HE Review - Panel Members

From Freedom for Children to Grow:

"This information has been provided by the Review Team:

Rationale

The independent review of home education will gather, analyse and interpret a wide range of evidence before it reaches any conclusions and makes recommendations to Ministers. It is imperative that the process is supported by a range of experts to ensure recommendations are rigorous and firmly rooted in evidence.

Role and remit

The Group will act as a ‘critical friend’ to the Review team. It will be used to cross check the interpretation of evidence and gain expert insight into key issues, such as the operation of current processes and practice within LAs; child development and the outcomes of home educated children; and child protection for example. It will also act as a sounding board for emerging findings and recommendations, ensuring they are based on firm evidence, are workable and will actively improve outcomes for children.

The group will not be asked to comment on drafts of the review report but may be invited to check specific parts of it, for example, aspects of the report that are pertinent to their area of expertise.

Input required

We anticipate that the Group will meet approximately three times during the course of the review (January – May 2009), with meetings of approximately 1-1.5hrs. Travel expenses will be paid.

Expert Group Reps

The Expert Panel

Area	Details
Early Years, home learning environment, child development	Professor Ted Melhuish, Birkbeck, University of London
Education / curriculum	Mick Waters – Director of Curriculum, QCA
Child protection / 3rd Sector	Delroy Pommell, Director, London and the South East, Barnardos
Safeguarding	Steve Hart, (HMI, Ofsted)
SEN	Jean Humphreys (HMI, Ofsted)
3rd Sector	Paul Ennals – Chief Executive, NCB
ICT / future technologies	Professor Steve Heppell, Trustee of NotSchool.net
Children’s rights	Sue Berelowitz, Chief Executive, 11 Million
Safeguarding	Professor June Statham, Institute of Education
Education	Professor James Conroy, Dean of Faculty of Education, University of Glasgow
SEN	Beth Reid, National Autistic Society

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OK, at the very least I shall be trying to contact Susan Berelowitz to tell her that when polled, a large majority of HE children say they would prefer not to see LA personnel and that of course, this must be given due consideration, not simply because this is only right, but also because it says so under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child:

"Article 12

1. States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child."