Big rise in home-schooling
MORE Sheffield children are being taken out of school and taught at home than ever before – with numbers having tripled over the last 12 years.
Over 170 youngsters in 118 families are currently being home educated in the city, compared with just 50 in 1996, according to a report to councillors. The actual figure may be higher, as parents have no legal obligation to tell the local authority they have taken their children out of conventional schooling.
But as relationships between the council and the home educating community are good, the authority believes the vast majority of children are known about.
Officers make home visits at least once a year to ensure such youngsters are being effectively educated, although there is no requirement for parents to follow the National Curriculum.
Most home-educated children have been taken out of local authority schools – of the current batch, 141 have at some time been at a primary or secondary.
The most common time for a child to drop out of conventional education is when they have finished at primary school, the report says.
Some parents feel the change between a small family-oriented primary school and a large secondary is too big a difference.
Families who have not been given a place at a secondary of their choice may also withdraw their child from the system.
Sometimes pupils return to school when they are 14 to ensure they have access to GCSE coursework and qualifications.
Children being taught at home are often educated in a very different way to a conventional school, with a broader subject base and youngsters being encouraged to choose areas that interest them.
Some parents let their child follow their interests entirely, encouraging independent learning usually involving the extensive use of IT.
The report says a full review of home education is currently being carried out nationally, with a result that Sheffield will amend its guidelines to follow any new guidance and legislation.
BUY ONLINE: Buy The Star - Monday to Saturday - for local news, sport, features and ads. Sign up on line by clicking here.
READ MORE
Main news index
Your letters
Features
South Yorkshire's environmental news
Kids Zone
More business news
More Rotherham news
More Doncaster news
More Barnsley news
Latest sport
Email to a friend
Print this page- Sheffield school massage sessions under fire
- SHEFFIELD UNITED: Blades told to turn on style in bid to regain second place: Urges Danny Wilson
- A tough-talking TV show has put the spotlight on a Sheffield restaurant. Julia Armstrong went to see what has changed...
- Biobank study will add to knowledge
- Fleetwood Mac, Sheffield Arena - REVIEW AND SLIDESHOW
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
