104 home-schooled children in Doncaster not receiving “suitable” education, committee hears

According to a report presented to the City of Doncaster Council’s overview and scrutiny management committee, 951 children in the authority are in “elective home education”.

This figure is significantly higher than the target of 500 published in the report.

Referencing the 951 children, councillor Leanne Hempshall asked council officers what the authority was doing “to support families” who have decided to home school their children.

Lee Golze, service director for locality and early intervention, told the committee sixty per cent of home schooled children in Doncaster have a “suitable education”.

He added: “104 children we know are not receiving a suitable education.

“We go out and see these families to find out why they aren’t able to provide suitable education and we can offer support.”

Mr Golze said the council can issue school attendance orders to make parents return their children to school if their education is not meeting required standards.

However, current laws mean there are situations where parents do not need to notify the council if they elect to give their children a home education – meaning there could be other children the council are not aware of.

Mr Golze said the authority believes the wellbeing and schools bill currently working its way through parliament could change the rules regarding notifying the council.

Councillor Glynis Smith said: “This worries me. Schools aren’t just about education. It’s about children being together and learning social skills.

“We saw as a result of lockdown what happens when children are at home with parents doing the best they can, but unfortunately not enough.”

When children returned to schools after the pandemic, there was an increase in the proportion of children not at the academic or social levels that would be expected.

Mr Golze responded: “I agree. It is a worry.”

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