Home-schooling on the rise
Updated on 26 September 2007
Channel 4 News Online reveals that the number of children being schooled at home has risen by more than 60 per cent in the past five years.
More than 80 per cent of education authorities reported hikes in the number of children being educated at home, according to the Freedom of Information (FoI) probe.
In one area the increase was as big as 800 per cent; with campaigners blaming bullying, special needs provision and too many school tests as reasons for the national hike.
But Channel 4 News online has also learned that some schools and parents are using home education as a method of avoiding truancy prosectuction and poor league table standings.
Watch Katie Razzall's report
Katie Razzall explores why more parents are choosing home-schooling.
Watch her report here
Top Ten home school increases
These figures relate to children whose parents have elected to home educate, and thereby informed their local education authority. The years below relate to academic years.
Lancashire
02/03 - 61
03/04 - 121
04/05 - 221
05/06 - 365
06/07 - 567
Leciestershire
02/3 - 51
03/4 - 75
04/5 - 103
05/6 - 184
06/7 - 265
Cardiff
02/03 - 47
03/04 - 123
04/05 - 175
05/06 - 160
06/07 - 151
Bexley
02/3 - 81
03/4 - 95
04/5 - 126
05/6 - 188
06/7 - 190
Cheshire
03/4 - 95
04/5 - 120
05/6 - 154
06/7 - 194
Oxfordshire
02/03 - 138
03/04 - 200
04/05 - 188
05/06 - 243
06/07 - 287
Leeds
03/04 - 147
04/05 - 196
05/06 - 275
06/07 - 246
East Sussex
02/03 - 176
03/04 - 257
04/05 - 278
05/06 - 292
Essex
01/02 - 421
02/03 - 436
03/04 - 447
04/05 - 509
05/06 - 633
Hull
2003/2004 - 129
2004/2005 - 186
2005/2006 - 184
2006/2007 - 182
Full results
For complete results from the 136 councils that replied scroll down.
In their own words - case studies
We asked three families who chose home-schooling for their kids to explain to us why. You can read their case studies here:
The case for home-school: autism
The case for home-school: bullying
The case for home-school: family
'the proportion of home educated children known in nine local authorities ranged from just 0.09 per cent to 0.42 per cent'- Department of Children, Schools and Families
Government response
A spokesman for the Department of Children, Schools and Families said in response:
"These rather speculative findings must be understood in context. We are talking about very small rises of no more than a couple of hundred, set against the eight million children that are taught in mainstream education. In a study last year, the proportion of home educated children known in nine local authorities ranged from just 0.09 per cent to 0.42 per cent, so this practice is still extremely rare.
"It is also not clear whether rises are due to better reporting by local authorities, rather than a genuine increase in home education. We should therefore be extremely wary of drawing rash conclusions on what is by no means conclusive data.
'Parents are free to choose whether this is in school or at home, but the records show that they should have every confidence in state education'- Department of Children, Schools and Families
"Our aim is for all children to get the highest quality education. Parents are free to choose whether this is in school or at home, but the records show that they should have every confidence in state education.
"We have the best ever generation of teachers working with a broad and engaging curriculum and record investment in both mainstream and special schools. And Ofsted reports that behaviour is generally good in the vast majority of schools.
"So while I believe it is right that parents should have the option of home education, there is absolutely no reason why any parent should have to look beyond the school system to get a good education for their child beyond their own personal preferences.
"But if they do choose to educate their children at home, local authorities must make sure their children get an appropriate education by, for instance, checking samples of their work at regular intervals."
What do you think?
We want to hear your stories about home-schooling and know what you think. Get in touch at news@channel4.com
Full results
Below is the list of local education authorities (LEAs) that responded to our survey.
It shows the total number of children that were elected their parents of guardians for home education in each academic year.
Each LEA has individual ways of keeping a track on home school numbers, in instances where the numbers are complicated we have re-produced the council's exact disclosure.
