In principle, education, through full-time attendance at school, is compulsory for everyone between their sixth and sixteenth birthday.18 Students with special educational needs may enrol and receive a free education at any state school from their fifth birthday until the 1 January following their twenty-first birthday (nineteenth birthday for 'normal', mainstream students). Some students with handicaps may be permitted to attend school on a part-time basis.5,12
There is a legal requirement for children to be enrolled at, and regularly attend, school between the ages of 6 and 16. Parents commit an offence and are liable for prosecution if they do not meet this requirement.6
Children may, however, also be educated at home. In 1995, nearly 5,000 children (less than one per cent of the total number of school students) had been granted an exemption from attending a school, at the request of parents wishing to educate their children at home.5
This "home-schooling" option is available to parents on request, provided that they ensure that their children receive an "appropriate level of education". "Appropriate", in line with the 1989 Education Act, section 21(b)(ii),2 means that children should be 'taught at least as regularly and well as in a registered school'. Many parents who are granted this option are Christians who do not approve of the content of the (secular) State curriculum.17 A home-based care order is established, which sets out minimum standards for organisations providing home-based care and education and for the homes in which the service is provided.13 Parents must receive approval for home-based schooling from the Ministry of Education and are given an annual grant to help with the cost of learning materials. 12