Significant reduction in numbers of home educated children as schools return to normal

Numbers of home educated children fall by nearly 7.5% between 7th April and the 1st October 2021

Media reports promoting false narrative from ministers, members of both houses and public bodies continue to propound the notion of rising numbers of home educated children as a concern requiring mandatory registration. 'Home Education Trends Post Lockdown' shatters the myth and reports a drop in numbers of nearly 7.5%: 

Between 7th April and the 1st October 2021 there was a 7.4% fall in numbers of home educated children in England from 78,184 to 72,394. Main reasons cited by parents for home educating their child continue to relate to specific educational failure of schools and matters relating to welfare and well-being.

Divides between home educating families and public bodies continue to be driven by the propagation of false narratives by public bodies.

Despite data confirming a net decline in the numbers of home educated children, public bodies continue a rhetoric of rising numbers. Public bodies continue to conflate safeguarding’ concerns with the false narrative of rising numbers of children being home educated. Covid 19 continues to be a factor in decisions to home educate. Media and public body hyperbole continues to be inaccurate, misleading and framed in unsupported narratives of concern, with little attention being given to reasons to home educate inherent within school failures. Home educating families report having lost trust in public bodies and continue to feel a sense of professional ‘gaslighting’ and institutional confirmation bias. Parents seek recognition of home education as a different and equal essential choice for many children.

Press release distributed by Pressat on behalf of Education Otherwise Association, on Monday 20 December, 2021. For more information subscribe and follow pressat.co.uk/