Concern as figures double in five years

The children’s commissioner for England believes some families are being “forced” to educate their children at home after a BBC investigation found the number making the switch has doubled in five years.

UK councils received more than 66,000 notifications of children being moved to home learning in 2023-2024 – up from 28,000 in 2019-2020, figures from liberty of information (FOI) requests display.

Dame Rachel de Souza said she was “deeply concerned” by the figures, adding that home learning was a last resort for children whose needs were not met by schools.

The authority said it was reforming the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system so more children received earlier help.

It has also pledged to introduce registers for children not in school so regional authorities can “better identify and help all home educated children”.

Elective home learning rose sharply during the pandemic and official figures will be released in December.

But ahead of that, figures obtained by the BBC through FOI requests reveal that:

• at least 66,496 children moved to home learning in 2023-2024. In 2019-20 the figure was 28,558
• the North and Midlands saw the biggest percentage rises in England. At least 10,453 children moved to home learning in 2019-20, compared to 27,502 in 2023-24
• children moving to home learning doubled in most regions, but more than tripled in the North East, and rose by 85% in the East of England

Dame Rachel, whose role exists to protect and promote the rights of children, said many families were turning to home learning out of desperation, not choice.

“I think it’s shocking to view how many children have been home educated because I know so many of them are not doing it because they want to,” she said.

“I’m deeply, deeply concerned. I think this is forced home learning.”

She added it was often children with special educational needs, children in the poorest areas and children at threat of exclusion who were being taught at home.

“They’re becoming electively home educated as a last resort,” said Dame Rachel. “They’re not getting what they need in school. I don’t think it is a beneficial choice for many youthful individuals.

“Many of these children are the lockdown generation who actually were at home and have found it difficult to receive back.”

Daisy, seven, from Somerset, has visual difficulties and struggled to view the text on worksheets and the board at school. She has a prescription of plus nine in one eye and has previously worn an eye patch to help save her sight in it.

In May 2024 her mum Sarah felt forced to home educate. “She was really struggling,” said Sarah. “She was refusing to go to school. She was unhappy, withdrawn and wasn’t succeeding.”

Sarah said Daisy was falling behind in reading and maths, and that her special educational needs were not recognised.

“She knows that her learning level is so far behind that most of the schools around here just don’t have the funding or supplies to be able to help Daisy,” she added.

Daisy said she likes her mum helping her at home, but wants to go back to school one day. “When Mummy drives former my outdated school, I feel unhappy, because I miss my friends,” she said.

However, Daisy said she feels happier and more confident since moving to home learning, and enjoys seeing friends through play dates and activity groups.

According to authority insights, there were an estimated 92,000 children in home learning in England when figures were collected in autumn 2023. This was the total number of children being home educated on that day, not just those recent to it, and up by about 11,000 on 2022.

That ascend was largely fuelled by families citing worries about their children’s mental care. However, those citing dissatisfaction with SEND provision increased at the highest rate – 71% – from 1,618 in 2022 to 2,760 last year.

The Department for learning (DfE) began collecting home learning insights in Autumn 2022. From October 2024, it became a mandatory need for regional authorities to share their figures.

“Our aim is to break down the barriers to chance, so every pupil has the best life chances,” said a DfE spokesperson.

“That includes making sure every child is receiving a suitable learning for their age, ability, aptitude, and any special educational needs whether they are in school or at home.

“We are legislating for Children Not in School registers so regional authorities can better identify and help all home educated children, and reforming the SEND system so more children receive earlier and better help to thrive in learning.”

The Welsh authority said while most children were best served in school, it recognised the right to home educate. It said home learning should be a beneficial choice, and where families choose it, regional authorities have a legal duty to ensure all children receive a suitable learning.

The Scottish authority said since the pandemic there had been challenges for some returning school so it has invested in a system of virtual head teachers to help vulnerable youthful individuals returning.

An learning Authority Northern Ireland spokesperson said: “Many factors may contribute to a parent’s decision to electively home educate their child.”