UK Legislation - Children and Families Act 2014: Education Other Than At School (EOTAS)

All children have a legal right to education. However, some children and young people have disabilities that are so complex and severe that education settings cannot meet their needs.

Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) is the legal mechanism where a child or young person with an EHC Plan can receive special educational provision despite being unable to attend an educational setting.

Under a formal EOTAS arrangement, the child or young person will not not be on roll at a school. Instead, they will receive their education at home, or somewhere else that is not a registered educational setting.

The provision will not be ‘named’ in Section I of the EHC Plan because there will be no educational setting. Details will be explained in Section F instead.

EOTAS should not be confused with Elective Home Education (EHE).

Elective Home Education (EHE) is when a parent/carer chooses not to send their child to school. It becomes their legal responsibility to ensure the child receives a full-time education. The local authority is not obligated to support the education.

EOTAS is a formal special education package made under an EHC Plan, so the local authority will remain legally responsible for the child's education. If a parent/carer electively home educates but the child's EHC Plan does not lay out an EOTAS package, the local authority will have no obligation to deliver the provision set out in Section F.

Resources:

• UK Legislation: Section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014 (Link)