The Assistant Director for Education introduced a report about children being Electively Home Educated and provided information around the reasons why parents choose to educate their children at home. The Committee noted that the Education Act 1996 stated it was the responsibility of parents to ensure that their children had a suitable full time education. Where a parent decided to electively home educate their child the parent must inform the Headteacher of the school that the child attended.

The Education Social Welfare Service maintained a register of these children. A visit took place within two weeks of the parent’s decision to electively home educate, followed by a visit to determine the educational progress the child was making.

Members noted that the numbers of children registered as Electively Home Educated continued to rise, both locally and nationally. There was a 28% increase in the number of children registered as Electively Home Educated in Wirral in comparison with the previous year.

Over the last ten academic years, the number of children electively home educated had increased. At the end of the academic year 2017/18 there were 207 children home educated (108 secondary and 99 primary). The main reasons given by parents for educating their children at home were philosophical/religious reasons (68) followed by health reasons (31). 

The report included a summary of the issues around children electively home educated in Wirral which could be used to measure the impact of work undertaken in the following Wirral Plan pledges: 

·  Children are ready for school

·  Young people are ready for work and adulthood

·  Vulnerable children reach their full potential

Members asked a number of questions which were answered accordingly. Matters highlighted included the following:

·  Department of Education Guidance specifically advised that schools should not suggest Elective Home Education as an alternative to permanent exclusion but this did happen at times.  In such cases officers would check out parents understanding of their choices and if appropriate would challenge the school to accept the student back. In some cases this had meant escalating the discussion so that the Director of Children’s Services wrote to the Chair of Governors. Such challenges had generally been successful in resolving matters. The Director wrote to all schools regarding this issue earlier this year.

·  A new Elective Home Education Notification Form introduced earlier this year facilitated initial communication between schools and the Education Social Welfare Service when a child became home educated.

·  There were more applicants than places available at the Hospital School.

·  Officers challenged back at schools asking what they could do to support children suffering from anxiety. Figures to be provided.

·  Keeping track of children to ensure they received an education.  Quarterly visits to monitor the quality of the education being provided. If the standard was not adequate parents were told and a second visit was booked to ascertain if there had been any improvement.

·  The report had been requested by Members seeking assurance that the spike in Elective Home Education was not as a result of something schools were not offering.

·  Was there enough support in place for those involved in Elective Home Education?

·  It would be interesting to see how those being Electively Home Educated did in terms of their results and what results they had been predicted to achieve whilst in main stream education. Comparisons were requested for Members consideration.

·  Was there a mechanism to put something else in place if Elective Home Education failed?  Parents could be advised it was not working and that main stream school should be considered or that they use the Home Education Service.

·  There were examples of Elective Home Education being carried out very well.

·  Children being Electively Home Educated were scattered randomly across the Borough.

RESOLVED:

That the contents of the report be noted and shared with schools.