(UK) Nottinghamshire: Home school numbers double in 4 yrs; special needs not met in school

May 31, 2018, (UK) Nottinghamshire Post: Worry over increasing number of home school educated children in Nottinghamshire https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/worry-over-increasing-number-home-1628986 The number of home school educated children in Nottinghamshire has doubled in the last four years. The figures have alarmed the council’s chairman for children and young people’s services, who has written to the Secretary of State for Education outlining the serious concerns over the increasing numbers of children and young people being withdrawn from mainstream education to be home educated. In his letter to Damian Hinds MP sent this week, Councillor Philip Owen has also pressed the minister for the urgent mandatory registration of all home educated pupils. Councillor Owen said: “There has been an alarming rise in the numbers - in September 2017, 523 children in the county were registered as home educated, but as Year 11 students get set to leave school, this figure has risen to 714, with total numbers more than doubling in under four years. … “In the majority of cases, where parents and carers choose to school their child at home, known as elective home education – the education is suitable and the children and young people are safe.... In terms of safeguarding, the council has identified a significant number of pupils over the last two years who have been withdrawn from school for a range of inappropriate reasons which include persistent low attendance, unresolved bullying, and social, emotional, mental health or special educational needs which are not met…. Councillor Owen added: “If the numbers of home educated children and young people continue to grow exponentially, we will need additional resources to monitor the suitability of education and to fulfil our statutory duty.”