Recommendations & Conclusions
33 items
1
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
The Committee unanimously supports the right of families to opt for EHE, provided it is in the best interests of the child and the education provided is of a suitable standard to meet the needs of the child. In the eyes of the law, the duty to secure an education …
Government response. 38. The Government agrees with the support from the Committee for the right of parents to opt for EHE, provided it is in the best interests of the child and the education provided is of a suitable standard. We agree …
Department for Education
2
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
The next iteration of the Government’s guidance for local authorities and parents must set out a clearer vision for a ‘suitable’ education - including the levels of numeracy and literacy which it would usually expect students to have achieved before they move on to later education, training or employment. This …
Government response. 6. Relevant case law1 and the ECHR2 gives broad discretion on the state in how the fundamental right to an effective education is implemented. For instance, a local authority may specify requirements as to effectiveness in such matters as literacy …
Department for Education
3
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
The Committee heard from home educators that home-educated children are not ‘invisible’, and that safeguarding has failed children who were already known to local authorities. However, the relevant authorities cannot begin to reach any children who may be at risk without a consistent and accurate method of knowing who they …
Government response. 9. The Government remains committed to a form of local authority administered statutory registration to identify children not in school. This would likely encompass children who are electively home educated and those who are missing education. Further details on this, …
Department for Education
4
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
The Committee’s view remains that a statutory register, serving to more consistently identify children outside of school, is absolutely necessary. This would aim not to remove freedoms from those who are providing an effective education for their families, but to better target support to those who need it. The register …
Government response. 9. The Government remains committed to a form of local authority administered statutory registration to identify children not in school. This would likely encompass children who are electively home educated and those who are missing education. Further details on this, …
Department for Education
5
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
There is no single definitive figure for the number of children and young people being educated at home. The numbers that are available are likely to under-report as parents do not have a duty to tell local authorities that they have chosen EHE, and studies often rely on Freedom of …
Government response. 10. The Government is committed to a form of registration for children not in school, but further details are yet to be decided, including how and what data would be collected. However, we would anticipate the Department to collect high-level …
Department for Education
6
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
Covid-19 appears to have driven a further rise in EHE numbers, the long-term impact of which is not yet known. During the covid-19 pandemic, some may have found that educating at home worked better for them. However, some parents may have chosen EHE without a full understanding of the responsibilities …
Government response. 12. Within the statutory suspensions and permanent exclusions guidance, we clearly state that the head teacher should draw parents’ attention to relevant sources of free and impartial information. This information should include: • a link to statutory guidance on exclusions …
Department for Education
7
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
Once the statutory register of children outside of school is up and running, the Department for Education must make use of it to collate, analyse and publish anonymised annual data on the number of children out of school so that the Department, local authorities and others are better able to …
Government response. The Government is committed to a form of registration for children not in school, but further details are yet to be decided, including how and what data would be collected. However, we would anticipate the Department to collect high-level data …
Department for Education
8
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
When a pupil is excluded from school for more than five non-consecutive days in a school year, the pupil and their parents or carers should be given access to an independent advocate to help them navigate the process. Families considering EHE should also have access to these advocates, to ensure …
Government response. Within the statutory suspensions and permanent exclusions guidance, we clearly state that the head teacher should draw parents’ attention to relevant sources of free and impartial information. This information should include: • a link to statutory guidance on exclusions (https://www.gov.uk/government/ …
Department for Education
9
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
There is clearly a distinction between those families who make a free choice to EHE, and those for whom it is not truly ‘elective.’ We understand that many home educators do not see off-rolling, exclusion or illegal schools as a problem of EHE. However, the fact remains that some families—especially …
Government response. 9. The Department remains committed to a form of local authority administered statutory registration to identify children not in school. This would likely encompass children who are electively home educated and those who are missing education. Further details on this, …
Department for Education
10
Recommendation
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
Schools should publish their permanent and fixed term exclusion rates by year group every term, including providing information about pupils with SEND and looked- after children. Schools should also publish data on the number of pupils who have left the school.
