Half of Doncaster parents avoid giving reason when choosing to home-school their children

It comes as the number of children in elective home education rose again in the final quarter of 2024/25 to 1,160 – more than double the local target of 575.

Rebecca Wall, service director for children’s social care at the City of Doncaster Council, said: “49 per cent of parents that choose home education pick the ‘other’ box and don’t want to give us the reason [they opt to home school their children].”

Ms Wall shared the figure after questions from the Church of England representative on the overview and scrutiny management committee, Antoinette Drinkhill.

It was made clear to committee members that increasing numbers of children in elective home education is a trend seen in authorities across the UK, but Ms Wall said there were positives in Doncaster.

“We have had no parents report to us that they felt encouraged by their schools to do home education,” she told the committee.

She said authorities across the country have found influences from social media, or recent contact with attendance pathways to have contribute to some parents withdrawing their children from schools.

It was also said authorities see Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities elect for home education around when children start sex education in year five and year six.

951 children were in elective home education to end the third quarter of 2024/25, meaning the figure rose by more than 200 in the final three months of the year.

In March 2025, Lee Golze, service director for localities and early intervention, told the overview and scrutiny management committee the council believed two-thirds of home-educated children to be in “suitable education”.

He said the authority knew 104 home-schooled children were “not receiving a suitable education”.

The council has the power to issue school attendance orders to make parents return their children to school if their education is not meeting required standards.

Families who have taken up elective home education are asked to provide evidence their children are receiving a suitable education on a yearly basis.

Council officers were also asked about a council overspend on special education needs and disabilities (SEND).

The new committee chair, Reform UK deputy leader Rachel Reed, quizzed officials on why the overspend had occurred.

Mr Golze said there were a number of pressures, including an “increase of 120 per cent” in requests for education and health care plans (EHCPs).

However, he told committee members the council was committed to making improvements.

He said: “We have a really clear plan. We are confident in the plan and committed and passionate in doing everything we can. Our vision for children with additional needs and for all children is to keep them at home, here in Doncaster.”