HED0574

Written evidence submitted by [member of the public]

[Note: This evidence has been redacted by the Committee. Text in square brackets has been inserted where text has been redacted.]

Education Committee – Home Education
Response to call for evidence by [name] (5/11/2020)ennongHenning

 

We are a 2-parent family, with 4 children [ages]. We chose to home educate all our children from the start. Our eldest went to 6th Form college and achieved 3 A* and 1 A at A’Level. The other three children are currently working towards taking some GCSEs and equivalent qualifications, as well as following other educational passions in suitable ways. Due to their age and abilities, we felt it appropriate to give them the opportunity to contribute to some questions. Comments contributed by some of them are asterixed.

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The Committee invited written submissions addressing any or all of the following points:
 

The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable—

(a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and

(b) to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.

The Education Act is clear that the responsibility for the quality of education a child receives lies with the parents, not the Local Authority.

As the Local Authority (LA) already has both a duty to safeguard all children (whether attending school or educated otherwise) & the necessary powers to carry out that duty (as already legislated for in the Education Act s436A and the provisions of the Children’s Act), I see no reason for home-educated children to be singled out as needing any further duties to be placed on the local authority.

November 2020