Lincolnshire: 'Post-pandemic anxiety' prompts home schooling rise

Post-pandemic anxiety was the predominant reason for the number of children being home educated, councillors were told

Anxiety over Covid has led to an increase of almost 50% in the number of pupils in North East Lincolnshire being home educated, councillors have heard.

Councillors were told an extra 94 children - a rise of 43% - were being home educated compared with a previous tally taken in October 2021.

A total of 313 children were in home education by 25 August, figures show.

The main reason was "anxiety, post-pandemic", said head of pupil support Jennifer Steel.

On Thursday, Ms Steel told councillors on the Children and Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Panel the quality of education when children were electively home educated "was legally the responsibility of the parent or guardian".

She said the council "offered support to parents", and stressed to families the "enormity of the task they're undertaking".

The split in the age of electively home-educated children was approximately two-thirds to one-third in favour of secondary school-age children, of whom 212 are electively home-educated.

The council has a neutral policy on the practice, offering support and engaging with parents, but not promoting home education, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.