Growth in home education this past decade

New research has revealed that there has been a 361 per cent increase in the number of children being taught at home in the past 10 years.

The research, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by Oxford Home Schooling, part of Oxford Open Learning Trust, reveals the number of children registered as home-educated in England between 2006 and 2016 increased from 8,361 to 38,573 children.

Southampton City Council has seen a 2,327 per cent increase in children being home educated over the last ten years - the biggest in England.

In 2016, just 11 children were recorded as educated at home, however, this has soared to 267 children in 2016.

This was followed by Hertfordshire County Council, which has had a 1,846 per cent increase, and Liverpool City Council with a 1,507 per cent increase.

Almost half of the top ten councils to report the biggest increases in home education over the last five years were located in London, reflecting the city’s changing diversity and needs.

The only councils to respond to the Freedom of Information request that reported a decrease in the number of children registered as home-educated were Rutland County Council (-58 per cent), London Borough of Wandsworth (-24 per cent) and Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (-17 per cent) between 2011 and 2016.

Dr Nick Smith, principal at Oxford Home Schooling, said: “The growth of home education in England reflects the country's changing educational needs.

“One school structure doesn’t fit all and online home education providers like Oxford Home Schooling enable people to access alternatives much more easily.”