Agenda item

Elective Home Education

The Executive Director, People Services to report

Minutes:

7.1

The Committee received a report of the Director of Commissioning, Inclusion and Schools regarding Elective Home Education.

 

 

7.2

In attendance for this item were Joel Hardwick (Head of Commissioning, Inclusion and Schools), Andrew Jones (Head of Primary and Targeted Interventions) and Venetta Buchanan (Elective Home Education Advisory Teacher).

 

7.3

It was explained that Elective Home Education (EHE) had previously been under the remit of Education, but had recently been moved to sit with the Virtual School.  There had been an increase, both locally and nationally, of parents who were electing to educate their children at home, especially those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).  This area of work focused on ensuring that children educated at home were safe and well, ensuring that suitable education was being provided and ensuring that the school system was able to support all children.

 

7.4

Members of the Committee raised questions, and the following responses were provided:-

 

·                ‘Off-rolling’ was a recent development and work was being developed to combat the issue.  It was a national problem and a process had been drawn together over the last month which was family focused.  Work was underway to embed the new process.  An increase in funding for SEND needed to be discussed with schools.  A clear policy regarding reintegration to school was also needed and conversations needed to take place with both the school and families.

 

·                There was no evidence that families in Sheffield were being pressured to remove children from school, however, there was some anecdotal evidence.  Families were supported in their reintegration process with schools.

 

·                There was a large cohort of home educated children in Sheffield, but the Council needed to put in support measures that didn’t overstep legislation.  Parents could always ask for advice.  Parents were able to access tutoring and children at KS4 had access to Sheffield City College.

 

·                EHE was divided between children who were vulnerable and parents who wished to home educate.  The Council could signpost parents towards exam venues etc. but the final decision was with the family.  There was no requirement to enter exams.

 

·                It was difficult to monitor EHE as the rules around it were vague.  Families who withdrew children from schools were contacted as soon as possible for an initial information visit, but it was difficult to track as there was no set criteria to follow.  Parents with children who had never been to school did not have to inform the local authority, but some chose to and were offered support.  There was no national definition of a suitable provision.

 

·                The updated 2019 consultation had coincided with the work on the Virtual School, therefore no further comment had been made.

 

·                Non statutory guidance had been issued by the Government and there was support to make the guidance statutory.

 

·                It may be possible to look at a set of local indicators to measure performance of home educated children.

 

·                There was a need to have conversations with families to ensure that the right support and the right access was available.

 

·                Whilst some parents elected to home school, safeguarding was important and needed to be a duty on the Council.  A letter should be sent to the Secretary of State to highlight the issue.

 

7.5

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

 

(a)           requests that it receives information on the following:-

 

(i)              what percentage of home educated children are receiving suitable or unsuitable education

(ii)             what length of time, on average, are children home educated

(iii)            what systems can be put in place to measure performance of home educated children

 

(b)           requests that a letter be sent to the Secretary of State for Education in lieu of a consultation response focusing on safeguarding and vulnerability issues of home educated children; and

 

(c)           encourages schools to accept flexible/part time school proposals from families to help keep children in school.

 

Supporting documents: