New package to support families

ENGLAND – Schools minister Diana Johnson has announced better access to qualifications and more support for home educated children with special educational needs (SEN), signalling the start of a new relationship between local authorities and families who choose to educate at home.

The commitment comes as Children’s Secretary Ed Balls sent the government’s full response to Graham Badman’s Review of Elective Home Education to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee.

The response sets out a new support package for home educated children, which includes better access to GCSEs, vocational qualifications and further education.

The proposed changes to monitoring arrangements will also make sure that the right checks and balances are in place so all children receive a suitable education, in a safe environment.
Key features of the new support package include:

• More flexible access to public examinations and exam centres for home educated children, so their parents no longer have to rely on ad hoc arrangements with schools or colleges that can be a long way from home.

• More tailored support for home educated children with special educational needs.

• Better support for home educated young people who want to go to college.

• Improved access to music lessons, school libraries, work experience, sports and other specialist facilities in schools and colleges.

• A commitment from the government to look at arrangements for flexi-schooling, so that home educated children can have the option to attend school on a part-time basis.