Select committee: Education Committee

Recommendation 32

Third Report - Strengthening Home Education Published 26 Jul 2021 Paragraph 123 Addressed to Department for Education
Recommendation (the committee's words)
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.

From: Education Committee, Third Report - Strengthening Home Education (HC 84), paragraph 123, 26 July 2021

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 26 October 2021 (deadline 26 September 2021).

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government supports parents' right to home educate and "remains committed" to a form of registration for children not in school, but declines or only considers further several of the Committee's other recommendations.

  • On registration, the Government "remains committed to a form of local authority administered statutory registration"; further details will be in its response to the Children Not In School consultation, "published in the coming months".
  • On a centralised definition of 'suitable' education, the Department "remains of the view" that this would not be in the interests of home educating children, families or local authorities, though it "may be an area the Department considers further" at its next guidance review.
  • On an independent SEND coordinating role, the Government states: "We therefore do not consider it necessary to create an additional role in this area."
  • On longitudinal research into EHE outcomes, the Department "can see the value" but notes challenges, and "will review potential approaches again" after the consultation response is published.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error