What is being proposed in regards Home Education

    The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is a new piece of legislation introduced to Parliament on 17th December 2024 which, if passed in its current form, will greatly influence how home education works in the UK.

    • Registration Requirement: Parents who home-educate their children will be required to register with their local authority.
    • Monitoring and Support: Local authorities will have the responsibility to monitor the educational progress of home-schooled children and provide support where necessary.
    • Data Collection: The bill aims to collect data on the number of home-educated children to ensure they are receiving a suitable education.

    For more information and background to the bill, please see the House of Commons Library, Research Briefing here.

    The parlimentary progress of the bill can be fund here.

    Arguments for: 

    • Child Safety and Welfare: Proponents argue that the bill will help ensure that all children receive a “proper” education and are not at risk of neglect or abuse.  There is no research evidence to suggest Home educated children are not already receiving a proper education.  There is overwhelming evidence that children in schools are suffering physical and mental abuse by their peers and teachers, hence the need for safeguarding in schools.
    • Educational Standards: It aims to maintain consistent educational standards across all children, whether they are in school or home-educated.  As Home Educators we know that the best education for our children is one which is tailored to our childrens own unique skills, talents and interests, not a standardised educational learning model/environment.
    • Support for Families: The bill could provide additional resources and support for families who choose to home-educate, helping them access educational materials and guidance.  Unfortunately this suggestion is likely to include “approved resources/learning material” and “approved ways of teaching”, all of which will infringe on our rights and choices to educate our children.

    Arguments against: 

    • Parental Rights: The bill infringes on parental rights to choose how their children are educated.
    • Bureaucratic Burden: There are concerns that the registration and record keeping processes could become overly bureaucratic and burdensome for families. As in schools time spent documenting is time away from educating.
    • Lack of Flexibility: Some believe that the bill could limit the flexibility and creativity that home education can offer, as families might feel pressured to conform to standard educational models not fit for their childrens educational needs.

    • Freedom for Children to Thrive:  Home educated children are the best evidence of the benefits of home education. When children are able to learn in a family environment which nurtures their unique skills, talents and interests to prepare them for success in society, society is better off. 

    Sending an initial response to your MP

    As a commmunity it is important that every home educating family provide their feedback and concerns to their local MP as soon as possible.  Offering to meet with your MP and/or inviting your MP to a home education gathering would help MP’s better understand how children in home education have, are and will continue to thrive, without the interference of government.  After all home educating parents and home educated children are the best argument for home education.

    On Wednesday the 8th of January the next reading of the bill will take place for this proposed legislation. Albeit this proposal is at an early stage, it is important to engage with your MP as soon as possible.

    Entre your postcode to find your MP and their email address, at the website https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP.

    When you email them, ensure you confirm that you are one of their constituents and include your full name and your full address.

    When you write to or meet with your MP, there are some points below you may wish to raise and if you put them as questions they are obligated to consider and answer your questions:

    • Home educated children already engage in a range of state provided and private organisations, including:
      • Sports clubs/Music tutors/bands.
      • Academic tutors.
      • Doctors and Dentists other health providers.
      • Other community groups, Churches/Scouts/Guides/Volunteer organisations etc.
        • What evidence do you have that suggests HE families are not engaged with existing public and/or private organisations?
    • Intrusion of the state into peaceful family life, namely:
      • Registration of children.
      • Introduction of a Unique Identifier that follows a child from birth allowing the sharing of all data including health & education.
      • State deciding how and where children should be educated.
      • Checking of homes to assess suitability to home educate in certain circumstances involving SEN children.
        • How will you ensure my parental right to choose how my child is educated is protected?
    • Unaccountable officials with limited to no Home education knowledge or understanding:
      • Home education and schools based education are often vastly different in terms of goals (education priorities) and format (methods used to educate).
        • How will you ensure LA’s are competent to assess HE methods and HE outcomes?
    • Burdensome administration:
      • Requirement to document all hours spent in education, supplying names and addresses of all tutors/teachers, details of groups attended and websites used.
        • How will you protect the privacy and use of this information both my families and all those involved in the education of my children?
    • Choosing to home educate avoids putting your children at risk of teacher and other children at school bullying, abuse and safeguarding concerns.
        • If my child is forced to attend a school against both my will and theirs, how do you intend to safeguard my child and protect them from physical and mental abuse by teachers and other children, when existing safeguards are failing children in schools?
    • US based home education research shows that home educated children are the same or better off in terms of academic outcomes, community/social engagement and wellbeing.
        • Please provide evidence which shows that there is a difference between elected Home educated and School based child outcomes?

    MP response follow-up

    A number of our members are reporting MP’s sending back standardised responses which are ignoring our key concerns. We have provided the pdf below as responses to the misdirection/misunderstanding of these MPs. Please feel free to use and help guide your interactions with MPs.  

    250108-Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill – MP reponse and counter points

    Submissions to the bills parliamentary committee (see MPs below)

    The video below was recorded on Sunday 12 January by Randell Hardy (HE-Byte), four days after the Second reading took place in the House of Commons. At the time, details of the Committee stage arrangements had not been announced.

    This morning (Monday 13 January) the Committee has published its call for evidence. Importantly, the number of sittings has not yet been announced and the date by which the Committee has to report has still to be revised. However, given the number of topics they are seeking evidence about, the current end date of 11 February this year is without doubt unworkable. They are seeking evidence on 17 areas of evidence, so it is likely there will be at least that number of sittings.

    The video below is in three parts:

    Part 1 – Parliamentary procedure
    Part 2 – Why give evidence?
    Part 3 – How to submit your evidence

    Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024 – Committee Stage Preview

    How to follow the bills progress

    To follow commentary of the bill as it progresses there are some useful links below:

    HE Byte has published updates covering various aspects of the bill which are very well worth reading:

    https://he-byte.uk/cws-bill-2024-england/

    Educational Freedom also has produced some excellent practical updates covering various aspects of the bill as well as a helpful template to write a letter to your MP:

    https://educationalfreedom.org.uk/what-the-heck-is-happening-what-is-the-childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-and-how-will-it-affect-you-a-home-educating-family/

    Home Education Action Group facebook page which provides a lot of very useful critique, content and discussion, with members posting their letters to their MPs which you could use as a guide:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeeducationactiongroup

    You can sign up for updates from both HE-Byte and Educational Freedom so that you can keep up to date with what’s happening as the bill progresses.

    Parliamentary Committee MPs

    These MPs make up the Bills Commons Committee and will be key to reviewing and updating the bill.  If you are one of their constituents we would urge you to write them.  We can all pray for them to understand Home Education and its benefits to our children and society.

    Additional Information

    8th January 2025 – UCB interview with John Denning (Head of Education) from the Christian Institute, regarding home educators concerns about the bill in particular our right to decide how our children are educated and our right to live at peace without state interference. Open link here, click play and fast forward to time 2:14:05

    Prayer points

    Please pray with us that our right as parents to home educate our children is protected. 

    Specifically pray for:

    • Every home educating family (and their wider contacts) to send an email to their MP with their concerns.
    • That MPs meet with as many families/groups as possible.
    • That MPs acknowledge and understand our messages collectively.
    • That MPs defend our right and the bill is changed to protect our freedom to home educate our children without state interference.