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Independent Review of Home Education in England
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Department for Children, Schools and Famlies
Independent Review of Home Education in England
Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire about processes for supporting and
monitoring home education. Completion of the questionnaire is entirely voluntary. Responses will
be completely confidential and used only for the purposes of the independent review.
The Government is committed to ensuring that systems for keeping children safe are as robust as
possible. As part of this continuing commitment, an independent review of home education will
assess whether the right systems are in place for ensuring that home educated children have access to
the five Every Child Matters outcomes. This includes whether Government should do more to
support local authorities in discharging their duties in relation to home educated children. The full
terms of reference for the review are available online at:
www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/ete/homeeducation
As organisations responsible for ensuring the safety, wellbeing and education of children and young
people in your localities, we very much value your input into this review.
You may find it helpful to read through the questionnaire before attempting to complete it. Please
note you cannot save the questionnaire and go back to it at a later date. Therefore, if you need to
discuss responses with colleagues before submitting the form, please do so before attempting to
complete the questionnaire. Please also note that we ask that the Director of Children's Services and
Lead Member for Children and Young People 'sign off' the questionnaire before it is submitted and
you will be asked to confirm whether that has happened at the end of this questionnaire.
Thank you for taking time to respond to these questions.
Privacy statement
About your local authority
Q1 Name of LA
Leeds (Education Leeds)
Q2 Tel. No of main contact
0113 3952129
Q3 E-mail of main contact
Brian Hogg/ELS/LCC@Leeds_City_Council
Q4 Would you be willing to take part in the next phase of the research in February/March
(including in-depth interviews with key personnel in your organisation)?
yes
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n
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j no
Q5 Which team(s) have the main responsibility for supporting and monitoring home educated
children within the local authority and other agencies?
EOTAS (Education Other than at School) and Attendance Strategy Team
(Social Care/Asylum seeker Team for 6 children where school places have not been found.
Information from Education Protects)
Q6 List all teams / professionals involved in supporting home educating families
Integrated Support and Psychology Service
Parent Partnership Service
Pupil Planning Team
Child Missing Education Team
Travellers Education Service
Visually Impaired Team
Pupil Tuition Team
Youth Offending Team
Deaf and Hearing Impaired Team
Attendance Strategy Team
Elective Home Education Team
Q7 List all teams / professionals involved in monitoring home educating families.
Elective Home Education Team
Attendance Strategy Team / Child Missing Education Team
Traveller Education Service
Q8 Describe how you ensure collaboration and communication between these teams /
individuals
Half termly meetings and shared access to electronic information.
Data sharing and tracking.
Q9 How many children are currently home educated in your local authority of primary age
(Registered with LA)
46
Q10 How many children are currently home educated in your local authority of primary age
(Non-registered with LA)
4
Q11 How many children are currently home educated in your local authority of secondary age
(Registered with LA)
77
Q12 How many children are currently home educated in your local authority of secondary age
(Non-registered with LA)
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10
Q13 Total (Registered with LA)
123
Q14 Total (Non-registered with LA)
14
Q15 Are these figures accurate or based on estimates?
Accurate
See answers to Q16 and Q17.
Estimate
Q16 If accurate, where do you get this data from?
Accurate for those “registered” on electronic system and viewed through Crystal reports. Accurate
for non-registered known to be home educated but either unwilling to have involvement from the
LA or information not as yet received. No figure estimated of Non-registered who have never
attended school, moved from another area or where information may not have been passed on from
a school.
Q17 If accurate, how do you know the data is accurate?
Names of those registered have been provided by schools or Attendance Officers who inform LA of
children where parents have, in writing, stated they wish to educate their child at home and schools
have removed child from their roll.
Q18 If estimated, what data have you used to arrive at this figure? (List all sources)
Those parents said by schools / Attendance Officers to have put in writing their intention to home
educate but who have not as yet provided information to the LA about their plans for home
education. Those whose names have been passed on by the CME team where a school has not yet
notified the LA and parents have not yet provided information to LA.
Q19 How confident is the local authority in the accuracy of this data?
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j Very confident
Fairly confident
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j Don't know
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j Not very confident
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j Not at all confident
Q20 How often does the local authority get updated data? (List frequency for each source
separately)
Schools generally provide information to the LA when a child is removed from roll. A CME team
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member would also notify EHE team.
Q21 What proportion (as a percentage) of your home educated population is statemented for
SEN? (please state whether accurate or estimate)
5.7%. This is accurate for the registered EHE population.
Q22 What proportion (as a percentage) of your home educated population is non-statemented
for SEN (please state whether accurate or estimate)
94.3%. This is accurate for the registered EHE population.
Q23 What proportion (as a percentage) of your home educated population is from Gypsy,
Roma and Traveller heritage (please state whether accurate or estimate)
8.9%. This is accurate for the registered EHE population.
