This is a summary of home education mentioned in Ofsted children’s services inspection reports from January to August 2017
In April 2015 Ofsted briefed its inspectors about home education. The briefing said
“It is crucial that inspectors take the following into account during single inspections:
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Ofsted does not have a mandate to inspect the quality of EHE.
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The statutory duty on LAs to identify as far as possible those children not receiving a suitable education does not extend to home-educated children; LAs do not have a duty to evaluate the quality of the education provided for home educated children – e.g. through routine visits – although they may intervene if it appears that the education is unsuitable.
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Home visits may only take place with the consent of the parent, unless there is a safeguarding concern which would justify the use of safeguarding powers to carry out a home visit whatever the child’s mode of education
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The guidance does, however, encourage LAs as a matter of good practice to build positive relationships with home educators; this is likely to increase access to educational support for children and parents when they need it and provide a sound basis for responding to any concerns that may arise
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The departmental guidelines on EHE explain that LAs should provide accessible, clear written information that sets out the legal position, roles and responsibilities of LAs and parents in relation to EHE. They can provide advice and support services, and may offer a registration facility but this must be voluntary.”
I monitor all Ofsted inspection reports published. The first collection of quotes about home education from June 2015 to January 2016 can be found here. Quotes from February to December 2016 are here. This blog post represents a follow-up.
To see exactly what the inspectors said, click on “MORE”.
Worcestershire, 24/1/17, Good procedures and practices ensure children who are home educated are visited and offered further support through a range of resources signposted by the local authority to enhance learning experiences, overall grade Inadequate, MORE OFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
York, 7/2/17, home education not mentioned in report, overall grade Good, MORE
South Gloucestershire, 3/2/17, Annual visits; children spoken to; progress monitored; LA has up to date home education register; Safeguarding concerns are followed up; But information is not collected for post-16 destinations (also mentioned for Cornwall), overall grade Inadequate, MORE OFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Leicestershire, 13/2/17, monitoring visits or telephone contact to check on education; prioritises visits to families considered vulnerable, overall grade Requires Improvement, MORE
Rutland, 13/2/17, LA has appropriate procedures to check on welfare and education of home educated children; parents agree to annual visit to check curriculum, overall grade Requires Improvement, MORE
East Riding, 13/2/17, LA is in touch with all known home educated children; monitoring education progress and child safety; supportive home visits, overall grade Good, MORE
Sutton, 13/2/17, home education not mentioned in report, overall grade Good,
Wigan, 31/3/17, Detailed up to date records for home educated children; managers have clear picture of children’s whereabouts and take active steps to ensure appropriate education, overall grade Good, MORE
Wolverhampton, 31/3/17, Children who are electively home educated are monitored effectively; LA in touch with all families; regular reviews to track children’s progress, overall grade Good, MORE
Harrow, 31/3/17, Liaison and information sharing with schools families and other services results in fewer choosing home education when may not be in individual best interests of child, overall grade Good, MORE
Tower Hamlets, 7/4/17, effective systems to monitor home educated children; LA keeps in touch with almost all families, overall grade Inadequate, MORE OFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Redcar and Cleveland, 7/4/17, Robust systems in place to support children who are home educated and to monitor quality of provision; names cross-referenced with data held by vulnerable exploited missing and trafficked [VEMT] group, overall grade Requires Improvement, MORE
Bedford, 7/4/17, Maintains comprehensive records and undertakes appropriate safeguarding checks, overall grade Requires Improvement, MORE
GAP IN PUBLICATION DURING GENERAL ELECTION
Coventry, 13/6/17, Effective arrangements in place to support home educated children including undertaking appropriate checks, overall grade Requires Improvement (moved out of Inadequate June 2017), MORE OFSTED PREVIOUSLY RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE WAS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Knowsley, 13/6/17, Home educated children are well monitored, overall grade Requires Improvement (moved out of Inadequate June 2017), MORE OFSTED PREVIOUSLY RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE WAS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Southwark, 13/6/17, LA has good information on home educated children; safeguarding board has audited frontline home education practice, overall grade Good, MORE
Derby City, 13/6/17, LA maintains comprehensive records and complies with statutory guidance [sic] by undertaking annual home visits; safeguarding board scrutinised home education arrangements and chair (who also chairs Rotherham LSCB where services were removed from council control) wrote to DfE, overall grade Good, MORE
North Tyneside, 13/6/17, parents encouraged to register; home visits offered; checks for safety and quality of provision; advice on most suitable education, overall grade Good, MORE
Gloucestershire, 13/6/17, maintains thorough records; high number home educated; LA working with schools to try and reduce numbers, overall grade Inadequate, MORE OFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Kent, 13/6/17, home education not mentioned in report, overall grade Good,
Barnet, 7/7/17, Accurate record of numbers; keeps in touch with all families and visits most; Bizarre comment about hours of learning which does NOT apply to elective home education, overall grade Inadequate, MORE OFSTED RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE IS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Bath and North East Somerset, 7/7/17, LA makes good efforts to stay in touch with families, overall grade Good, MORE
Newcastle, 7/7/17, recently increased visits to families to check on education and safety, overall grade Requires Improvement, MORE
West Berkshire, 7/7/17, home education not mentioned in report, overall grade Good, OFSTED PREVIOUSLY RATED THIS LA INADEQUATE, SO THERE WAS A REGIME OF QUARTERLY MONITORING VISITS AND INTERVENTION. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Islington, 14/7/17, annual visits from qualified teacher; robust oversight contributes to families engaging, overall grade Good, MORE
Bracknell Forest, 14/7/17, home education not mentioned in report, overall grade Good,
Warwickshire, 14/7/17, home education not mentioned in report, overall grade Requires Improvement,
Central Bedfordshire, 25/8/17, home visits + information pack to help parents, overall grade Good, MORE
Merton, 25/8/17, no mention of home education, overall grade Good,
North Somerset, 25/8/17, no mention of home education, overall grade Requires Improvement,
Stockport, 25/8/17, good support and oversight; parents encouraged to register; home visit offered to ensure child safe and assess quality of provision, overall grade Good, MORE
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