‘The school system is broken’: Why more parents are home-educating their children (Published  by BBC 16 December 2024)

This article is so relevant to our child therapy service in Billingshurst in West Sussex where school attendance is often an issue

“Government statistics found that a growing number of parents have withdrawn their children from mainstream education in England. An estimated 111,700 children are being home-educated marking a 20% rise since last year.
Around 23% of these say their reasons for home-educating are a result of lifestyle, philosophical or preferential choices, such as religious or cultural beliefs or a rejection of an exam-based education: something that has long been the case.
But 13% of families now say they made this decision because of school dissatisfaction, including a lack of support for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and school bullying.
In addition, 14% say it is due to their child’s mental health.
Wendy Charles-Warner, chair of home education charity Education Otherwise, says that she is shocked by the increase in the numbers.. “Home education is not easy.”

A father Daniel says that this was the case for his son Toby.  Daniel has been home educating his son Toby for 18 months. Daniel says  “We had no alternative… the system is broken and does not cater for a lot of children.”
“I don’t claim to be a great teacher,” he continues. “But I’ve got enough creativity and inquisitiveness to find learning opportunities as we go.”
A typical day starts with 20 minutes of reading,  then looking at a storybook full of illustrations, then often activities such as gymnastics, ice-skating and forest walks.
Toby has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and requires a very flexible schedule, allowing him to spend a few minutes or a few hours on an activity, or learn “on the move” so he is not confined to sitting at a desk.
Two of Daniel’s older children, who are both autistic, are doing well at a special school but he says that Toby’s educational needs aren’t severe enough to qualify him for a place.