This in from the office of Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Bob Seely. Ed
MP Bob Seely is urging parents who home educate to take part in a consultation after he met with Islanders who do not send their children to school.
A Private Members Bill introduced by Labour Peer, Lord Soley, proposes that local authorities monitor the development of children receiving home education and to conduct annual assessments.
It also requires parents of home educated children to be required to register with the council.
Higher proportion of Home Ed children on IW
Bob said,
“I am supportive of parents who wish to educate their children at home and it appears there is a higher proportion who do so on the Island than nationally.
“It’s my view councils already have the powers they need to act in the rare cases where children are not being well educated at home, and that the focus really should be on making the existing legal arrangements work better, not on unnecessary new laws.
“However, the consultation is a useful way for parents on the Island to have their say and I hope they do so as the proposal from a Labour Peer will need Government support to have a realistic chance of success.”
Take part now
The online consultation has been launched by the DfE and is open until 2nd July. It can be found online. It is open until the 2 July.
On the Isle of Wight over 350 children are registered as home educated although there is currently no requirement on parents to register their children so the number is believed to be higher.
Image: goodncrazy under CC BY 2.0
