On receipt for your letter, the local authority should acknowledge your request immediately. They should then consider quickly whether or not there are any reasons for consent to be withheld. If no evidence exists to support the withholding of consent and you have submitted an outline of your proposed provision, consent may be granted immediately.

If the council refuses or delays its consent, the reasons should be explained to you fully, and if your proposed provision is deemed unacceptable, you should be given an opportunity to amend your plans.

Whether or not you send an outline of your educational provision with your initial request – and it is recommended that you do so – the education department of your local authority should send you a copy of its ‘information/guidelines for parents’. Any information you receive from your council should reflect the content of the statutory guidance for education authorities which was issued by the Scottish Government in January 2008.

Local authorities will often suggest a home visit or meeting (probably with one or two officers from their Educational Advisory Service or equivalent) in order to discuss your intention to home educate and establish that you are serious about your decision and committed to your child’s education. You are not, however, obliged to agree to such a visit or meeting. You can choose to offer information about your educational provision and address any concerns about your provision in writing.

You are of course entitled to see a copy of any report that is made by the council recommending the granting (or refusal) of consent to withdraw your child from school.

Withholding consent