Aberdeen
2004/05 - 1 plus three transferred to Spring Vale Education
2005/06 - 4
2006/07 - 1
Aberdeenshire
2002/03 - 27
2003/04 - 31
2004/05 - 35
2005/06 - 32
2006/07 - N/A
Anglesey
2002/03 - 21
2003/04 - 15
2004/05 - 26
2005/06 - 27
2006/07 - 29
Angus (section 14 + 30)
2002/03 - 22
2003/04 - 31
2004/05 - 47
2005/06 - 29
2006/07 - 21
Argyle and Bute
2002/03 - 21
2003/04 - 17
2004/05 - 29
2005/06 - 39
2006/07 - 39
Barking and Dagenham
2004 - 17
2005 - 15
2006 - 25
2007 - 84
Barnet
2003/04 - 87
2004/05 - 45
2005/06 - 53
2006/07 - 58
Barnsley
2003/04 - 96
2004/05 - 85
2005/06 - 83
2006/07 - 89
2007/08 - 72
Bedfordshire
2002 - 187
2003 - 196
2004 - 155
2005 - 143
2006 - 138
2007 - 95 children as at 31st May 2007
Bexley
2002/03 - 81
2003/04 - 95
2004/05 - 126
2005/06 - 188
2006/07 - 190
Birmingham
2004/05 - 317
2005/06 - 161
2006/07 - 288
Blackburn
2001/02 - 33
2002/03 - 38
2003/04 - 48
2004/05 - 52
2005/06 - 35
2006/07 - 47
Blackpool
Click here for Blackpool data (Excel file)
Bradford
2002/03 - 57
2003/04 - 71
2004/05 - 81
2005/06 - 104
2006/07 - 116
Bridgend
02/3 - 29 children of whom 16 returned to school or passed statutory
03/4 - 28 children of whom 16 returned to school or passed statutory
04/5 - 32 children of whom 10 returned to school or passed statutory
05/6 - 51 children of whom 16 returned to school or passed statutory
06/7 - 37 children of whom 10 returned to school or passed statutory
Brighton
2002/03 - 101
2003/04 - 99
2004/05 - 136
2005/06 - 112
2006/07 - 123
Bristol
2005 - 134
2006 - 230
2007 - 202
Bromley
Click here for Bromley data (Word file)
Bury
2002/03 - 38
2003/04 - 41
2004/05 - 34
2005/06 -12 (incomplete data due to internal issues)
2006/07 - 39
Cambridgeshire
2004/05 - 176
2005/06 - 180
2006/07 - 218
Camden
2003/04 - 7
2004/05 -16
2005/06 - 27
2006/07 - 26
Caerphilly
Results are laid out in "Academic Year - Number of pupils withdrawn from the local education system in favour of being educated at home. - The number of children recorded as being 'home schooled'" - format:
2002/03 - 6 - 30
2003/04 - 6 - 35
2004/05 - 8 - 33
2005/06 - 9 - 34
2006/07 -13 - 46
Cardiff
2002/03 - 47
2003/04 - 123
2004/05 - 175
2005/06 - 160
2006/07 - 151
Carmarthenshire
Click here for Carmarthenshire data (Word file)
Ceredigion
2002/03 - 86
2003/04 - 97
2004/05 - 105
2005/06 - 116
2006/07 - 123
Cheshire
2003/04 - 95
2004/05 - 120
2005/06 - 154
2006/07 - 194
Clackmannanshire
Click here for Clackmannanshire data (Word file)
Conway
2001/02 - 25
2002/03 - 28
2003/04 - 29
2004/05 - 29
2005/06 - 26
2006/07 - 30
Cornwall
2005/06 - 304
2006/07 to beginning of July - 266
Coventry
Click here for Coventry data (Coventry file)
Croydon
2001/02 - 44
2002/03 - 64
