Deschooling: Why It Matters (and Why You Shouldn’t Mention It to the Local Authority)

One of the words you’ll quickly come across when researching home education in the UK is deschooling. For many families, it becomes an important first step in their home education journey. But here’s the key thing to understand: while deschooling can be hugely beneficial, it’s not a term you ever want to use when communicating with your local authority.

So what exactly is deschooling?

In simple terms, deschooling is a transition period — a time for both parent and child to decompress from the structures, routines, and pressures of school life. It’s about letting go of bells, timetables, tests, and the expectation that learning must look a certain way.

For children, deschooling can mean rediscovering the joy of learning after years of being told what to do and when. For parents, it can be about unlearning the belief that “real” education only happens in a classroom with worksheets, set hours, and a strict curriculum. It’s a chance to reset and start seeing the world itself as a classroom.

Why might it be necessary?

Because school can leave its mark. Children who have struggled with anxiety, bullying, or relentless testing may need time to rebuild confidence. Others may simply need space to find their natural curiosity again. Jumping straight into rigid home learning schedules often backfires — children resist, parents panic, and everyone ends up frustrated. Deschooling gives breathing room.

How long it lasts depends on the child. Some need a few weeks, others a few months. A common rule of thumb is one month for every year spent in school, though it’s rarely that neat in practice. During this time, learning doesn’t stop. It just looks different: long walks, reading for pleasure, cooking together, exploring interests, asking questions, playing. All of these are forms of education, even if they don’t look like “schoolwork.”

So why shouldn’t you mention deschooling to the local authority?

Because the term can easily be misunderstood. To home educators, deschooling means a valuable reset. To an education officer who doesn’t understand the concept, it can sound like a period where a child is not receiving an education at all. That can lead to unnecessary questions, letters, or even concerns being raised.

When communicating with your local authority, always frame what you are doing in terms of providing an education. You might describe it as “child-led learning,” “a focus on wellbeing,” or “an interest-based approach.” Those phrases are accurate, and they show that your child is receiving a suitable education, even if it doesn’t follow the school model. Save the word “deschooling” for your conversations with other home educators, where it will be understood.

Remember: Local Authorities and the Government do not recognise 'Deschooling' in the way Home Educators do. So it’s best never to use the term with them. It is also important to have some kind of plan for learning in place for home education from day one while in the 'deschooling' transition phase. 

The bottom line is this: deschooling is not time wasted. It’s education of a different kind, and it can set the foundation for a joyful and sustainable home education journey. But be mindful of your language with officials who may not share the same understanding.

If you are just starting out, give yourself permission to slow down. Learning is happening, even when it looks like rest.

Take care,

Ms Johnson