish third-level institutions is through the Leaving Certificate. However, it may also be possible to enter third-level education at aged 17 or 18 without the Leaving Certificate by interview only. You would need to approach your chosen institution to discuss this possibility. The Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) offers a variety of courses for the 16-plus age group which are accepted as valid for entry to third-level courses.

Mature students are not subject to the usual entry requirements. There are also a growing number of correspondence courses on offer, such as the Open University. Aontas - the National Association of Adult Education is a source of information on distance learning in Ireland.

Home Education Network

If you choose to teach your child at home, the Home Education Network is a support and lobby group for home educators in Ireland. It aims to help parents use the available resources to develop educational techniques suitable for each child’s needs. It also provides a means for the exchange of ideas and experience among home educators through regular meetings and newsletters. Its website contains links to research and online information about home education and it also operates a library service of books on home education that is available to members.