Somerset

 

a page for information, news and comment in Somerset

 

Table of Contents: 

EHE Consultation Comments: News: Regional Groups:

 

related links:

 

Meeting the LA Education Department

Guidance on improving LEAs

 

EHE Consultation

E&D,

EDS,

C&YP Directorate

 

County Hall,

Taunton TA1 4DY

Somerset

 

EHE Co-ordinator with team of two EHE officers and one EHE admin person.

 

1 Do you agree that it is helpful for the DfES to issue guidelines to local authorities?

 

 

Yes

 

Comments:

It is helpful but consideration needs to be given to LAs duties and responsibilities [education, welfare and ECM agenda] balanced alongside home educating parents rights

 

2 Do you agree that the description of the law (paragraphs 2.1-2.3) relating to elective home education is accurate and clear?

 

Not Sure

 

Comments:

2.1 to 2.3 is accurate and clear

 

However 2.4 re parental rights and responsibilities is clear but, “parents are not required to register…” is not helpful [see 2.6 re Children Missing Education]. Why does this guidance not apply to children being educated at home? This places those children at risk.

 

3 Do you agree that the description of local authorities’ responsibilities (paragraphs 2.5-2.11) is accurate and helpful?

 

No

 

Comments:

How can a LA fulfil its statutory duty to, “intervene if they have good reason..” if the child’s education is not being monitored at least annually or the child is not seen? Equally the LA cannot “safeguard and promote the welfare of children” [Education Act 2002, S175[1]] if they are not able to see the child.

 

 

4 Do you agree that the section on contact with the local authority (paragraphs 3.4-3.7) is accurate and helpful?

 

No

 

Comments:

3.4 Agree the LA should not “automatically assume there is a problem” if the family do not want any involvement with the LA …however a refusal to allow any contact would certainly alert the LA to the possibility of a problem, which, without any evidence the child was ok, would pose too great a risk not to investigate further.

3.7 Evidence really needs to demonstrate progress… so a report and examples of work would be useful. Somerset LA has developed guidelines on providing evidence…available in our information pack now and on the website very soon.

3.10 “reasonable timescale” …needs to be more specific. I would suggest 3 months.

 

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?

 

No

 

Comments:

3.11 lists what home educating parents are not required to do. Some people may use this list to point out what they don’t have to do. A list of what they may do would be more positive and helpful all round.

Ideally LAs would appreciate a list of what home educating parents do have to do in order the LA has enough evidence to be satisfied the standards of the Education Act [1996, S7] are being met.

3.13 too vague

3.14 “reasonable” needs to be specific…some home educating parents may consider a year is a reasonable time for them to improve their provision.

 

 

6 Do you agree that the section on developing relationships (section 4) is useful?

 

Not Sure

 

Comments:

Overall well intended but leaves LAs in position of protracted negotiations with some parents who fundamentally are failing to provide their children with an appropriate education.

 

7 a) Are the suggested resources in section 5 and appendix 2 useful?

 

Yes

 

Comments:

Info on support …clear and useful. Thank you.

This section could be extended to include advice about taking GCSEs [early and Y11] and info on exam centres that accept external candidates.

 

7 b) Should any other contacts be included?

 

No

 

Comments:

This list looks quite comprehensive

 

8 Please use this space for any other comments you wish to make about the guidelines

 

 

Comments:

5.2 Examples of Additional Support

Somerset LA has been offering workshops to EHE families on post 16 options, routes into HE and anti-racist / inclusion issues.

We plan to offer storytelling workshops, opportunities for home educating parents to get together and an outdoor residential experience in the autumn.

 

 

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Comments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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News:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Regional Groups:

 

Chard Home Education Centre - website - http://www.home-education-centre.co.uk/, email - rjbbc(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk

 

Home educators with links to Devon, Somerset, Cornwall, etc, 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SW_HomeEd/

 

Use this list as a point of contact with local home educating families, and to keep up with any events or exhibitions in the area. Home educators with links to Devon, Somerset, Cornwall, etc, welcome :o) Please post an introduction upon joining.