Child writing in school book

Home-schooled children in Bournemouth may soon need to be registered

Councils, including those in Dorset, have raised concerns about the quality of education children are receiving outside of schools.

It is suggested that the register will help local councils to identify where the standard of education is poor.

The number of children being schooled from home in Bournemouth has more than doubled over the past 4 years, most recent council figures reveal.

From October 2017-2018 alone, there was an increase of 23.7% in the number of children known to be educated from home.

“As a Government, we have a duty to protect our young people and do our utmost to make sure they are prepared for life in modern Britain.

Education secretary, Damian Hinds, has set out the proposals in a bid to support parents who choose to educate their children outside of mainstream schools.

He said: “As a Government, we have a duty to protect our young people and do our utmost to make sure they are prepared for life in modern Britain. That’s why this register of children not in school is so important – not to crack down on those dedicated parents doing an admirable job of educating their children in their own homes, but to prevent vulnerable young people from vanishing under the radar.

Under the plans, it will be parents’ responsibility to register their child if they are not being taught in a state-funded or registered independent school.

The current guidance from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council states that if a child is already enrolled at a school, parents “must tell the headteacher in writing” that they want to take them out of school to educate them at home.

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