2003/04 - 49
2004/06 - 73
2005/06 - 74
2006/07 - 112
Cumbria
2004/05 - 185
2005/06 - 228
2006/07 - 248
Denbighshire
Click here for Denbighshire data (Excel file)
Derby
2005/06 - 61
2006/07 - 69
Derbyshire
Click here for Derbyshire data - 2004/5 (Word file)
Click here for Derbyshire data - 2005/6 (Word file)
Click here for Derbyshire data - 2006/7 (Word file)
Devon
2002/03 - 508
2003/04 - 476
2004/05 - 501
2005/06 - 528
2006/07 - 599
Doncaster
2002/03 - 159
2003/04 - 129
2004/05 - 141
2005/06 - 173
2006/07 - 187
Dorset
2003/04 - 136
2004/05 - 174
2005/06 - 186
Dudley
2002/03 - 58
2003/04 - 72
2004/05 - 116
2005/06 - 119
2006/07 - 152
Dundee
2002/03 - 8
2003/04 - 9
2004/05 - 7
2005/06 - 16
2006/07 - 13
Dumfries and Galloway
24 this year
Durham
Dropped from 90 to 50 in past five years
Ealing
16/01/2003 - 31
16/01/2004 - 31
16/01/2005 - 30
20/02/2007 - 47
East Ayrshire
2002/03 - 18
2003/04 - 23
2004/05 - 23
2005/06 - 39
2006/07 - 40
East Dumbarton
2004/05 - 2
2005/06 - 2
2006/07 - 1
2007/08 - 3 only at 'enquiry stage'
East Lothian
Number of Children who have been withdrawn from the local education system in favour of being educated at home:
2002/03 - 4
2003/04 - 3
2004/05 - 2
2005/06 - 6
2006/07 - 1
Number of children the authority has records of being 'home schooled':
2002/03 - 7
2003/04 - 10
2004/05 - 10
2005/06 - 10
2006/07 - 10
East Renfrew
2005/06 - 3
2006/07 - 2
East Sussex
2002/03 - 176
2003/04 - 257
2004/05 - 278
2005/06 - 292
Edinburgh
2002 - 1
2003 - 10
2004 - 3
2005 - 9
2006 - 11
2007 - 6
Essex
2001/02 - 421
2002/03 - 436
2003/04 - 447
2004/05 - 509
2005/06 - 633
Fife
2002/03 - 61
2003/04 - 57
2004/05 - 59
2005/06 - 61
2006/07 - 51
Flintshire
2003 - 13
2004 - 14
2005 - 14
2006 - 27
2007 - 38
Gateshead
Nov 04 - 38
July 05 - 36
May 06 - 33
Dec 06 - 27
July 07 - 28
Greenwich
2002/03 - 56
2003/04 - 64
2004/05 - 63
2005/06 - 68
2006/07 - 71
Hackney
A total of 102 since 2002.
38 on the roll 06/07.
Hammersmith & Fulham
2003 - 30
2004 - 25
2005 - 23
2006 - 27
2007 - 39
Haringey
2002/03 - 9
2003/04 - 25
2004/05 - 42
2005/06 - 46
2006/07 - 56
Havering
2002/03 - 41
2003/04 - 45
2004/05 - 51
2005/06 - 53
2006/07 - 66
Herefordshire
2002/03 - 50
2003/04 - 54
2004/05 - 73
2005/06 - 88
2006/07 - 82
Hertfordshire
2001/02 - 283
2002/03 - 291
2003/04 - 312
2004/05 - 298
2005/06 - 340
06/07 - 350
Highland
2002/03 - 37
2003/04 - 60
2004/05 - 63
2005-06 - 49
2006-07 - 51
Hillingdon
In 2005/06, 104 children were, at some stage, in education other than at school. 18 reached compulsory school leaving age at the end of that year.
In 2006/07, 108 children were, at some stage, in education other than at school. 11 reached compulsory school leaving age at the end of that year.
