Doncaster
Important update!
May 2012
It has been brought to our attention at AHEd that Doncaster has improved greatly - we now await an update report by someone on the ground locally - meanwhile - take heart that things have improved and check with up-to-date locals - and even if you read a negative report here, never let that put you off HE - there is plenty of support in the HE community to cope with ANY type of LA! If you don't have contact details for local HE networks -just ask us here
a page for information, news and comment in Doncaster
related links:
Meeting the LA Education Department
Guidance on improving LEAs
EHE consultation response
Personal Details
Name: Richard lball
Email: susan.french@doncaster.gov.uk
Address: Floor 5 The Council House College Road Doncaster
DN1 3AD
Organisation: Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council - Education
Standards
Response on Behalf of an
organisation: Yes
Keep response confidential: No
Allowed to contact in the future: Yes
Request a response
acknowledgement: Yes
Request to be informed when the
consultation results are
published: Yes
Respondent Information Questions
Which of the following best describes you:
Local authority
Answer/Comments
I am the Consultant for Education at Home for the DMBC. It is my responsibility to ensure that parents are advised of their rights and responsibilities and are providing adequate education for their children.
Consultation Questions
1 Do you agree that it is helpful for the DES to issue guidelines to local authorities?
Yes
Answer/Comments
Such a document is to be warmly welcomed as it ought to contribute to LAs working in more informed and similar ways and advise all other parties about what is good practice and reasonable in the eyes of the DfES and the law.
Because of this it is really essential that the Guidelines highlight all relevant matters and take note of recent surveys and reports.
It is extremely disappointing that the matters in the Report about Traveller Education and the Recent Survey of some LAs are studiously ignored and that the DfES has refused to change any of the monitoring arrangements or legislative requirements. This is both disappointing and a serious error. A rare opportuinity for developing greater clarity and so better provision for thousands of children is being missed.
2 Do you agree that the description of the law (paragraphs 2.1-2.3) relating to elective home education is accurate and clear?
No
Answer/Comments
2.1 is fine
2.2 is fine
2.3 is a serious disappointment as it mentions a few points of Case Law but omits many important matters. I wonder why? Either a much longer and detailed Annex of Case Law must be added or this section needs to be expanded to include, for example:
1. more in the area of what is a legally 'suitable' education as, I gather, the Case Law about suitability mentions 'prepares children for life in a modern civilised society and enables them to achieve their full potential'. These are VERY KEY matters the LAs have to consider and will drive how we approach our work on behalf of children. All parties need to know this.
2. I understand that in Harrison v Stevenson (1981) it was said that education is 'the development of mental powers and character and the acquisition of knowledge through the imparting of skills and learning by systematic instruction'. If this is the case, this is VERY relevant.
My point is that this section is weak and must be amended.
3 Do you agree that the description of local authorities' responsibilities (paragraphs 2.5-2.11) is accurate and helpful?
No
Answer/Comments
2.5 is fine but 'reasonable progress' is not defined in any way unless it is informed by the Case Law mentioned above.
2.6 is clear
2.7 This is not helpful. I do hope that you know that the fact is that if LAs do not make original and then routine enquiries there are MANY children who would not receive anything that approaches a suitable education. It would be more helpful to make it plain that LAs may reasonably have the view that if they have no information about what is being provided, they may assume it to be unsuitable. Such a view was stated by Lord Donaldson (Philips & Brown 1980) 'if parents give no information or adopt the course .....of merely stating that they are discharging their duty without giving any details of how they are doing so, the LEA will have to consider and decide whether it 'appears' that the parents are in breach of s36). This is extremely relevant to both parties and ought to be quoted.
Many of us on a daily basis see very inadequate education being provided and parents need to know that they need to co-operate with LA staff for the benefit of their children. It is reasonable to assume that LAs need to satisfy themselves that what is being provided for a child is legally suitable and they have then to be given evidence in order to do so - hence initial enquiries do need to be made and then on fairly regular basis. This regularity ought to be annual once visits/information gathering has proved that a suitable education is being provided. For children's sake, LAs have to be proactive.
4 Do you agree that the section on contact with the local authority (paragraphs 3.4-3.7) is accurate and helpful?
Not Sure
Answer/Comments
3.4 I am glad to see the positive first sentence statement. This is my very regular experience. Sentence two seems to contradict the judgement of Lord Donaldson above and ought to be changed. What a 'risk' approach is is not clear as no criteria are stated. 30 40% of my registrations are Traveller children and they are often provided with a good education, so what should be drawn from that? No assessment of 'risk' can be made until we have met the parents/child and seen evidence of work samples etc to know of what the child is capable and make a comparison with the reality of what they are doing. It is unacceptable to target any commumnity above others - our processes must be fair and the same for all.
3.5 Surely, if we have no real evidence, then information does exist that casts doubt on provision. This passage is unfriendly to LAs and their care for children.
5 Do you agree that the section on providing a full-time education (paragraphs 3.11-3.14) - and in particular, the characteristics of provision (paragraph 3.13) – is accurate and helpful?
Not Sure
Answer/Comments
3.11 is largely wise but the business of contact time being one to one is much overdone. Many homes have more than one child in them - every child needs plenty of time and so the concept of fulltime is an important matter LAs should discuss with parents and not just be satisfied with the glib response '(s)he is educated 24 hours a day' this is sometimes an avoidance strategy and you ought to indicate that.
3.12 is fine, please do not, as some will request, remove 'samples of work' from the list.
3.13 this ought to be added to. Parents need to be able to indicate clearly their strategy and philosophy to indicate serious intent such as would satisfy a reasonable person that they will and are delivering an adequate education. simple written records) ought to have to be kept to show what has been done. 'efficient' education has to achieve what it intends to achieve, so what is the intent needs to be clear. Parents should be required to assess what is achieved and to have clearly in their minds what has not been achieved successfuly and how they will remedy this.
6 Do you agree that the section on developing relationships (section 4) is useful?
Not Sure
Answer/Comments
4.1 is fine
4.2 is fine, but I am not sure what the last sentence really means. I cannot see the need for it.
4.3 the part of sentence two beginning with 'especially' and ending with 'school' is irrelevant. Many who have no children at school try to follow relatively structured learning. This should be removed. What should be added is that although parents may freely choose the way they educate their children, the children should be expected to learn how to learn, make continuing progress and apply themselves to demanding tasks. Too many use the concept of 'autonomous education' to mean that they can do what they like and never really get down to making much effort.
7 a) Are the suggested resources in section 5 and appendix 2 useful?
Yes
7 b) Should any other contacts be included?
Yes
Answer/Comments
The DfES could make a central list of helpful resource provders, including websites.
8 Please use this space for any other comments you wish to make about the Guidelines
Answer/Comments
I repeat that I am very disappointed that you have not been guided by the Reports about Traveller Education at Home and the very recent survey. Children will have a worse education at home in many cases because of that. It needs to be made very clear parents have to engage with LAs amd provide sufficient evidence to satisfy us. It cannot be the case that we may not be involved unless we have clear and positive evidence that education at home is unsuitable. If that is your opinion, we don't need your Guidance at all!
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Comment:
It is said that Mr Iball is due to retire soon which, given the above, one would be excused for looking forward to.
Local information also suggests that it is possible, luckily, for home educators in the region to bypass Mr Iball and deal with his managers.
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News:
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