Home Education

Support provided by the Home Education Team enables schools/academies to fulfil their statutory obligation to ensure that children and young people receive suitable education whilst unable to attend for medical reasons.

Referrals for Home Education Support (for Nottingham City residents) may be made by the school/academy and should be accompanied by a letter or report from a health professional describing the child/young person's difficulties and confirming the recommendation for Home Education Support on health-related grounds.

Referral Form

NB: Please note that this version revised JUNE 2012 must be used for all new referrals

Depending on need and capacity the child/young person will be assigned a Home Tutor or Tutors who will support him/her on a 1:1 basis. Learners in Key Stage 4 may be allocated a place within the Home Education Fairmead Group at Thorneywood Education Base.

Emphasis will be on the core curriculum and include ICT/PSHE as appropriate.

Elements of the work of the Home Education Team/Fairmead Group will be funded by the Hospital and Home Education Learning Centre (HHELC), including the transport of learners, as appropriate.

Objectives of the service

The Home Education Team works with schools, children, young people, their families and Health Professionals to maximise learners' achievement and attainment.

We improve outcomes for children and young people with health-related needs by:

• liaising closely with teaching staff at the school/academy to maintain curricular continuity as far as possible
• designing and delivering individually tailored programmes of work to meet the needs/circumstances of the child/young person
• promote self-confidence and self-esteem of learners
• provide regular feedback to schools, parents/carers and health professionals regarding the child/young person's progress.
• support the child/young person's reintegration to school, as appropriate
• prepare learners to take public examinations, if appropriate
• facilitate links with Futures (previously Connexions)/Colleges/Training providers for learners in Key Stage 4 to ensure a successful transition to post-16 provisions

This service will give you access to

• well qualified, experienced teaching staff who will liaise closely with school
• advice regarding initial referrals and ongoing support from the Home Education Co-ordinator
• regular feedback from health professionals and other agencies involved with the learner, via half-termly review meetings

Please note that in order to deliver high quality Home Education support, curricular and other information will be required from the school and relevant agencies. In this respect, the school is required to nominate a contact (usually the SENCO, Deputy Head or HOY) to liaise with the Home Education Team/Fairmead staff and subject or class teachers to provide such information.

All Home Education staff have enhanced DBS clearance and are skilled in quickly establishing an excellent working relationship when working one to one with learners.

Direct referrals made by Health Professionals

(a) Recuperation following hospital treatment

In some cases, children and young people need a period of recuperation when they are discharged from hospital. If medical staff feel that the child/young person will not be fit to return to school for a period of at least 3 weeks, a direct referral for Home Education support may be made by the hospital.

(b) On occasion direct referrals for Home Education Support may be made by Health professionals such as Community Pediatricians, Thorneywood CAMHS/MALT CAMHS etc.

In such circumstances the Home Education Coordinator will contact school before setting up Home Education, because of the cost implications to the school.

Service Packages

(a) One to One Home Tutor support

Home Education support usually consists of a total of 5 hours per week one to one teaching from a Home Tutor or Tutors.

This is generally delivered in 3 sessions per week at regular times as agreed with the family.

Wherever possible sessions take place outside of the learner's home (in approved venues such as Libraries, e-learning centres or at our Base - Thorneywood Education Base).

Associated transport costs (where appropriate) are met by ourselves.

Our aim is to support the learner to return to school as soon as their health allows. Steps towards reintegration are planned carefully in conjunction with school.

Review meetings are held in school approximately half-termly. The need for further Home Education Support is reassessed and agreed at these meetings.

(b) The Fairmead Group

Key Stage 4 learners who are unlikely to return to mainstream education (predominantly anxiety-related school refusers) may be offered a place in the Fairmead Group at Thorneywood Education Base.

Students (max 12 in total) attend the Base for a total of 12.5 hours per week, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and Wednesday for the full day. The core curriculum is delivered by specialist teachers and learning is supported by 2 Teaching Assistants.

Learners follow individual programmes of work in line with their level of ability/personal circumstances. Arrangements are made for students to sit GCSE exams at our Base as Transferred Candidates. The aim is to achieve maximum accreditation for learners. There are opportunities to complete OCN (Open College Network) units in a variety of practical subjects.

Emphasis is also placed on raising self esteem/self confidence as well as preparation for life, post-16. Opportunities are created for students' social interaction.

NB: The provision of suitable education for children and young people unable to attend school as a result of ill-health is a statutory requirement.

For costs please click on prices for school or prices for academies on the left

Related Pages

Additional Needs

Hospital and Home Education Learning Centre (HHELC)

Prices for Schools

Prices for Academies and External Schools