The national curriculum sets out what subjects are taught and what standards childen should reach. It is used by schools to ensure all children have the opportunity to learn the same things. Some types of school such as academies or private schools do not have to follow the national curriculum.
Compulsory school age refers to the ages in which a child must be in full-time education, usually at a school.
Read moreUnschooling is an educational philosophy that advocates child-led education. Unschoolers do not follow a curriculum but will let their children choose what and when they want to learn.
Radical unschooling extends the philosophy of unschooling into all aspects of life. For example radical unschoolers let their children choose what they eat, how long they watch TV and what time they go to bed and get up.
Academies are funded by central government rather than the local authority. They are run by an academy trust which makes decisions about how the school will run. Academies can set their own pay and conditions and decide on the length of the school day for example. Academies can also opt out of the national curriculum….
A free school is a school set up by an organisation or a group of individuals. Free schools are funded by the government but not controlled by the local authority so have more control over how they are run. They can set their own pay and conditions for staff for example or set their own…
A child or young person is considered to have a special educational need (SEN) if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:…
Children who are born between 1st April and 31st August are sometimes referred to as summer born children.
Read moreEnter your child’s date of birth to calculate the date they become of compulsory school age.
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