Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Written evidence submitted by John Tang to The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill Committee (CWSB113)

Executive Summary

· Requirements for compilation of all private tutoring information of Homeschool families would be burdensome and unnecessary

· Current assessments of Homeschooling families are not effective; further research is required

· Recommendations for action (in this order): create a simpler register; support homeschooling families; undertake homeschool research; and only then apply School Attendance Orders

Introduction

I am John Tang

· A school teacher in middle management

· A homeschooling father

· A local Parish Safeguarding Officer

I am writing for the purpose informing the government of an effective way to help my own, and other children thrive in a homeschool setting

My views stipulated below are my own, and do not necessarily reflect the position of the organisations that I am part of. 

I am specifically communicating concerns and suggestions in regards to section Children not in School. 

1. Requirements to list education providers

Section 25; 436C

The requirement for parents to stipulate and list every other provider of education will be burdensome, and unnecessary. It would also be a burden on private tutors. For instance, while my wife and I are the predominant teachers of our children; they receive supplementary tuition from other providers (ie. music lessons). Outside help we receive changes with the developing needs of our children and it would be impractical for a Local Authority to keep tabs on this. In reality- a formalized record of who my children learn violin with would not be of any benefit to the Local Authority. 

Related to this concern is Section 436E. The reference to 'Prescribed amount of time' is vague. I presume this would discount 1-hour long weekly music lessons. 

If the intention of these two requirements (outside education providers) is to identify and weed out illegal, unregistered private schools, then this needs to be clearly communicated by clearly articulating the 'full-time' nature of this. 

ie. A statement could instead read: "Parents must inform the LA of any education provider who teaches, without the parents present, for more than 16 hours per week." 

Likewise, "any education provider that teaches children for more than 16 hours a week must provide to the LA information on the children they teach."

If the intention of the Bill is also to stop Online, unregistered full-time Private Schools, the above wording could have 'online or in person' added after the words Education Provider. 

A simple change like this would firstly reduce the total wording of the bill, and reduce needless paperwork for small-scale tuition provided. 

2. Current assessments of homeschooling families are not effective.

Section 26; 436H

'Child is not receiving suitable education.' 

Homeschooling in all forms looks very different to school education. It enables families to focus on a child's interests and strengths to a degree not possible in formal schooling. As a result, homeschooling families can achieve far greater results in certain areas. Currently trying to gauge homeschooling efficiency by using standardized measurements, or by comparison to the National Curriculum, is not actually helpful. This would instead distract and detract from the value that homeschooling can bring. 

Currently, Elective Home Education Officer roles do not require the Officers to have significant experience in actual Teaching; or in Home Education itself. 

Therefore, someone with no personal Home Educating experience, with no foolproof measuring stick, would be asked to assess family capabilities in Home Schooling. 

As it stands, we can predict conflict between parents who are doing the right thing and the Local Authorities. I propose below a slightly different Government strategy and procedure which could alleviate this issue. 

3. Recommendations for action

In my opinion, a far greater method for the government would be as follows: 

Step 1: Create a register of children, including those who are homeschooled. This would include only the crucially important data (ie. Name, DOB, contact address). This could also incorporate details of full-time non-registered private education- if the government was trying to stop illegal schools. 

Step 2: Support homeschooling families, both morally and financially. From various conversations, homeschooling families seem to feel that the Schools Bill is an attack on their rights. This can be rectified morally by the Government speaking out and commending specific examples of good homeschooling. It can be financially supported by offering payments for assessments/exams (ie. GCSEs). This ought not to cost the government much money- tests could be offered in conjunction with local High Schools who would be assessed at the same time. Financially, the cost of examinations, or similar items, would be only a fraction of the cost that the government saves by a family electing to homeschool. It would also offer the government a clear insight into how well homeschooling children are achieving. 

Step 3: Research. Following support for parents, the government can research what good homeschooling looks like (and doesn't look like). Only then can true and accurate judgments (section 436H) be made. There can also be inquiry as to the reasons for why parents choose to home educate. Some, like myself, home educate because we know the greater results it can bring. Some home-educate from a negative sense- there is significant trauma and fear of the schooling experience. The reasons behind this trend need to be addressed. It also needs to be researched in an insightful, rather than punitive way. The current Schools Bill frankly seems overly negative towards homeschooling and is not an effective way for homeschoolers to open up about their experiences. 

Step 4: School Attendance Orders for families not providing sufficient education. Only after the above steps (likely to take 2-3 years) should the government opt to introduce School Attendance Orders. 

Sadly, if the school bill proceeds as it currently stands, I believe that the risks are as follows: 

· LAs being swamped with unnecessary data

· Homeschooling families and private tutors being inundated with needless paperwork

· Homeschooling families being 'put off' rather than helped by LAs. 

· Families that are doing the right thing being penalized due to different conceptions of Homeschool 'success.' 

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I wish you all the best in the consultation and I sincerely hope that the Schools Bill will be able benefit all children in a way that is manageable, sustainable, and in the best interest of all children and their families. 

Yours sincerely

John Tang

Homeschool dad

Teacher at Princess Frederica Primary School

Parish Safeguarding Officer at Christchurch Watford. 

January 2025