Home education in the UK
Start with the guidance for your nation, find other families and plan a first week of learning with local visits, library books and hands-on activities.
A useful first conversation is about a day your child already enjoys. Perhaps they like a quiet morning with a book, a bus ride to a museum or the hour they spend mending things with a grandparent. Ask what they would keep, what they would change and what they would like to learn to do for themselves.
If your child is currently in school
Before deciding on a leaving date, read the guidance for your UK nation. The process depends on where you live and your child’s circumstances. If a school placement, additional support or an attendance order is involved, take those details into the conversation with the relevant authority.
Put together a first week
Choose one regular outing, one project that can stretch over several days and one thing your child can pick on the morning. Include everyday jobs. Cooking for six involves reading, measuring and deciding what to do when a recipe serves four. A record can be as simple as a photograph of a result and a sentence about the next question it raised.
The weekly activity planner leaves room for changed plans. For a first short project, choose a workshop using things you already have.
Find other people to learn with
A repeated local meet can give children more time to get to know each other than a busy one-off event. A local group can also help parents find quieter venues, shared resources or subject groups for older learners. If qualifications are part of your longer-term plans, start by checking routes and centres.