Report on Home Education Numbers and Local Authority Enforcement (*edited 27/1/26 to include new data). Overview Our recent FOI data shows that the number of children being electively home educated (EHE) varies widely between Local Authorities (LAs), from small cohorts of a few dozen children to very large populations running into the thousands. Home education […]

Educational Freedom’s Official Response and Discussion of the 2025 Scottish Home Education Guidelines. The updated guidelines can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/home-education-guidance-2/pages/1/ and replace the guidelines from January 2007 (last updated 2021). Overall, the updated guidelines remain consistent with the previous iteration, albeit with a concerning tendency to push for physical conversations between families and the […]

This bill could harm children who come under the SEND umbrella. The Children’s Unhappiness Bill (as nicknamed by me) but known by the Government and officially as the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill further erodes children’s right. It further erodes a parent’s responsibility to protect their child.  It also, when you read through the bill’s […]

When exploring the reasons behind the changes to the climate of home education that are being felt, it is difficult not to become aware of the very different population that now home educates. As well as doubling in size in just seven years, there has also been significant increase in the reasons behind people making […]

As home education continues to increase in popularity there are many changes that affect everybody in the community. Some of these changes are a natural part of our evolving and changing world and society, and will need to be adapted to or even embraced. For example, there is far more information available through technology. Learning […]

Home education began in the UK in the 1970s following a movement in the USA to reform the oppressive nature of schools. It grew in popularity during the 1980s, with further pioneers providing research and insight into alternatives to the traditional schooling system. However, in the 1980s the decision to home educate would be largely […]

Shocking data indicates some LAs are misusing their powers. Is this happening in your LA? It appears some LAs are using the s437(1) notice as a threat to make you feel forced to comply with their local policy (which may be disproportionate) rather than only provide what the law in general requires. In some areas […]

We recently conducted a home education survey and here are the results. We know it’s a long read, but it’s worth it. We feel it offers insight where there hasn’t been any before, and it ensures the voice of the home educating parent and child are heard. Please share it with your MP, explain that […]

And how many School Attendance Orders have been served? Over the last couple of months we have been collating the data from each Local Authority in England, Wales and Scotland. Not all LAs replied within the specified time, some refused to answer, others did not answer all the questions, and some gave data we are […]

Welcome to Educational Freedom, we are trialling a new way of sharing our information. We aim to create these blog style posts on a regular basis, bringing content from our website to you via google search and across all of our social media, we shall be answering regularly asked questions and discussing any current issues […]