Ed Yourself - FOI Welsh Councils Home Education 2012

Introduction
Summary FOI Responses
Individual FOI Responses
Text of FOI, September 29th 2012

Wales Plans On Hold

Welsh Plans Put On Hold BBC website January 3rd 2013 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-20898475 Read the Minister's statement here http://edyourself.org/leightonandrewsstatementdec21.pdf

In September 2012 the Welsh Assembly Government announced proposals for substantial changes to local authority procedures for dealing with home educated children. Click here http://edyourself.org/summarywaleschange.pdf for 1 page pdf bullet points summarising proposed changes to the law in Wales. Click here to read my consultation response http://edyourself.org/articles/webversiondraftconsultationwales.php The rationale for sending FOIs to local authorities in Wales was to begin a preliminary survey of current practice amongst Welsh local authorities with relation to the Welsh Government Elective Home Education Guidelines published in 2006. Click here http://edyourself.org/articles/walesbriefing.php#currentguidelines for a summary of the Welsh Home Education Guidelines.

Summary Responses

Click here to read summary of all FOI responses as single pdf http://edyourself.org/walesfois.pdf
Click here to view FOI responses on spreadsheet http://edyourself.org.walesfoioctober2012.xls

There are 22 local authorities in Wales and all have responded to my questions. 4 School Attendance Orders were issued across Wales in the last year across Wales. Around 5% of home educated children in Wales have a statement of SEN (similar to estimate for England)

32% councils in Wales have fewer than 25 home educated children on their books
32% councils in Wales have between 26 and 50 home educated children
32% councils in Wales have between 51 and 100 home educated children
Only 1 LA (Ceredigion) has more than 100 home educated children

Click here for comparison with England (pie chart) There are 152 local authorities in England.http://edyourself.org/articles/FundingReportexpanded.php#sizeLAclaimfunding

63% of LAs in England have fewer than a hundred home educated children.
19% of LAs have between 100 and 250 home educated children.
8% of LAs have 251 to 500 home educated children.
4% of LAs have over 500 home educated children.

Individual LAs FOI Responses

Anglesey answers and Anglesey Draft EHE Policy
Wrexham answers and Wrexham letter and Wrexham form and Wrexham EOTAS Guide
Flintshire answers and Flintshire Parent Info Booklet and Flintshire Procedures 2012 and Flintshire Progress Report Request and Flintshire letter to parents
Carmarthenshire answers and Carmarthenshire Policy 2010
Pembrokeshire answers and Pembrokeshire Parent Guidance
Conwy answers and Conwy Parent Guidance and Conwy letter re more rigorous monitoring
Bridgend answers
Merthyr Tydfil answers and Merthyr Additional Needs Policy and Merthyr Flowchart and Merthyr EHE Policy
Ceredigion answersand Ceredigion EHE Strategy and Ceredigion EHE Booklet
Caerphilly answers and Caerphilly EHE Policy
Powys answers
Swansea answers
Denbighshire answers
Torfaen answers and Torfaen EHE Policy
Newport answers
Monmouthshire answers
Vale of Glamorgan answers and Vale of Glamorgan EHE Booklet
Gwynedd answers and Gwynedd EHE Policy
Cardiff answers and Cardiff EHE Information Booklet and Cardiff Teaching and Learning Programme Primary and Cardiff Teaching and Learning Programme Secondary and Cardiff letter to parents
Neath Port Talbot answers
Blaenau Gwent answers
Rhondda Cynon Taff answers and Rhondda Cynon Taff Parents' Home Education Guidance and Rhondda Cynon Taff EHE Policy and Rhondda Cynon Taff flowchart

FOI sent to all local authorities, Wales

September 29th, 2012

I am carrying out a survey of current practice in all local authorities in Wales with respect firstly to the home education guidelines, Inclusion and Pupil Support - Section 6 - Elective Home Education (1), and secondly with respect to Estyn's inspection criteria for home education services.(2)

I would be very grateful if you could answer the following questions. Please be aware that I will be seeking permission to publish all responses on my website here http://edyourself.org/articles/FOIwales2012.php

How many School Attendance Orders has the authority served in the past 12 months?
Does the authority have a named contact within the authority who is familiar with home education policy and practice and who has an understanding of the relevant legislation and a range of educational philosophies?
If yes, to question 2/ could you please supply me with details of the named contact?
Does the authority send information to parents through the post?
If yes to question 4/ could you please give examples of the type of information which the authority has sent in the past 12 months?
Does the authority make contact with home educating families on an annual basis in order to seek a meeting or request an updated report?
Does the authority offer any support to home educating families?
If yes to question 7/ could you please give examples of the type of support offered in the past 12 months?
In relation to the guidance issued by Estyn in 2010, does the authority provide helpful guidance for parents educating their children at home when requested to do so?
How many children in elective home education residing in your area have a statement of special educational needs?
Does the authority have a formal policy or protocol document regarding children who are educated at home and who have special educational needs, or additional learning needs?
If yes to question 11/ could you please supply me with a copy of the relevant policy/protocol document?

References

(1) http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/pupilsupport/inclusionpupilsupportguidance/section6/?lang=en
(2) http://www.estyn.gov.uk/english/inspection/inspection-guidance/local-authority-education-services-for-children-and-young-people/

Many thanks

Link Reference

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