“I am researching Elective Home Education and would be very grateful if you could assist by providing the following information:-
1) Does your Local Education Authority (LEA) operate a voluntary registration scheme for pupils undergoing elective home education (EHE)?
Voluntary registration is available for children who have never attended school.
2) Does your LEA operate a compulsory registration scheme for pupils undergoing EHE?
All children and young people who have been on a school roll and then become home educated are initially recorded as ‘registered.’ However, if the family subsequently do not wish to engage with the EHE Service they would be recorded as ‘not registered’. Additionally, any child or young person whose parent chooses to engage with our service but has not been on a school roll would be recorded as ‘registered’.
Children and young people who have never been on a school roll and the family choose not to engage with the EHE Service but are known to the EHE Service would be recorded as ‘non-registered’.
3) What guidance does your LEA provide with regards to EHE? (please provide link to any online guidance)
www.babcockldp.co.uk/ehe – EHE Information booklet available for parents.
In each of the last 5 years for which you have data:-
4) In how many cases of EHE have you investigated (under s.436A of the Education Act 1996 or otherwise) to find if children are receiving suitable education?
Information not held. Devon offers all new home educating families an initial visit to assess whether suitable plans are in place for their child’s education and then further visits are offered if additional support is required.
5) How many school attendance orders have been issued with regard to children found to be receiving unsuitable EHE (or who have been claimed to be receiving EHE)?
We have collated data for the number of School Attendance Orders from 2015/16, prior to this figures were not collated.
Devon County Council (DCC) is unable to provide these figures under Section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 – ‘Personal Information’. This is because the numbers for each year are 5 or less meaning that release could lead to the identification of the individual(s) concerned which would breach the Data Protection Act principles.
6) How many school attendance orders have been issued with regard to children found to be attending illegal (unregistered schools)?
None