Concerns raised over number of children home-schooled in Blackpool

Concerns have been raised about the number of children being home-schooled in Blackpool and whether they are getting the support they need.

The resort has some 600 children who are not in school, a relatively recent and sizeable increase across the town.

The matter was raised by Coun Anita Cooper during Blackpool’s Full Council Meeting on Wednesday June 25.

She spoke out on the issue during a report from Coun Kath Benson, the Portfolio Holder for Young People and Aspirations.

Coun Cooper said: “I was on a recent scrutiny (committee) when we were told that the average reading age for a person in Blackpool was eleven. I was pretty shocked by that.

“And with there being over 600 young people being home-schooled, teaching is a very , very difficult process. Of those 600 across the Key Stages, I understand that only officers – or are they called teachers – see those children.

“My understanding is that when it comes to exam times it is down to parents to pay for them to enter exams, because they’re not actually in a school.

“Now, two thousand pounds per subject is a phenomenal amount. And I wasn’t sure whether the home-school process was also subject to Ofsted. Schools, we know, are Ofsteded to the end. And in regard to schools, you’ve got equipment for science, craft design, technology, a variety of things. Home doesn’t provide the same opportunities.

“So my question to Councillor Benson is, are children seen more often and is that service under the umbrella of Ofsted and what is the attainment of children who are home-schooled?”

We do keep a track

Coun Benson told her: “You are right, if a parent does decide to home educate their children, they have to pay for their own children’s exams, that is the law.

“We’ve seen a massive increase. we do have a Home Schooling team that  go round.

“There is little they can do but they do check whether that education is suitable , the environment is suitable.

“We do keep a track, the School Admissions Team do visit, monthly ,weekly as needed, we have seen a massive increase.

“We are seeing some new reforms, relating to home education which will give us greater powers, as an authority.

“We already do have a database, which is more than most other authorities, so every child is tracked. Consent will be required if you want to take your child out of school if that child is subject Children’s Sec 47 or a Child action Plan. So we do have some extra safeguards.

“We already have had some conversation with the DFE but we don’t feel that goes far enough. They are going to feeding back to us.

“Children who are home schooled are the most vulnerable, regarding safeguarding,

“A recent joint inspection of the children’s services recognised those high numbers we do have here in Blackpool and the challenges we do have as an authority.

“Our safeguarding team are looking at data. We need to understand why we have got a massive cohort of young people being home schooled.

“Our home-schooling team are going to do some data, identify a cohort of 20 children

“What are the reasons, why are they being home-schooled? You are right, they are the most vulnerable children.”

She added later that she recognised a number of children were, in fact, home-schooled successfully.