Do I need to 'de-register' if removing DC from a private school?

[JOJOHNSON23]

Question's in the title really!

[IncognitoErgoSum]

Well, you need to tell them (as per your contract) that you are withdrawing (and thus de-registering) the children. Otherwise they'll continue to invoice you.

If you mean "do I also have to tell the LA or anyone else?", then "no".

[Kidsncats]

Do you have to tell the private school that you are home schooling? we have to give a terms notice, but we might just write off the money and not send her back after Easter. The term is paid for, she just won't be there...or do we need to give a fixed date of leaving?

Sorry to hijack.

[SwimmingMom]

Paying a terms fee & the child attending school are 2 different matters. Normally private schools expect to be informed in writing before day-1 of the summer term if the child is not attending from the following autumn. Some schools may accept on day-1 if the summer term.
Now until what date your child attends is up to you, and informing the school is just a courtesy.

[Kidsncats]

Our letter of leaving will go in just before the end of this term along with the summer term fees, that way, we are keeping to the contract of a terms notice. However, we don't plan on sending her back after the Easter break. We will be all paid up, will have given our correct notice period...and lost several thousand pounds.
I'm assuming this is ok...we will have paid for the summer term and given a terms notice, we are just choosing for her not to go to school in the summer term.

[IncognitoErgoSum]

You do not have to tell them that you are home educating (you don't have to tell a state school either). It is not any of their business whether you are moving to another school or what.

The standard deregistration letters say something like "Please remove X from the register as I am re-assuming direct responsibility for his/her education". Not their responsibility what happens next although they may ask for a school to which they can send records. You could say that you want the records sent to you because you are not yet sure which school X will be attending - I know some parents have received them. If you particularly want them and the school says that they can only give them to other professionals (not unknown), you can do a Subject Access Request - they have to give you all the records they hold about your child.

[Martorana]

I haven't got anything immediately helpful to say- but it did occur to me that if you are so unhappy with the school that you are removing your child, I'd be tempted to say just remove her, don't pay and let them sue you. But that might not be good advice..........

[JOJOHNSON23]

Notice already given but we will have to pay for the Autumn term :( Good to know I don't need to give details of what we plan to do or notify the LA - it's none of their business.

I think they will be awkward about the records so am very interested in the subject access request...

[Martorana]

Hang on- they are making you pay two terms' notice??????

[JOJOHNSON23]

No, I gave notice at half term and they want one full term...

[LIZS]

No you'll only have to pay for summer term at most surely .

[Martorana]

One full term- surely that's the summer term? If you gave notice at last half term that's a term and a half.

[Kidsncats]

Our school says that one full terms notice must be given. So, we are handing our letter in just before the end of this term, we'll pay the summer term fees but just not send her back after the Easter.

One full terms notice must surely mean telling the school just before the end of the current term, with the intent to leave at the end of the next.

[Kidsncats]

Jojohnson23a I would double check your contract. If you've told them that you DC will be leaving in July, then you only have to tell them that at the end of this term...unless they have a 2 term policy which is very unfair if they do.

[JOJOHNSON23]

It is only one term's notice but I told them over Feb half term so the notice period is next term. I told them at half term in the hope that they'd let us leave with just half a term's notice, but no such luck :(

[Kidsncats]

So why are they making you pay for the Autumn term as well?

Are you going to send your DC for the summer term? We are going to pay for the summer term but (hopefully) not send DD. However, if there is a huge backlash from DD about leaving then we can do the summer term...we will make that decision over the Easter break.

[JOJOHNSON23]

Doh! I meant we have to pay for the summer term, not Autumn! Brain not in gear!

We are doing a similar thing, we have to pay for the summer term but will be taking them both out at half term in May so we'll be paying for half a term that we are not attending...

[Kidsncats]

Phew, I was really stressing that we'd have the autumn term too! Glad and relieved for you that it was a typo.
Good luck with everything, it seems a very big step, but I know it is the right decision, yet I still get small doubts creeping in.