Government response. 15. The Department collects data on suspensions and permanent exclusions from all state- funded schools via the termly school census. This data is published in an annual statistical release and includes data relating to individual schools. The latest release included, …
Department for Education
11
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
Some children in those illegal schools prosecuted so far have been nominally home educated, with families misled by providers. Without the consistent and robust data on children outside school that a register could provide, we cannot know the true impact of off-rolling and illegal schools on children nominally receiving EHE. …
Government response. 9. The Government remains committed to a form of local authority administered statutory registration to identify children not in school. This would likely encompass children who are electively home educated and those who are missing education. Further details on this, …
Department for Education
12
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
Many children with SEND may be happiest educated at home, but this should absolutely not be a choice that parents are forced to make for lack of the right support. We accept that what begins as a negative choice can become positive over time, but support must be in place …
Government response. 20. The SEND system already provides mechanisms for ensuring that families have access to support. Local authorities are bound by statute (by section 19 of the Children and Families Act 2014) to consider the views, wishes and feelings of children …
Department for Education
13
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
In light of the evidence we heard on children with SEND, the Department must reconsider the potential for creating an independent, neutral role, allocated to every parent or carer with a child when a request is made for a needs assessment, which has the responsibility for co-ordinating all statutory SEND …
Government response. 20. The SEND system already provides mechanisms for ensuring that families have access to support. Local authorities are bound by statute (by section 19 of the Children and Families Act 2014) to consider the views, wishes and feelings of children …
Department for Education
14
Recommendation
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
We urge the Government to publish its SEND Review without further delay, and will look forward to scrutinising any proposals it makes.
Government response. 21. The SEND Review is looking at ways to ensure the SEND system is consistent, high quality and integrated across education, health and care to improve early support for children and young people with EHC plans. The review will make …
Department for Education
15
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
The SEND Review must address the need for consistent and sufficient support for children with SEND, no matter how they are educated. Access to Education, Health and Care Plans and the support they offer should not depend on being on roll at a school. (Paragraph 60) Elective Home Education: Local …
Government response. 21. The SEND Review is looking at ways to ensure the SEND system is consistent, high quality and integrated across education, health and care to improve early support for children and young people with EHC plans. The review will make …
Department for Education
16
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
Local authorities told us that they lack sufficient powers. It seems to us that the grey area in the Departmental guidance—where there is no legal duty for parents to respond to enquiries about EHE, but the local authority is entitled to conclude that education may not be suitable should those …
Government response. 22. EHE expectations on local authorities, other parts of the sector and parents was not part of the scope of the Children Not In School consultation and as such would not be included in the government response. 23. The Department …
Department for Education
17
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
Without a clearer definition of what a ‘suitable’ education is and what the threshold might be for intervention, local authorities have to rely on their safeguarding powers. We understand that, where powers are seen to be used inappropriately, there is a negative impact both on individuals and on relationships with …
Government response. 22. EHE expectations on local authorities, other parts of the sector and parents was not part of the scope of the Children Not In School consultation and as such would not be included in the government response. 23. The Department …
Department for Education
18
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
When the Department responds to the 2019 consultation, it must clearly set out the expectations on LAs, other parts of the public sector (including health and social care) and parents with regards to EHE. It should supply case study examples so that EHE families and local authorities have a clear …
Government response. 22. EHE expectations on local authorities, other parts of the sector and parents was not part of the scope of the Children Not In School consultation and as such would not be included in the government response. 23. The Department …
Department for Education
19
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
Although we were pleased to see that Keeping Children Safe in Education was updated during the inquiry, we heard that key guidance documents on safeguarding did not recognise EHE. It is therefore hardly surprising that that local authorities and others vary hugely in their approach to EHE families. EHE is …
Government response. 25. The Department continues to review all key statutory guidance regularly. We will consider including EHE in Working Together to Safeguard Children at the next review point.
Department for Education
20
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
The Department must revisit and revise key statutory guidance such as Working Together to Safeguard Children as soon as possible, so that they explicitly contain EHE within their scope, and contain clear and consistent messages for families, local authorities and others.
Government response. 25. The Department continues to review all key statutory guidance regularly. We will consider including EHE in Working Together to Safeguard Children at the next review point.
Department for Education
21
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
We heard that there is a lack of consistency in the approach local authorities take to support EHE. Departmental guidance is ambiguous and does not provide the necessary clarity on what is expected of them. Ofsted told us that for it to inspect home educating parents would be disproportionate. However, …
Government response. 26. Ofsted already assess a local authority’s EHE work as part of normal inspections of Children’s Social Care services. Specifically, an inspection would request the following information: The information the local authority uses to monitor the welfare of electively home …
Department for Education
22
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
The Department must assign Ofsted a role in quality assuring the delivery of local authority support for EHE and adherence to EHE guidance. This will require the creation of an inspection framework, based on the clarified guidance for local authorities and EHE families that we also expect the Department to …
Government response. 26. Ofsted already assess a local authority’s EHE work as part of normal inspections of Children’s Social Care services. Specifically, an inspection would request the following information: The information the local authority uses to monitor the welfare of electively home …
Department for Education
23
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
On the whole, local authorities did not see themselves as potential ‘inspectors’ in the Ofsted mould—even though the former Children’s Commissioner called for “at least a once a year, if not once a term” inspection. However, some local authorities would like more powers to see children and to establish whether …
Government response. 26. Ofsted already assess a local authority’s EHE work as part of normal inspections of Children’s Social Care services. Specifically, an inspection would request the following information: The information the local authority uses to monitor the welfare of electively home …
Department for Education
24
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
HMCI Amanda Spielman told us it was “very un-joined up” that children who were on a child protection plan and experiencing harm could be withdrawn into home education. We share HMCI’s concerns and call on the Department to ensure that children subject to a child protection plan are educated in …
Government response. 25. The Department continues to review all key statutory guidance regularly. We will consider including EHE in Working Together to Safeguard Children at the next review point.
