Hertfordshire County Council expects increase in parents opting to home-educate

Council officers in Hertfordshire are expecting an increase in the number of parents opting to educate their children at home, it has emerged.

The start of the autumn term last week was the first time the majority of pupils had returned to the classroom since the end of March.

But now it has been suggested that increasing numbers of parents are expected to choose to educate their children at home.

The expected trend was highlighted to a meeting of the county council’s resources and performance cabinet panel on Friday, September 4, as part of a wide-ranging update on the county council’s response to Covid-19.

And councillors were told of indications that home education was “going to be a growing trend over weeks and months”, as ‘articulated’ in Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

According to the report, requests for EHCPs have remained below previous year levels, during school closures.

But it says it expects there to be an increase in demand from September onwards.

And it ‘anticipates’ an increase in requests for elective home education within EHCPs.

It states: “Requests for EHCPs have remained below previous year levels as expected under full and partial school closures.

“A significant increase in demand is predicted from September onwards.

“The service anticipates an increase in requests for elective home education within EHCPs.”

At the last meeting of the county council’s education, libraries and localism cabinet panel, in February, it was reported that there were 1500 children being home-educated in the county.