Home education in Yorkshire: finding families, meet-ups and days out
Yorkshire may be the best place in England to home educate. It has free national museums, two national parks on the doorstep and cities close enough together that a good day out is rarely more than an hour away. The harder part is finding the families near you, and this guide helps with both.
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.
Each council in Yorkshire, including Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, Kirklees, Calderdale, Wakefield, York, North Yorkshire, Hull and the East Riding, has its own elective home education team.
Where home-ed families meet in Yorkshire
- Leeds: Roundhay Park, Kirkstall Abbey's grounds and Golden Acre Park.
- Sheffield: Endcliffe Park, the Botanical Gardens and the edge of the Peak District.
- York: Rowntree Park and the Museum Gardens.
- Bradford and Calderdale: Lister Park, Shibden Park and the canal towpaths.
- Harrogate and the Dales: Valley Gardens, Brimham Rocks and Fountains Abbey.
- Hull and the East Riding: East Park and the beaches at Hornsea and Bridlington.
Weekday mornings in term time are the home-ed hours. Climbing centres, trampoline parks, swimming pools and forest schools across the county run daytime home-ed sessions too.
Days out that count as learning
Free to enter:
- Royal Armouries, Leeds: arms and armour from across the world, with live demonstrations.
- National Railway Museum, York: engineering and social history on a grand scale.
- National Science and Media Museum, Bradford: photography, film, light and sound.
- National Coal Mining Museum, near Wakefield: including an underground tour for older children.
- Leeds City Museum, Weston Park Museum in Sheffield, and Hull's Streetlife Museum.
Worth paying for:
- Eureka!, Halifax: the national children's museum, hands-on for under-11s.
- Yorkshire Sculpture Park, near Wakefield: art in 500 acres of parkland.
- Jorvik Viking Centre, York: Viking-age York, rebuilt on the site where it was found.
- The Deep, Hull: an aquarium with a strong conservation message.
- Magna, Rotherham: science in a former steelworks.
- Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Doncaster.
Find home-ed families near you in Yorkshire
PipsVillage is a free-to-join app that shows you home-educating families near you in Yorkshire, 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 Yorkshire?
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.
What are the best free days out for home educators in Yorkshire?
The Royal Armouries in Leeds, the National Railway Museum in York, the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford and the National Coal Mining Museum near Wakefield are all free to enter.
How do I find home-educating families near me in Yorkshire?
Go to weekday sessions at parks, museums and leisure centres, ask at your library, and use a family-matching app such as PipsVillage, which shows home-ed families near you with their children's ages and interests.