Oxfordshire
A page for information, news and comment in Oxon
contents:
related links:
Meeting the LA Education Department
Guidance on improving LEAs
EHE Consultation
In response to a FOI request, the following information has been received:
Personal Details
Name: Tony Scott
Email: tony.scott@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Address : Macclesfield house New Road Oxford 0x1 61AZ
Organisation: Oxfordshire County Council
Response on Behalf of an organisation: Yes
Keep response confidential: Yes
Allowed to contact in the future: Yes
Request a response acknowledgement: No
Request to be informed when the
consultation results are published: Yes
Respondent Information Questions
Which of the following best describes you:
Local authority
Consultation Questions
1 Do you agree that it is helpful for the DES to issue guidelines to local authorities?
Yes
2 Do you agree that the description of the law (paragraphs 2.1 -2.3) relating to elective home education is accurate and clear?
Yes
3 Do you agree that the description of local authorities’ responsibilities (paragraphs 2.5-2.1 1) is accurate and helpful?
Yes
4 Do you agree that the section on contact with the local authority (paragraphs 3.4-3.7) is accurate and helpful?
Yes
Answer/Comments
However, we feel it is an anomaly that parents who enter their child into the maintained school system are subject to the law on attendance but those who opt for Home Education do not actually have to prove in any meaningful way that their child is being educated appropriately.
5 Do you agree that the section on providing full-time education (paragraphs 3.11 – 3.14) - and in particular, the characteristics of provision (paragraph 3.13) – is accurate and helpful?
No
Answer/Comments
bullet 4 says authorities may reasonably expect the child to have access to resources etc (listed) but how can an LA be sure that this is being complied with when there is no requirement for the parent to allow access to the home?
/
6 Do you agree that the section on developing relationships (section 4) is useful?
No
Answer/Comments
It makes requirements on the LA to provide information para 4.5 when we would rather that the child was in our system, We do not provide advice on parents wishing to place their child in the Independent system such as how or which school to choose so why should an LA do so for parents opting out of the LA system in another way. This is not logical.
7 a) Are the suggested resources in section 5 and appendix 2 useful?
No
Answer/Comments
Similar comment to 6 above. Why would we provide (para 5.2) "additional support"? The family can be fully supported in our maintained schools.
7 b) Should any other contacts be included?
No
Answer/Comments
The responsibility should rest solely with the family choosing to opt out of the LA system
8 Please use this space for any other comments you wish to make about the guidelines
Answer/Comments
The Guidelines do not address the fundamental issue with Home Education that it is an opt out from the LA which places responsibility [sic] on the LA to ensure that the child is receiving an appropriate education suitable .... etc etc whist fettering the power of the LA to check that this requirement is actually being fulfilled. It feels as if the guidance is afraid of upsetting a group which could be a powerful lobby. Home Education and the regulations do not protect the child involved. If there was a statutory requirement that parents had to provide real evidence of the standard, quality and content of the education provided with the LA right to see the child and his / her work there would be much more certainty that the child was a) safe, and b)really being educated. This would still allow committed parents to provide such education in any way they deemed fit but would also allow the LA to make a serious judgment about the education. Where our monitors do have access there is usually a very good relationship, but where there are difficulties in access, it is extremely difficult to make an informed judgement [sic].
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Comments:
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News:
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Regional Groups:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OxonHE/
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