Q24 What proportion (as a percentage) of your home educated population is made up of other
Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups
12%. This is an estimate as it is an option for parents to provide the LA with this information.
Q25 Please list which BME groups.
Pakistani, White and Asian, White and Black Caribbean, Iranian,
Q26 Do you believe the local authority knows about all the home educated children in your
area?
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j Yes, we are confident we know about all home educated children in the area
We think we know about the vast majority of home educated children in the area
We probably do not know about a fair number of home educated children in the
area
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j We probably do not know about a significant proportion of home educated children in the area
Obviously there is likely to be a number of children who move to Leeds with their parents and who
have never attended school or who left a school in another LA. We cannot be sure that the LA gets
to know about such children.
Q27 Do you think that you will be better able to track children in your area in the near
future? e.g. planned changes to your own systems, ContactPoint, other system improvements?
Yes
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j No
Q28 Please use this space to add detail to the answer you have just given
The electronic Synergy Gateway system is to be introduced and will include access to Contact
Point.
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Q29 How does the local authority ensure families know about their rights and responsibilities
in relation to home education? (List all approaches used)
A Guidance and Advice document is provided to families by post and is available on the Education
Leeds website following parents’ request for information or when the LA is notified by
school/Attendance Officer that a child is to be home educated.
Q30 What support does your local authority provide to home educating families? (List all
forms of support offered)
Response to queries about EHE by telephone, letter, email and at visits.
Assessments of home provision and recommendations for revised provision undertaken during
home visits and identified in written report sent to parents following each visit.
Formal assessments of learning where parents agree.
Support for the integration/reintegration of a child to school
Information on how children might access formal tests/external examinations.
Assisting in discussing support provision as identified in SEN Statements.
Q31 How does the local authority let families know about the services provided to support
them in home educating their children? (List all approaches used)
Guidance and Advice booklet.
Through discussion at home visits.
Through assessment and monitoring activities.
Through their receipt of written reports following home visits.
Education Leeds website link
Q32 Following the initial assessment visit, are further monitoring visits made to a home
educated child?
Yes
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j No
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j Don't know
Q33 If yes, how often, on average, are these carried out?
More than twice a year
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j Twice a year
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j Once a year
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j Less than once a year
Q34 Please use this space to add detail to the answer you have just given
Frequency is dependent on the amount of support judged by the Home Education officer to be
required and the willingness of parents to follow recommendations.
Q35 On average, how often is the child seen when a visit is made?
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j Always, at each visit
Usually at each visit, but not always
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j Sometimes
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j Never
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j Depends on the child / circumstances
Q36 Please use this space to add detail to the answer you have just given
Requests are made for the child to be present but parents may choose not to allow the child to be
present or the child may choose not to be present.
Q37 If the child is seen, where is s/he usually seen?
In the home
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j At the home, but do not go inside
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j Another venue
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j Depends on the child / circumstances
Q38 Please use this space to add detail to the answer you have just given
Most visits take place at home otherwise at a local library.
Q39 If you are not permitted access to a child, is any further action taken?
Yes
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j No
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j Don't know
Q40 If yes, what further steps are taken?
A request is made to the parents for the child to be present at follow up visits. The Electronic
Information system is checked to see what contact/concerns others services involved with the
child/family may have. Discussion with Attendance Strategy team/CME team.
Q41 How is the suitability of the education provided to the child assessed? (Please describe)
From the information provided by the parent about the environment in which the child learns, the
range of subjects addressed, any guidelines/plans being followed, resources used to support
learning, description of teaching and learning, evidence of progress, evidence of addressing any
special educational needs, opportunities for social interaction and wherever possible form the child’s
own comments.
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Q42 Is the local authority clear about what the definition of a 'suitable education' is?
yes
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j no
Q43 Please use this space to add detail to the answer you have just given
The provision should be suitable for the child’s age and ability. It would address as broad a range of
subjects as possible and would meet any special needs the child may have. It would be described as
being provided daily for some period throughout the week. It would be monitored by an adult and
opportunities would be provided for the child to make as much progress as possible.
Q44 Does the local authority have systems in place to track the educational progress of home
educated children?
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j Yes
No. No formal, systematic recording using established criteria/standards/levels.
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j Don't know
Q45 Please use this space to add further detail to the answer you have just given
Progress is monitored from the information a parent provides in discussion, by viewing any written
work or through a written report that is provided by the parent.
Q46 Of the home educated children in your area of whom you have knowledge, what
proportion (as a percentage) in your estimation is receiving a suitable, full time (20hrs a week)
education? (Please describe)
40%. This is based on descriptions of provision asserted by parents and may include learning
outside the home.
