Amendment to the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill rather unexpectedly, given that we thought stuff about home education was going to be appended to the 21st Century Schools Bill, contains the only confirmed sighting of home education in the current bulk of legislative drafts, here proposing the establishment of an HE consultative body.

The trouble of course: the members are to appointed by the Secretary of State, and will therefore be viewed by HEors as a government quango. It is therefore hard to see how this will help to promote workable relationships between the state and HEors.

"Amendment. Lord Lucas:

311	Insert the following new Clause—

Support for home education

(1)	The Secretary of State shall establish a body to be known as the Home Education Consultative Committee (the "HECC").

(2)	The Secretary of State shall appoint to the HECC such persons as he considers appropriate.

(3)	The Secretary of State shall consult the HECC whenever he intends to make proposals that will have an effect on home educating families.

(4)	The HECC may undertake investigations into areas of policy or practice in relationships between the government and the home educating community.

(5)	The HECC may produce and promote guidelines and examples of good practice in relationships between the government and the home educating community.

(6)	The HECC may make proposals to the Secretary of State for changes in practice or policy of home education."