Voice welcomes home education review

Thursday, 11 June 2009 12:00 AM

Voice: the union for education professionals has welcomed news that the review of home education in England is recommending a national registration scheme for home educators and the right for local authorities to visit children taught at home - moves called for by the union's general secretary.

Giving his views on home education, General Secretary Philip Parkin said: "It is vital that all children receive appropriate and high quality education, whether that is in school or at home.

"There should be a duty on parents to identify where their children are being educated through some form of registration. Without that, local authorities cannot be expected to fulfil their duty to 'make arrangements to enable them to establish (so far as it is possible to do so) the identities of children residing in their area who are not receiving a suitable education'? If the authorities don't know where the children are, how can they establish if they are being educated suitably?

"I also believe that inspections by the local education authority should be compulsory, and parents should have to present the child and his or her work.

"There are many home educators who do an excellent job, but parents who are using the label of 'home education' to disguise absence of any form of structured education are those who give cause for concern.

"I am concerned about preventing abuses of the system where children slip through the net and end up not being educated at home or at school. Home education must not be misused as a cover for no education.

"However, many home educators are doing an excellent job, should be supported and should have no fears about regulation requiring them to register as home educators."

Notes

Home education page: http://www.voicetheunion.org.uk/homeeducation

Contact: Voice Press Office (pressoffice@voicetheunion.org.uk) on 01332 372 337 or 0794 871 0413.

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