New figures from the Department for Education point to a sharp rise in the number of children taught at home rather than in school.
Data from the autumn 2025 school census suggests that 126,000 children aged between five and 16 were in elective home education in England this week.
The Isle of Wight records the highest percentage in the country, with 690 home educated children making up 4.1 per cent of the relevant age group.
Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary of the National Education Union, commented on a House of Commons briefing paper that set out these findings.
Climbing numbers
He pointed to a clear upward trend across the country. He said,
“We are aware that the numbers choosing to be home educated have dramatically climbed in the last few years in England.”
The briefing places Blackpool second on the list, where home educated children account for 3.1 per cent of the age group.
The Island sits above it at the top of the table.
Figures remain estimates
Mr Shreeve stressed that the true scale of home education stays uncertain, because families do not have to register.
The paper itself acknowledges this gap, stating that nobody knows precisely how many children are home educated in England. It can only estimate the totals, since registration remains voluntary.
For that reason, the authors warn that their figures likely undercount the real number of home educated children.
Varied reasons behind the choice
The briefing also reveals a wide spread of motivations among the families involved.
Mental health accounted for more than one in six of the reasons given, while dissatisfaction with school made up nearly one in seven.
Parents gave no clear reason in one in five cases.
A path back to the classroom
Mr Shreeve argued that better resourced schools could draw many of these pupils back. He said,
“If schools offered smaller classes, more staff providing individual support, better access to specialist staff, and a curriculum that genuinely meets children’s needs, many home‑educated pupils might return to mainstream education – easing the Island’s falling‑roll crisis.”
