Home education in Norfolk: finding families, meet-ups and days out
Norfolk is a wonderful county to home educate in, with beaches, the Broads, forests and a city full of history. It is also rural, and families can be a long drive apart. Finding the two or three near you matters more here than almost anywhere.
The essentials
In England, home education is legal and you don't need permission, a teaching qualification or the National Curriculum. The law (section 7 of the Education Act 1996) asks for a full-time education suitable to your child's age, ability and aptitude, and to any special educational needs. If your child is at a mainstream school, you write to the headteacher to take them off the roll; a place at a special school arranged by the council needs the council's consent first. The council may make informal enquiries about the education you're providing. Rules on registration are changing, so check the government's home education page for the current position. This is general information, not legal advice.
Norfolk County Council has an elective home education team that can answer questions about the process.
Where home-ed families meet in Norfolk
- Norwich: Eaton Park, Earlham Park and Whitlingham Country Park, with its broad and woodland paths.
- North Norfolk: Sheringham Park, Holt Country Park and the beaches at Wells, Holkham and Cromer.
- King's Lynn and the west: The Walks in King's Lynn and Sandringham's woodland trails.
- Thetford and the Brecks: High Lodge in Thetford Forest, for bikes, trails and play areas.
- Great Yarmouth and the Broads: the beach, and nature reserves such as Hickling Broad.
Weekday mornings in term time are when home-ed families are out. Because distances are long, many Norfolk families plan one regular meeting place a week and build from there.
Days out that count as learning
- Norwich Castle Museum: a Norman keep with archaeology, natural history and art.
- The Sainsbury Centre, Norwich: world art in a striking building, with family activities.
- The Forum and Millennium Library, Norwich: one of the busiest libraries in the country.
- Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse: a Victorian workhouse and a working farm.
- Pensthorpe, near Fakenham: wetland birds, conservation and big play areas.
- BeWILDerwood, Hoveton: treehouses and story trails for younger children.
- The Broads: boat trips, windmills and wildlife.
- The Deep History Coast: fossil hunting between Weybourne and Cart Gap, where mammoth remains have been found.
- Seal watching: boat trips to Blakeney Point, or the winter pups at Horsey from the viewing areas.
Find home-ed families near you in Norfolk
PipsVillage is a free-to-join app that shows you home-educating families near you in Norfolk, with their children's ages and interests. You heart the families that look like a fit; when they heart you back you can chat and plan a meet-up. Exact locations are never shown, children's names stay private, and it's adults only. If you're the first family in your town, you're the one the next family finds. Join PipsVillage free.
Frequently asked questions
Is home education legal in Norfolk?
Yes. Home education is legal across England. You don't need permission or a teaching qualification, and you don't have to follow the National Curriculum. If your child is at a mainstream school, you write to the headteacher to deregister.
Where do home-ed families meet in Norfolk?
Parks such as Eaton Park and Whitlingham in Norwich, Sheringham Park and the north Norfolk beaches, The Walks in King's Lynn and High Lodge in Thetford Forest, usually on weekday mornings in term time.
How do I find home-educating families near me in rural Norfolk?
Ask at your library and at daytime sessions, and use a family-matching app such as PipsVillage, which shows home-ed families near you with their children's ages, including families a short drive away.