Department for Education
25
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
The Department must clarify and strengthen the expectation in its 2019 guidance that local authorities make contact with parents on at least an annual basis, so that local authorities have the ability to see a child in person (at a venue of the family’s choosing) in situations where this is …
Government response. 28. The Department will review its 2019 EHE guidance for local authorities and parents in due course, taking account of relevant developments that result from the impending judicial review between Portsmouth City Council and an EHE parent. 29. As outlined …
Department for Education
26
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
The Department should provide local authorities with a set of clear criteria against which suitability of education can be assessed, taking into account the full range of pedagogical approaches taken in EHE, as well as the age, ability and aptitude of individual children, including where they may have SEND.
Government response. 30. Paragraph 9.4 of the Department’s EHE guidance for local authorities already details eight factors for local authorities to consider when determining whether education is ‘suitable’. Components as to how the term ‘suitable’ should be seen by local authorities.
Department for Education
27
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
We heard that parents receive more support from networks than they do from local authorities, but without the robust data that a register would provide we cannot know for certain whether everyone who needs support is able to access it. Furthermore, the evidence we received indicated a lack of mutual …
Government response. 31. As stated, the Department is committed to a system of registration for children not in school. Further details on its operation are yet to be decided but decisions will need to be made on local authority implementation, which may …
Department for Education
28
Recommendation
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
Given the rise in EHE numbers and lack of consistent support from local authorities, the Department should commission and roll out a national training package for all local authority officers with responsibility for EHE—developed with a wide range of stakeholders—so that those officers have a thorough and consistent understanding of …
Government response. 31. As stated, the Department is committed to a system of registration for children not in school. Further details on its operation are yet to be decided but decisions will need to be made on local authority implementation, which may …
Department for Education
29
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
Without large-scale, objective data, our understanding of the attainment and outcomes achieved by EHE children remains largely anecdotal. Despite assurances from the EHE community, we therefore cannot be sure that all EHE children get an education ‘suitable’ to prepare them for the next stage of their lives. Children’s voices are …
Government response. 32. The Department is committed to helping children and young people achieve the best outcomes in life, so they can realise their potential. While we can see the value of longitudinal research into outcomes of EHE children, we also recognise …
Department for Education
30
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
The Department must urgently commission and publish longitudinal research examining the life chances and social outcomes of EHE children in England (as a short-, medium- or long-term intervention), compared with those who have received a formal schooled education. This will need to include a range of short-, medium-and long- term …
Government response. 32. The Department is committed to helping children and young people achieve the best outcomes in life, so they can realise their potential. While we can see the value of longitudinal research into outcomes of EHE children, we also recognise …
Department for Education
31
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
The Government needs to act on the longstanding issue of inequitable access to exams for those children receiving EHE. The cancellation of exams in 2020 has had a massive impact on all students, but a particularly acute impact on those receiving EHE. With a register in place, it may well …
Government response. 34. Many schools, colleges and other examination centres accept private candidates for examinations. The decision to accept private candidates is a matter for the individual centres to decide in light of their specific circumstances and the needs of the students …
Department for Education
32
Conclusion
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
For that reason, we repeat our predecessor Committee’s recommendations with regards to public examinations. This seems reasonable in order to help EHE children gain the qualifications needed for future education, training and employment.
Government response. 34. Many schools, colleges and other examination centres accept private candidates for examinations. The decision to accept private candidates is a matter for the individual centres to decide in light of their specific circumstances and the needs of the students …
Department for Education
33
Recommendation
Third Report - Strengthening Home Educa…
The Government must place a duty on every local authority to ensure that home- educated children and young people have fair access to centres where they can sit accredited public examinations, with the Government meeting the entry costs for those exams. The Department for Education must also work to establish …
Government response. 34. Many schools, colleges and other examination centres accept private candidates for examinations. The decision to accept private candidates is a matter for the individual centres to decide in light of their specific circumstances and the needs of the students …
Department for Education