Q47 Does the local authority take any further steps if a home educated child's education was
found to be unsuitable or not full time?
Yes
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j No
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j Don't know
Q48 Please use this space to add further detail to the answer you have just given
When provision is found to be unsuitable and parents appear not to be improving the provision,
following discussion, a recommendation would be made for the child to return to school. If a parent
is unwilling, the child is referred as a child missing education and a School Attendance Order might
be imposed.
Q49 Does the local authority face any challenges in assessing whether home educated children
receive a suitable education?
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Yes
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j No
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j Don't know
Q50 If you answered yes to Q49, please describe the challenges and what you think could be
done to overcome these
A parent’s description of the provision may be all that is offered. It would be helpful if parents were
always willing to show at least samples of work and resources used and how they assess and
monitor progress.
Q51 Thinking about your local area, in the last five years, how many cases have you come
across that use the premise of home education as a 'cover' for child abuse, forced marriage or
other aspects of child neglect?
3
Q52 Please use this space to add detail to the answer you have just given. Please include the
number of Serious Case Reviews you know about that have a home education element.
One child where there were safeguarding issues as a result of parental mental health issues. The
child has now returned to school.
One child was known to Social Care. The parents were unwilling to respond to correspondence from
the EHE and CME teams. This case was referred on to the Child Protection service.
One child for whom a case conference is to be held in the near future.
Q53 Do you think the current system for safeguarding children who are educated at home is
adequate?
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j Yes
No
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j Don't know
Q54 Please use this space to add detail to the answer you have just given
Registration regulations require schools to remove a child’s name from the roll despite concerns
about safeguarding. A parent may then be unwilling to engage with the local authority or with
Social Care. A child does not have to be present at a home education meeting. Children that are
educated at home have no/little opportunity for disclosure or professionals to spot signs/indicators if
they are living in abusive households (ie domestic violence).
The Visually Impaired (VI) Team currently have one pupil being educated at home, and have had
three or four pupils on caseload who were being educated at home over a period of 5 years. Some
points to note:
1. If the child has complex needs they miss out on services such as physiotherapy, speech and
language training etc which they would have in their SILC (Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre) –
[Community Special School]
2. It is unclear what the role of the VI Service is when the child with VI and complex needs is
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educated at home. The Qualified Teacher of the Visually Impaired does functional assessments and
attends Annual Reviews when asked, and often helps parents write targets, but this is not
formalised.
3. The Service has never known of the parents of a VI EHE child having any input from a teacher
experienced in complex needs and so there tends to be a culture of care rather than education.
4. Often (in all but one case) educational expectations are low when the child is educated at home.
5. Vulnerable children educated at home as they are not seen regularly by a professional.
Q55 Do you think that home educated children in your local authority are able to achieve the
five Every Child Matters outcomes? Please say why you think that for each of the five
outcomes
Yes in some cases but not in others.
Be healthy - Parents may say they cannot afford leisure facilities. They may not have access to
PSHCE information eg. Information on drugs, contraception etc.
Stay safe - Parents may say they have chosen home education to keep their child safe from bullying
and anti-social behaviour but a child may still become involved in anti-social behaviour particularly
if not closely managed during the day.
Enjoy and achieve - Parents may not always provide opportunities for their child to achieve their
potential as learners and having chosen home education may find it more difficult to engage the
child than expected. Parents may not be able to meet costs related to sitting GCSE exams nor be
able to prepare child for exams.
Make a positive contribution - Parents may not provide opportunities for child to develop positive
relationships with others in a range of social settings.
Achieve economic well-being - Recommendations are made for the parents/young person to contact
the Careers Service. Children’s names are passed on to the Careers Service where parents give
permission. Access to this service may be restricted after the child has reached the age of 16 ie. End
of statutory school age and end of Home Education Officer contact with the family/young person.
Difficulties for some in accessing libraries.
Q56 Do you think there should be any changes made to the current system for supporting
home educating families?
Yes
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j No
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j Don't know
Q57 Please use this space to add detail to the answer you have just given
Access to a registered centre to sit GCSEs.
Access to work experience placements and extended activities
See answer to Q54.
Q58 Do you think there should be any changes made to the current system for monitoring
home educating families and ensuring that home educated children are able to achieve the five
outcomes?
Yes
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j No
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j Don't know
Q59 Please use this space to add detail to the answer you have just given
Parents should accept at least a brief face to face meetings with a Home Education Officer where
child is present at least once a year either in the home or a mutually agreed alternative location. The
parent should be prepared to demonstrate their commitment to providing education at home by
discussing educational provision and the attainment and progress the child has made in the previous
12 months.
Q60 Has the Director of Children's Services and the Lead Member for Children and Young
People seen and agreed with the answers you have given above?
DCS
Lead member
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