Agenda item

Report of the Safe and Strong Communities and the Prosperous Staffordshire Select Committees Joint Review Group

The Corporate Parenting Panel (CPP) had made a referral to both the Prosperous Staffordshire Select Committee and the Safe and Strong Communities Select Committee in respect of their concerns over potential vulnerability of Elective Home Education (EHE) pupils in Staffordshire. Following this referral the Chairman and Vice Chairman of both Select Committees gave consideration to whether there was value in considering this issue again after elements of EHE had been considered as part of the Children Missing Out On Education Working Group in 2014. As a result of the significant increase in EHE numbers, changes to many of the reasons for pupils becoming EHE, and changes to the EHE Policy, they felt a review would be beneficial.

Mr Paul Snape, the EHE Review Group Chairman, introduced the report. He thanked all those who had been involved and in particular those who had attended the inquiry day to help inform their considerations.

Members noted that the Review Group had been impressed by the time, resource, level of commitment and dedication shown by the parents they met who had elected to home educate their children. However they noted that those choosing to home educate for lifestyle/cultural/philosophical reasons, such as the parents that attended the inquiry, had reduced over the last three years. At the same time the number home educating to avoid risk of prosecution as a result of poor attendance had increased significantly, seeing a 27.4% rise over the last five years. There had also been a rise in the number home educating as a result of near exclusion (1.2% increase) and from emotional or behavioural difficulties (1.6%).

These changes were mirrored nationally and had prompted Ofsted’s National Director (Social Care) to comment that for too many children and families home education was not a positive option and led to children not receiving an effective education. The Review Group acknowledged that the majority of Staffordshire schools act in the best interests of their pupils, however they had received anecdotal evidence of parents being coerced into “choosing” to home educate to avoid prosecution and/or exclusion. They had also received case studies which evidenced instances of coercion. To help mitigate this one of their recommendations was to request the Cabinet Member make representations to Ofsted with regard to a mechanism being developed to take account of the reasons for de-registration and, where there was a disproportionately high number de-registering to EHE, consider more closely the reasons behind this.

The Review Group also considered the issue of unregistered schools. Whilst the local authority was not currently aware of any such schools within the County, they felt everyone had a responsibility to be aware of and report any concerns over potential unregistered schools.

Members noted the support given by EHE parents in helping produce the parent handbook for potential EHE parents and in training events for LA staff. They also noted and supported the County Manager, Targeted Services, in his proposal to develop an annual event to celebrate the achievements of the EHE community.

The Review Group Chairman shared his concerns over the reduced officer resource for EHE when compared with the significant increase in EHE numbers. EHE numbers had increased by two thirds whilst the officer resource had decreased by two thirds. Whilst acknowledging the financial constraints within which the County Council currently worked, the Review Group had felt that there was a need to consider ways to increase the resource to help address the significant increase in EHE numbers.

Members also noted the support for a national registration scheme for EHE pupils. Registration had been supported by the 2014 working group and was again a national issue with the current Private Members Bill introduced by Lord Soley on Home Education.

Several members who had participated in the Review Group reiterated concerns around the potential for schools to be coercing parents to remove children.  They also commented that the intensity of input and sacrifices made by the parents who spoke to them was to be admired, and recognised the positive results which had been achieved when EHE had been used to address difficulties around bullying or mental health issues.  In relation to the Gypsy Roma Traveller community becoming EHE a member pointed out that it was important to recognise and accept different cultures, and congratulated officers on the work undertaken to build relationships with this community.

The Select Committee congratulated the Review Group on their report and endorsed the recommendations for submitting to the appropriate Cabinet Member. As this was a joint review the report had also been considered by the Safe and Strong Communities Select Committee.

RESOLVED: That the Select Committee endorse the final report and recommendations of the Elective Home Education Review and agree its submission to the appropriate Cabinet Members.