Flick Drummond is MP for Meon Valley.
The Prime Minister described a good education as “the closest thing we have to a silver bullet”, and he is right. Education unlocks the door of opportunity, raises aspiration, and sets children up for future success.
But it can only provide these opportunities for those children able to engage with their education. It is welcome that education ministers have repeatedly voiced support for a Children Not in School Register, but words alone are not enough – we need to take action.
That is why I introduced a Private Members’ Bill to legislate for a such a register, due for second reading on March 15, and why I have secured a Westminster Hall debate this week to discuss the merits of the proposal.
The Conservatives have delivered on education. We now have more schools that are rated good or outstanding, we have improved our standing in the international league tables, and monumental progress has been made in particular areas such as phonics.
But the pandemic left the education system grappling with huge challenges. Absence rates are at crisis point, suspensions are at record levels, and some children are falling off the school roll altogether.
The Government has faced these challenges head on, outlining an ambitious new vision for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision (AP) and piloting attendance mentors. Meanwhile the opposition continue to seek nothing more than political point scoring.
What is still of huge concern though is that no-one – neither government, nor local authorities, nor schools – can honestly answer the question of how many children are missing from school. No one knows how many children are not in school, where they are, what quality of education they are receiving (if any) or even if they are safe. This is not acceptable.
While we do not have the data to fully understand where these children are, or how many there are, it is thought many of these children not on a school roll are in home education.
I want to make clear that the fundamental right for a parent to home educate their child should always be enshrined in law, with many providing a high-quality home education.
However, research by the Centre for Social Justice has uncovered a growing number of parents opting for home education because they feel that they have no other choice, due to their child’s needs not being met in school. This could be as a result of unmet SEND, a lack of support for mental health, or bullying.
Most troubling is the evidence that shows some parents felt coerced into home education for reasons not in their child’s best interest, through the scourge that is off-rolling. Families are being left in the dark, deliberately uninformed about the consequences of moving off-roll and struggling to cope with home education.
This cannot be allowed to continue. As Conservatives, we must make sure all parents can freely and informedly choose how to best educate their child and that every child thrives in their education, whether in school or at home.
A Register of Children Not in School is the first step to achieving this.
To parents providing a quality home education, I want to reassure you: a register would not seek to disrupt your right to home educate or add extra burdens.
But not every child is in home education because it is in their best interests. Not every parent educating their child at home ended up there through pro-active choice, and not every parent feels equipped to provide the quality of education they feel their child needs.
A register will allow us to find and support those families who have been left on the fringes of education system. It wouldn’t change much for those families that are already doing an excellent job, but it would make a big difference for the small number of children who may be at risk of harm.
While Labour offers no plan for education, Conservatives can build on our success in driving up standards by backing my Bill and implementing the register. By ensuring all children can access a high-quality education, whether at home or in school, we will unlock that door of opportunity for every child.
Flick Drummond is MP for Meon Valley.
The Prime Minister described a good education as “the closest thing we have to a silver bullet”, and he is right. Education unlocks the door of opportunity, raises aspiration, and sets children up for future success.
But it can only provide these opportunities for those children able to engage with their education. It is welcome that education ministers have repeatedly voiced support for a Children Not in School Register, but words alone are not enough – we need to take action.
That is why I introduced a Private Members’ Bill to legislate for a such a register, due for second reading on March 15, and why I have secured a Westminster Hall debate this week to discuss the merits of the proposal.
The Conservatives have delivered on education. We now have more schools that are rated good or outstanding, we have improved our standing in the international league tables, and monumental progress has been made in particular areas such as phonics.
But the pandemic left the education system grappling with huge challenges. Absence rates are at crisis point, suspensions are at record levels, and some children are falling off the school roll altogether.
The Government has faced these challenges head on, outlining an ambitious new vision for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision (AP) and piloting attendance mentors. Meanwhile the opposition continue to seek nothing more than political point scoring.
What is still of huge concern though is that no-one – neither government, nor local authorities, nor schools – can honestly answer the question of how many children are missing from school. No one knows how many children are not in school, where they are, what quality of education they are receiving (if any) or even if they are safe. This is not acceptable.
While we do not have the data to fully understand where these children are, or how many there are, it is thought many of these children not on a school roll are in home education.
I want to make clear that the fundamental right for a parent to home educate their child should always be enshrined in law, with many providing a high-quality home education.
However, research by the Centre for Social Justice has uncovered a growing number of parents opting for home education because they feel that they have no other choice, due to their child’s needs not being met in school. This could be as a result of unmet SEND, a lack of support for mental health, or bullying.
Most troubling is the evidence that shows some parents felt coerced into home education for reasons not in their child’s best interest, through the scourge that is off-rolling. Families are being left in the dark, deliberately uninformed about the consequences of moving off-roll and struggling to cope with home education.
This cannot be allowed to continue. As Conservatives, we must make sure all parents can freely and informedly choose how to best educate their child and that every child thrives in their education, whether in school or at home.
A Register of Children Not in School is the first step to achieving this.
To parents providing a quality home education, I want to reassure you: a register would not seek to disrupt your right to home educate or add extra burdens.
But not every child is in home education because it is in their best interests. Not every parent educating their child at home ended up there through pro-active choice, and not every parent feels equipped to provide the quality of education they feel their child needs.
A register will allow us to find and support those families who have been left on the fringes of education system. It wouldn’t change much for those families that are already doing an excellent job, but it would make a big difference for the small number of children who may be at risk of harm.
While Labour offers no plan for education, Conservatives can build on our success in driving up standards by backing my Bill and implementing the register. By ensuring all children can access a high-quality education, whether at home or in school, we will unlock that door of opportunity for every child.