Hartlepool home schooling increase prompts concerns

Hartlepool councillors described a sharp spike in numbers as concerning

Concerns have been raised over a significant rise in home education in Hartlepool.

Borough council officers say some parents provide an "unbelievable" education, but in other cases there is no evidence of education taking place.

The council's children's services committee heard 55 pupils were receiving elective home schooling in 2019, compared to 186 this month.

Of those, 99 children began home-schooling this year.

The committee heard parental choice was the most commonly cited reason for children being educated at home, followed by dissatisfaction with school and health reasons.

'Huge responsibility'

Emma Rutherford, executive head teacher for vulnerable pupils at the council,  said although Covid-19 "didn't help", numbers were rising before the pandemic in line with a similar picture across the country.

She said: "If there are issues, we work with the school to do everything to support the child to remain in the school in the first place.

"Parents directly home-educating is a huge responsibility to take, particularly when you start getting to years 10 and 11 and you have to pay for exams and all sorts of things.

"It absolutely is a complex picture. We have some parents who provide an unbelievable education for their children.

"We also have parents who don't do that and we know that we don't have evidence that education is taking place."

Council officers are currently unable to ascertain whether 26 children in Hartlepool are receiving a suitable education, while there are 34 more whose parents will only communicate with the council in writing, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The committee described the rise in home-educated children as concerning.

Councillor Brenda Harrison said: "I think that the vast majority of schools in the town are affected by it in some way."