Latest news with #homeeducation
BBC News
22-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
New exam centre for home-schooled children in Cornwall
A new dedicated private exam centre being set up in Cornwall is set to make it easier for home-educated children to complete their new centre is called Kowel Gwenen, Cornish for The Hive, and it is being set up in Bodmin by teacher Chrissie Berry to provide more support to families navigating Council said about 2,500 children were currently home-educated in local authority said it was "great news" that the provision available to home-schooling parents and their children was improving. 'Anxious and stressful' Chrissie Berry, director of the centre, said previously the closest private exam centre had been in said: "The nearest main centre for students who are in Cornwall is actually Taunton, but for a lot of the young people who are home-educated or don't go to school for whatever reason, that's actually a really anxious and stressful situation."I mean, I think everybody can remember doing their GCSEs, or their exams, how anxious that is for everybody anyway."Tristan's 15-year-old daughter experiences anxiety and is tutored in English and Maths. She will be among the first teenagers to sit GCSEs at the centre next said: "For us, and probably with a lot of other parents, the challenge is trying not to change it too much, so we're in an environment where our daughter is happy."She knows the people, which is a big part of it as well for us. To have the exam centre here would be amazing." A spokesperson for Cornwall Council said: "The council has worked hard over recent years to encourage and promote organisations like this to develop provision to support these children and families so they can gain qualifications if they choose to do so."Local authorities do not refer or provide home education provision; this is the legal responsibility of parents/carers. "At the point that parents/carers advise us that they intend to electively home educate, we make them aware of their responsibilities and share information about a range of provision available to them across Cornwall."
Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Chess prodigies who don't attend school shouldn't be flagged to authorities, peer says
Child chess prodigies who don't attend school don't need to be flagged to the authorities because they have clearly received a 'sufficient education', a Tory peer has said. Lord Wei, a social entrepreneur and former government adviser, is seeking to water down new rules for parents who want to take their children out of school by creating an exemption for chess grandmasters. It is one of a string of changes the peer has put forward to limit the reach of Labour's proposed new register of 'children not in school', which aims to prevent vulnerable pupils falling through the cracks. Under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is going through the Lords, local authorities will have to keep a record of children in their area who are not attending school full-time. Parents will have to let their council know if they want to take their child out of school to teach them at home, or if they will be persistently absent from the classroom, and provide details of their arrangements. The change, first proposed by the Tories, is intended to build a clearer picture for the authorities following a rise in home education and concerns over 'ghost children' – those who have disappeared from the school system – during the Covid pandemic. But it has proved controversial with the home schooling community, with some fearing it could lead to more state interference. Lord Wei, who is also a co-founder of Teach First, has tabled a series of amendments designed to rein in the register and prevent councils harassing parents who home-school their children. They include an exemption for chess prodigies, based on the assumption these children are already receiving a 'sufficient education'. The amendment says: 'A child who has achieved chess grandmaster status shall be considered to be receiving a suitable education and shall be exempt from registration under section 436B.' The accompanying explanation says: 'This amendment recognises that children who attain chess grandmaster status demonstrate exceptional intellectual achievement. It automatically treats them as receiving a sufficient education.' Lord Wei also wants to exempt certain families from the registration requirements, including those who have successfully home-schooled their children before, and to forbid councils from badgering parents for information more than once per year. One of his other amendments would allow an 'educational portfolio' as an alternative to registration, offering 'a less intrusive way for parents to demonstrate their child is receiving suitable education'. It is unlikely that Lord Wei's amendment on chess prodigies will pass, but even if it were added to the statute books, it would only affect a tiny minority of children. Last year, Shreyas Royal, then 15 years old, became the youngest grandmaster in the UK. To achieve the prestigious title, players have to win a series of games, typically across several tournaments. Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, was a champion, if not a grandmaster, as a child, having caught the 'chess bug' aged seven. Rishi Sunak, the former prime minister, was also keen to promote the game when he was in No 10, calling it a 'great skill' that is 'really good for helping you think'.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Oxfordshire parents fear bill could erode home education freedoms
Oxfordshire parents and home education campaigners have said they are deeply concerned a new government bill will erode their Children's Wellbeing and School's Bill will introduce wide-ranging changes, including a register of children in England who are not currently attending school, as well as increased powers for parents have told the BBC they believe they should be free to choose the best educational options for their Department for Education said it supported parents' right to home educate when the education was "suitable" and "in the child's best interests". The bill has cleared the House of Commons and has had its second reading in the House of would give local authorities the power to require school attendance if the home is deemed an unsafe environment. Parents would also have the automatic right to home educate their children withdrawn if their child is subject to a child protection investigation or under a child protection government said the reforms were needed to protect thousands of vulnerable children. But Emily Thompson from Bicester, who home educates all five of her children, said it felt like "the first step towards eradicating home education". "I think it will strip away the freedoms that home educators have and it will force us to conform to