Portsmouth home-schoolers sue over council 'threats'

Portsmouth Home Education Group said the council was trying to force children into mainstream schools

Home-schooling parents who say they have been "threatened" by a council have applied for a judicial review of the authority's policies and behaviour.

The group said Portsmouth City Council (PCC) had treated some parents as "criminals" for choosing not send their children to mainstream schools.

It has raised more than £30,000 towards legal costs through an online appeal.

The authority has previously said it had a duty to ensure that children receive a suitable education.

Vicky Campbell said the council had refused to accept evidence that she was properly home-schooling her son

Portsmouth Home Education Group said more than a third of home educators had received legal notices from the council since September.

One group member, Vicky Campbell, a qualified teacher, said the authority had refused to accept more than 50 pages of evidence that she was providing a suitable education for her son.

Christina Goodred, who filed the judicial review, said: "We have had threats of legal action in an attempt to force us into sending our children into school."

Another parent, Kayleigh Barton, previously said: "PCC refuse to answer questions and will not be specific about what is unsatisfactory, they simply keep demanding more."

Home education charity Education Otherwise said: "PCC has repeatedly served criminal process on decent and law-abiding families in the city."

Secretary Wendy Charles-Werner said the court case was based on the council's "failure to provide any detail of concerns".

She said the council had declared that parents' "written reports do not provide enough evidence of a suitable education", which contravened national guidance.

Portsmouth City Council has 21 days to respond to the parents' High Court application.

The authority, which has been approached for comment, previously said: "We work closely with families who are home-educating and the majority of parents demonstrate that they are providing that education."