Home Education briefing, House of Lords, 24 January 2018

The majority of parents who home educate their children do a good job and work well with their local council to make sure that a good education is being provided. However, we are concerned that not all children are registered as home schooled, particularly where they have never joined the mainstream education system or they have moved to a new area. 

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Key messages

  • The majority of parents who home educate their children do a good job and work well with their local council to make sure that a good education is being provided. However, we are concerned that not all children are registered as home schooled, particularly where they have never joined the mainstream education system or they have moved to a new area. 
  • The Local Government Association (LGA) has raised concerns that councils do not currently have the powers to fulfil their duties to ensure home schooled children are receiving a suitable education. In particular, this is because they have no powers to enter homes or to see children to satisfy themselves that this is the case.
  • Councils need powers to enter the homes of, or otherwise see, children in order to establish whether they are receiving a suitable education and meet their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. New duties on councils must be fully funded.
  • There also needs to be a clearer definition of a school to make it easier for Ofsted or the Department for Education to classify and close down illegal schools when they are uncovered.
  • A duty on parents to register home-schooled children with their local authority would help councils to monitor how children are being educated, and prevent children from disappearing from the oversight of services designed to keep them safe.

Download the full briefing

Home Education briefing, House of Lords, 24 January 2018