barksgirl, I agree with AMIS-they shouldn't be knocking on your door at all.
The Government produced HE guidelines for LAs in November.
These state in section 2.7;
Local authorities have no statutory duties in relation to monitoring the quality of home education on a routine basis.
and in section 3.6;
Some parents may welcome the opportunity to discuss the provision that they are making
for the child?s education during a home visit but parents are not legally required to give
the local authority access to their home. They may choose to meet a local authority
representative at a mutually convenient and neutral location instead, with or without the
child being present, or choose not to meet at all. Where a parent elects not to allow access
to their home or their child, this does not of itself constitute a ground for concern about the
education provision being made. Where local authorities are not able to visit homes, they
should, in the vast majority of cases, be able to discuss and evaluate the parents? educational
provision by alternative means. If they choose not to meet, parents may be asked to provide
evidence that they are providing a suitable education. If a local authority asks parents for
information they are under no duty to comply although it would be sensible for them to do
so. Parents might prefer, for example, to write a report, provide samples of work, have their
educational provision endorsed by a third party (such as an independent home tutor) or
provide evidence in some other appropriate.
What this confirms is that the LAs may make informal enquiries if they have reason to believe an education is not taking place.
In practice, of course they will make enquiries, and case law says we would be sensible to respond.
But the choice of how you give the LA information about the education you are providing is entirely yours.
If you prefer to have a home visit +/- show work, then that is great-as long as it is your choice.
We have been home educating for seven years now.
We have never had a home visit, the LA have never met the children, nor seen any of their work. The children have never wanted to meet with them and haven't wanted to share their work with the LA. We could think of no advantage to us of seeing the LA- so we never have.
Instead we send in an Educational Philosophy and brief report.
the LA declare themselves satisfied that we are providing a suitable and efficient education.
And in the mean time we have relaxed and enjoyed our lives together.
Happy people live in our house!