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Lincolnshire County Council hears of huge rise in parents choosing to homeschool their children




Unhappiness with schools is behind a big rise in the number of parents taking their children out, council officials say.

The number of parents electing to educate their children at home rose by over 400 to 2,314 in the 2023/24 school year.

Reasons included children struggling academically or emotionally in school, as well as unhappiness with policies such as homework or uniform.

Homeschooling. Picture: istock
Homeschooling. Picture: istock

Lincolnshire County Council say they’re working to make the school system inclusive for everyone.

Heather Sandy, executive director of children’s services, addressed the latest figures at a children’s committee meeting on Friday (January 17).

“There tends to be dissatisfaction with schools – we’ve heard about children struggling with the academic rigour, large class sizes, or their emotional-mental health,” she told the meeting.

“We’ve seen an escalation in that area, until the child feel they’re unable to be in school.

“Perhaps the parent doesn’t like the school’s approach to uniform or homework.

“There’s also the philosophically-committed group for whom this is a lifestyle choice.

“Then you have a very small cohort removing the children so they’re not visible to services.”

She said it was difficult to say whether this last group was a concern, as parents have a legal right to do so.

She told the meeting: “We are working with the school system to make it inclusive for all needs.

“Many families are well organised and have plans – but others are doing it out of desperation because their children aren’t thriving, and that’s a worry for us.”

The number of registered home-educated children in Lincolnshire has nearly doubled since the 2020/21 school year.

There are now 529 primary school-aged children, and 1,785 secondary school-aged.

Councillors expressed concern that children withdrawn from education could become more vulnerable, referencing the tragic death of Sara Sharif whose father and step-mother were convicted of her murder.

Dr Emile van der Zee, who sits on the committee as a school governor, said: “I’m concerned by the large increase – there are no Ofsted inspectors going to these homes.

“We’ve seen in the case of Sara Sharif that reasons for homeschooling can also be sinister.”

Coun Tom Smith (Con) argued: “Parents must be allowed to say how they educate their children.

“We should give them support where they ask for it, and we shouldn’t be intrusive where we don’t need to be.”

Do you homeschool your child? Share your story by emailing: news@lincsonline.co.uk



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