Hounslow
2002/03 - 38
2003/04 - 42
2004/05 - 45
2005/06 - 48
2006/07 - 52
Hull
2003/04 - 129
2004/05 - 186
2005/06 - 184
2006/07 - 182
Inverclyde
Click here for Inverclyde data (Word file)
Islington
Numbers withdrawn (ie coming to our attention as new referrals) are as follows:
2002/03 - 41
2003/04 - 28
2004/05 - 18
2005/06 - 28
2006/07 - 37
Total numbers of young people known to be home educated by their parents for all, or part of, each academic year :
2002/03 - 67
2003/04 - 75
2004/05 - info not held
2005/06 - info not held
2006/07 - 80
Kensington & Chelsea
2003 - 12
2004 - 12
2005 - 7
2006 - 13
2007 - 18
Kent
2003/04 - 596
2004/05 - 605
2005/06 - 581
2006/07 - 662
2007 to date - 568
Kingston
2002/03 - 29
2003/04 - 27
2004/05 - 31
2005/06 - 29
2006/07 - 28
Kirklees
2002/03 - 83
2003/04 - 77
2004/05 - 72
2005/06 - 74
2006/07 - 85
Knowsley
2002/03 - 10
2003/04 - 12
2004/05 - 15
2005/06 - 11
2006/07 - 11
Lambeth
2002/03 - 5
2003/04 - 9
2004/05 - 9
2005/06 - 71
2006/07 - 61
Lancashire
2002/03 - 61
2003/04 - 121
2004/05 - 221
2005/06 - 365
2006/07 - 567
Leeds
2003/04 - 147
2004/05 - 196
2005/06 - 275
2006/07 - 246
Leicester
2002/03 - 4
2003/04 - 25
2004/05 - 26
2005/06 - 39
2006/07 - 40
Leicestershire
2002/3 - 51
2003/4 - 75
2004/5 - 103
2005/6 - 184
2006/7 - 265
Lewisham
Summer 2003 - 28
Summer 2004 - 34
Summer 2005 - 30
Summer 2006 - 32
Summer 2007 - 26
Lincolnshire
2002 - 89
2005/06 - 265
2006/07 - 287
2007 to date - 285
Liverpool
2004/05 - 48
2005/06 - 91
2006/07 - 73
Manchester
2003/04 - 33
2004/05 - 55
2005/06 - 50
2006/07 - 72
Medway
2002/03 - 74
2003/04 - 107
2004/05 - 104
2005/06 - 152
2006/07 - 99
Merthyr
2004/05 - 8
2005/06 - 13
2006/07 - 10
2007 to date - 8
Merton
Click here for Merton data (Word file)
Middlesbrough
2002/03 - 6
2003/04 - 6
2004/05 - 7
2005/06 - 7
2006/07 - 19
Midlothian
2001/02 - 0
2002/03 - 0
2003/04 - 1
2004/05 - 2
2005/06 - 0
2006/07 - 2
Milton Keynes
2005/06 - 89
2006/07 - 92
2007/08 - 63
Moray
2002/03 - 11
2003/04 - 9
2004/05 - 12
2005/06 - 11
2006/07 - 20
Neath Port Talbot
2002/03 - 7
2003/04 - 18
2004/05 - 26
2005/06 - 22
2006/07 - 54
Newham
2002/03 - 53
2003/04 - 54
2004/05 - 79
2005/06 - 62
2006/07 - 58
Newport
2002/03 - 8
2003/04 - 4
2004/05 - 16
2005/06 - 31
2006/07 - 32
2007/08 - 20 (still compulsory school age going into new academic year)
Norfolk
July 2005 - 438
July 2006 - 491
July 2007 - 512
North Ayrshire
2001/02 - 21
2002/03 - 20
2003/04 - 19
2004/05 - 18
2005/06 - 21
2006/07 - 29
North Lanarkshire
2003/04 - less than five
2004/05 - 8
2005/06 - 9
2006/07 - 13
North Yorkshire
2001/02 - 113
2002/03 - 129
2003/04 - 153
2004/05 - 116
2005/06 - 116
2006/07 - 133
North Tyneside
2002/03 - n/a
2003/04 - 22
2004/05 - 27
2005/06 - 26
2006/07 - 21
Northamptonshire
2004/05 - 126
2005/06 - 252
2006/07 - 279
Northumberland
2004/05 - 40 to 50 approximately (we do not have accurate figures for this year)
2005/06 - 43
2006/07 - 51
Nottingham
2002/03 - 43
2003/04 - 45
2004/05 - 68
September 2005 75 live cases
October 2005 55 live cases
November 2005 54 live cases
December 2005 49 live cases
January 2006 52 live cases
February 2006 55 live cases
March 2006 56 live cases
April 2006 64 live cases
May 2006 58 live cases
June 2006 59 live cases
July 2006 45 live cases
September 2006 44 live cases
October 2006 44 live cases
November 2006 48 live cases
December 2006 42 live cases
January 2007 45 live cases
February 2007 39 live cases
