What is driving the rise in home education?

Fifteen years ago, I invited local families along to my first home education social group. A handful of children and parents showed up. This summer, we had ninety. While the UK is still well behind the US, and on par with Canada and New Zealand, it’s clear that more families are home educating than ever before – but why? 

Every family has an individual story behind why they began and why they continue to home educate. The DfE has begun categorising these reasons. However, there remains a trust gap, particularly where relationships between families and school have broken down prior to deregistration.

So, earlier this year I ran a detailed survey to look for key trends; 1220 currently home educating families responded.

“First choice” home educators

The survey showed a core group of families who always wanted to home educate, did so from an early age and are typically very happy with it. One in five respondents had never enrolled in school, and 19 per cent had home educated for more than five years.

Overall, 38 per cent of responses gave a positive primary reason for home educating, saying that it was a philosophical or lifestyle choice. 

Disappointed deregisters

However, over half originally expected that school would work for their child. Our survey responses and DfE stats both show deregistrations increase by age, with a jump at secondary.

The survey shows that the key reasons for beginning to home educate in later school years relate to SEND and mental health, with SEND more prevalent in upper primary and mental health more prevalent in upper secondary.

Overall, mental health and SEND account for 40 per cent of the reasons given for beginning to home educate – with over half of key stage 4 deregistrations citing mental health.

Whether or not it was the primary reason for deregistering, SEND is very prevalent within the home educating community. Almost eight in ten have either diagnosed or suspected additional needs, the majority without an EHCP.  

Attendance fines

The survey also showed that families who deregister have often struggled with attendance. Of those who began at secondary, 40 per cent felt at risk of being fined, and one in six said they felt under pressure from the school or local authority to home educate.

While, generally speaking, it is the issues leading to the struggle with attendance that drive the decision to home educate rather than fines alone, several families said that a threat of fining was “the final straw”.

One survey respondent explained: “[Home education] has had positive impacts since. But I would not have done it if I’d had a choice and more support from the school. I was continually threatened with fines from the LA.”

Elective or forced?

The reasons families give for home educating can change over time, and a forced choice doesn’t necessarily mean families consider it the wrong choice.

Though one in three felt their choice was initially force, 90 per cent were happy to remain home educating, with many saying that their child was “happier”, “thriving” and that their “mental health was much improved”. 

However, almost half of responses also say that home education is difficult for them as a parent, and 76 per cent say the ability to access exams for free would be a positive of school.

While this survey only covered current home educators, DfE statistics show that 16 per cent of children who had been home educated at some point during the academic year 22/23 returned to school.  

It seems that while most home-educating families appreciate the benefits it brings to them, a significant proportion feel that the decision was made under pressure, with the risk of attendance fines a particular issue – especially in the secondary years.

For home education to be a truly elective decision for all, SEND and mental health support within schools needs to be prioritised, and care taken that attendance measures don’t push children and families away.

Read more details about the survey findings here.