Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether children who are receiving their schooling in virtual schools are classified as home educated or as missing from school rolls.

Where parents have chosen to provide education otherwise than at school and the child is not registered at a school, the child would be considered electively home educated. Parents may choose how elective home education (EHE) is delivered, including through a virtual school.

Where a child is not registered at a school, local authorities have a duty to satisfy themselves that suitable education is being provided through making enquiries in line with its statutory duties. Where suitable education is not being received or the child's whereabouts are unknown, the child may be considered a child missing education (CME). If the local authority is satisfied that suitable education is being received, the child would not be regarded as a child missing education. The fact that education is delivered online does not in itself determine a child's CME or EHE status.