March 2007 52 live cases
April 2007 53 live cases
May 2007 59 live cases
June 2007 51 live cases
July 2007 51 live cases
Nottinghamshire
2002/03 - 287
2003/04 - 267
2004/05 - 289
2005/06 - 291
2006/07 - 350
Orkney
2003 - 13
2004 - 14
2005 - 9
2006 - 5
2007 - 10
Oxfordshire
2002/03 - 138
2003/04 - 200
2004/05 - 188
2005/06 - 243
2006/07 - 287
Perth
Click here for Perth info (Word file)
Click here for Perth info - 2002/3 (pdf file)
Click here for Perth info - 2003/4 (pdf file)
Click here for Perth info - 2005 (pdf file)
Click here for Perth info - 2006 (pdf file)
Peterborough
2002/03 - 58
2003/04 - 61
2004/05 - 70
2005/06 - 93
2006/07 - 96
Plymouth
2002/03 - 131
2003/04 - 145
2004/05 - 136
2005/06 - 133
2006/07 - 153
Portsmouth
Results are laid out in "Year - No of Educated at Home - Of those, no previously at a Portsmouth School" format:
2002/03 - 32 - 23
2003/04 - 38 - 29
2004/05 - 54 - 46
2005/06 - 63 - 50
2006/07 - 78 - 66
Powys
73 on a current database
Reading
Results are laid out in "Year / Statutory School Age / LA School" format:
2002/03 - 13 - 8
2003/04 - 16 - 14
2004/05 - 31 - 18
2005/06 - 37 - 27
2006/07 - 56 - 30
Redbridge
2002 - 31
2003 - 24
2004 - 27
2005 - 35
2006 - 43
2007 - 38
Renfrewshire
5 in the past 5 years
Rhondda
Click here for Rhondda Cynon Taff data (Word file)
Salford
Click here for Salford data (Word file)
Scots Borders
2006/07 - 35 pupils
Sheffield
2001/02 - 101
2002/03 - 106
2003/04 - 144
2004/05 - 143
2005/06 - 141
Shetland
2002/03 - 16
2003/04 - 17
2004/05 - 12
2005/06 - 11
2006/07 - at one point in the year, 20. Now 14.
South Ayrshire
2002/03 - 2
2003/04 - 5
2004/05 - 10
2005/06 - 11
2006/07 - 14
South Lanarkshire
2002/03 - 14
2003/04 - 17
2004/05 - 26
2005/06 - 29
2006/07 - 22
South Tyneside
Click here for South Tyneside data (Word file)
Stirling
2003/04 - 3
2004/05 - 9
2005/06 - 14
2006/07 - 10
Suffolk
2002/03 - 254
2003/04 - 330
2004/05 - 345
2005/06 - 348
2006/07 - 365
Sunderland
2002/03 - 23
2003/04 - 22
2004/05 - 13
2005/06 - 25
2006/07 - 26
Surrey
2001/02 - 394
2002/03 - 441
2003/04 - 401
2004/05 - 409
2005/06 - 413
2006/07 - 490
Tameside
2002/03 - 30
2003/04 - 30
2004/05 - 32
2005/06 - 41
2006/07 - 48
Thurrock
2001 - 14
2002 - 33
2003 - 53
2004 - 74
2005 - 73
2006 - 66
2007 - 72
Tower Hamlets
Annual figures - per academic year - of the number of children the education has records of being 'home schooled'.
2002/03 - 42
2003/04 - 30
2004/05 - 43
2005/06 - 61
2006/07 - 66
Details of the number of children who have been withdrawn from the local education system in favour of being educated at home:
2002/03 - 24
2003/04 - 6
2004/05 - 22
2005/06 - 8
2006/07 - 27
Vale of Glamorgan
2002/03 - 23
2003/04 - 18
2004/05 - 31
2005/06 - 22
2006/07 - 33
Wakefield
2002/03 - 35
2003/04 - 44
2004/05 - 61
2005/06 - 79
2006/07 - 92
Waltham Forest
2004/05 - 9
2005/06 - 4
2006/07 - 4
Over the same 3-year period 42 homes have received follow-up visits to ensure that standards are maintained.
Warrington
2002/03 - 31
2003/04 - 43
2004/05 - 45
2005/06 - 44
2006/07 - 36
Warwickshire
Click here for Warwickshire data (Word file)
West Dumbarton
2002/03 - 0
2003/04 - 1
2004/05 - 0
2005/06 - 2
2006/07 - 1
West Lothian
2001/02 - 32
2002/03 - 23
2003/04 - 39
2004/05 - 36
2005/06 - 28
Western Isles
2003/04 - 8
2004/05 - 10
2005/06 - 13
2006/07 - 12
2007/08 - 12
Wrexham
2003/04 - 22
2004/05 - 22
2005/06 - 21
2006/07 - 33
2007 to date - 28
