Concern as more pupils are taught at home

More than 600 children in Nottinghamshire were registered as being home educated in June 2017 — a significant increase from 373 children in September 2013.

The children and young people’s committee at Nottinghamshire County Council is calling for progress towards reducing the number, particularly those being home educated late in their school career.

Almost all secondary aged pupils are in academy schools, independent of the local authority.

Committee chairman Mr Philip Owen is also urging the Regional Schools Commissioner to look at the council’s concerns about how academies are being supported and challenged regarding children missing education.

Mr Owen said: “The county council remains statutorily responsible for ensuring that all children and young people of statutory school age access full-time education, with the exception of those who are electively home educated.

“When there are concerns such as when a child is without a school place, children on roll but not attending a school, pupils facing permanent exclusion from school, young people with complex lives who are missing from education, these are raised and the majority are resolved successfully.

“With regard to elective home education cases, it is clear that the majority of children are receiving ‘suitable’ education and they are safe.

“However, there is a small but growing number of cases where the education provided is unsuitable with potential safeguarding risks.

“Home education is an area that I would like regular reports on so that I have a detailed breakdown of the ages and reasons for parents and children choosing this option.

“I will personally be writing to the Regional Schools Commissioner requesting that he addresses our concerns when he visits the children and young people’s committee in February.”

Current Ofsted data suggests that of the 96,000 pupils attending Nottinghamshire schools and academies more than 90% are educated in good and outstanding schools.

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