national curriculum standards," she said."I don't think that's of any benefit to parents or children."Aime Miles from Kingham, a campaigner with Home Education Alliance, said the bill was causing huge concern for families who believe local authorities could force their children to attend school. She told the BBC that while some families choose to home educate for philosophical reasons, many opt to do it as a last resort, after being let down by the system."There are an awful lot of families who say they feel terrified, some are crippled with anxiety over this," she said."It's becoming a very horrible situation where we distrust parents to parent. "What we should be doing is supporting them in whatever decision they've made for the benefit of their child."Ellie Pirrie from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said the bill should not negatively impact home educating families. "It's about upholding parents' rights to home educate but also about balancing that with the existing duties of local authorities," she said adding that for the vast majority of families "nothing should change".A Department for Education spokesperson said: "We want children to have the best life chances no matter the education setting."That's why the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce new measures to help local authorities in their role ensuring all children receive a suitable education." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Why is home education on the rise in the capital?
Home education is a "positive solution for those who struggle with school", says 12-year-old Addison, who started off in school but is now taught at home. She is among the increasing number of young people who are home educated. The number of children in the capital being educated at home has gone up from 9,540 in 2022-2023 to 11,780 in 2024-2025, Department for Education figures show. Parents across England are choosing home education for reasons including lifestyle choices, religious or cultural beliefs, a rejection of an exam-based education or wanting to give their child more support with their educational needs or mental health, according to government data. "I can't possibly think that home education is a problem," says Addison. "There's many different reasons to home educate. It could be like you drop out of school because of bullying, or the school not working for you, or because you have special educational needs." Home education is where you can teach your child at home, either full or part-time, which is also sometimes referred to as elective home education. The biggest rise has been seen in Tower Hamlets, with a 63% increase from 240 to 390. Bexley follows with a 58% rise, from 260 children to 410 and then Barking and Dagenham, from 350 to 550 - a 57% increase. 'The school system is broken': Why more parents are home-educating their children According to England-wide statistics, released at the end of last year, about 23% of parents or guardians say their reasons for home-educating are a result of lifestyle, philosophical or preferential choices or to move away from exam-based education. Around 13% of families say it is because of school dissatisfaction, including a lack of support for special educational needs and disabilities and school bullying. In addition, 14% say it is due to their child's mental health. This is the first time the data has become mandatory, which the DfE said may account in part for the increase. A DfE spokesperson said: "In the vast majority of cases, children can achieve and thrive best in schools; but we support parents' right to home educate when the education is suitable, and it is in the child's best interests. "We want children to have the best life chances no matter the education setting." For Ben, who has been home educated his whole school life, he says it gives him "the freedom to decide what I want to do". "I basically do all of the school subjects but I like to do them in my own way," says the 13-year-old. "In English, I'm now thinking about the texts I want to do for my GCSEs." Under the Education Act, parents and guardians who are home educating can follow the national curriculum, but they do not have to. They do have a responsibility to make sure the education they provide is appropriate for the child's age, their ability and any special education needs they may have. There is currently no legal requirement for a parent to let the local authority know if they are educating at home. However, the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill is currently going through parliament. It has plans to include a Children Not in School register, so local authorities can identify all children not in school in their area and ensure that all children are receiving a suitable education. Elements of the bill also include provision about the safeguarding and welfare of children, support for children in care or leaving care and regulation of independent educational institutions. Ben says: "How do you distinguish between those who are vulnerable and those who are not?" Addison adds: "I think they don't understand what it means to be home educated and until they understand what that means, the bill won't live up to its name and it won't help children's wellbeing." A DfE spokesperson said: "High and rising standards are at the heart of this government's mission to break down opportunity and every child should have access to a high-quality education where they can achieve and thrive. "So no child falls through the cracks, we have already confirmed plans to introduce statutory Children Not In School registers in our Children's Wellbeing Bill which will help ensure every child not in school is identified, and that those who are not safe or not in suitable education can be supported." Beth Prescott, from the centre-right think tank, the Centre for Social Justice, says she thinks it is important the register is implemented in a way that "does not infringe upon their rights to home educate". "It is for those children and those families for whom home education might not have been the first choice and we want to find those families and offer them support, should they want it," she says. "For us, it is an extra safeguarding level for a very small minority of children where home is not a safe place, so we know where they are so we can help them if they need it." The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill will be back in parliament on 20 May. You can watch the latest edition of Politics London in full on BBC iPlayer Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to More families being 'forced' into home education Infant school to offer part-time 'flexi schooling' Home-schooling triples since start of pandemic Home Education Department for Education Centre for Social Justice
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Why is home education on the rise in the capital?
