Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they provide to local authorities to ensure that children receiving home education achieve key milestones in their education.

Departmental guidance for local councils on elective home education, copy attached, is published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/elective-home-education. It gives advice on the legal framework under which education may be provided, and the processes which are relevant for local councils seeking to identify children who may not be receiving a suitable full-time education. However, the guidance document does not set out detailed advice on educational outcomes, because parents have a substantial degree of flexibility in terms of educational content and whether to enter children for examinations. Local councils which assess the educational provision made for a child educated at home need to decide whether it meets the requirement in section 7 of the Education Act 1996, that the education must be suitable to the child’s age, ability and aptitudes, and any special educational needs.