Home education is a "positive solution for those who struggle with school", says 12-year-old Addison, who started off in school but is now taught at home. She is among the increasing number of young people who are home educated. The number of children in the capital being educated at home has gone up from 9,540 in 2022-2023 to 11,780 in 2024-2025, Department for Education figures show. Parents across England are choosing home education for reasons including lifestyle choices, religious or cultural beliefs, a rejection of an exam-based education or wanting to give their child more support with their educational needs or mental health, according to government data. "I can't possibly think that home education is a problem," says Addison. "There's many different reasons to home educate. It could be like you drop out of school because of bullying, or the school not working for you, or because you have special educational needs." Home education is where you can teach your child at home, either full or part-time, which is also sometimes referred to as elective home education. The biggest rise has been seen in Tower Hamlets, with a 63% increase from 240 to 390. Bexley follows with a 58% rise, from 260 children to 410 and then Barking and Dagenham, from 350 to 550 - a 57% increase. 'The school system is broken': Why more parents are home-educating their children According to England-wide statistics, released at the end of last year, about 23% of parents or guardians say their reasons for home-educating are a result of lifestyle, philosophical or preferential choices or to move away from exam-based education. Around 13% of families say it is because of school dissatisfaction, including a lack of support for special educational needs and disabilities and school bullying. In addition, 14% say it is due to their child's mental health. This is the first time the data has become mandatory, which the DfE said may account in part for the increase. A DfE spokesperson said: "In the vast majority of cases, children can achieve and thrive best in schools; but we support parents' right to home educate when the education is suitable, and it is in the child's best interests. "We want children to have the best life chances no matter the education setting." For Ben, who has been home educated his whole school life, he says it gives him "the freedom to decide what I want to do". "I basically do all of the school subjects but I like to do them in my own way," says the 13-year-old. "In English, I'm now thinking about the texts I want to do for my GCSEs." Under the Education Act, parents and guardians who are home educating can follow the national curriculum, but they do not have to. They do have a responsibility to make sure the education they provide is appropriate for the child's age, their ability and any special education needs they may have. There is currently no legal requirement for a parent to let the local authority know if they are educating at home. However, the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill is currently going through parliament. It has plans to include a Children Not in School register, so local authorities can identify all children not in school in their area and ensure that all children are receiving a suitable education. Elements of the bill also include provision about the safeguarding and welfare of children, support for children in care or leaving care and regulation of independent educational institutions. Ben says: "How do you distinguish between those who are vulnerable and those who are not?" Addison adds: "I think they don't understand what it means to be home educated and until they understand what that means, the bill won't live up to its name and it won't help children's wellbeing." A DfE spokesperson said: "High and rising standards are at the heart of this government's mission to break down opportunity and every child should have access to a high-quality education where they can achieve and thrive. "So no child falls through the cracks, we have already confirmed plans to introduce statutory Children Not In School registers in our Children's Wellbeing Bill which will help ensure every child not in school is identified, and that those who are not safe or not in suitable education can be supported." Beth Prescott, from the centre-right think tank, the Centre for Social Justice, says she thinks it is important the register is implemented in a way that "does not infringe upon their rights to home educate". "It is for those children and those families for whom home education might not have been the first choice and we want to find those families and offer them support, should they want it," she says. "For us, it is an extra safeguarding level for a very small minority of children where home is not a safe place, so we know where they are so we can help them if they need it." The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill will be back in parliament on 20 May. You can watch the latest edition of Politics London in full on BBC iPlayer Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to More families being 'forced' into home education Infant school to offer part-time 'flexi schooling' Home-schooling triples since start of pandemic Home Education Department for Education Centre for Social Justice
