Yearly Archives: 2024

I have created 2 new pages to provide further information on database proposals for Wales https://edyourself.org/pilot-areas-wales-cme-database/ + https://edyourself.org/children-missing-education-wales/

On September 11th 2024 the Minister confirmed that “database arrangements will be piloted across a small number of local authorities for the first year”. My consultation page has now been updated, read more here https://edyourself.org/wales-cme-database-consultation/

On September 5th 2024 Lord Storey’s Home School Education Registration and Support Bill [LINK] had its first reading – without debate – in the House of Lords. The bill was 13th in the private members bill ballot [LINK] which means that second reading – with debate – will not be for a few months. This bill is unconnected with the government’s Children’s Wellbeing Bill [LINK] mentioned in the Kings Speech which has not been published yet. More about private members bills here

In Wales, statements of special educational needs are being replaced by Individual Development Plans which are different from statements (or EHCPs as in England) Read more here https://edyourself.org/wales-home-educating-with-special-needs/

Two new sets of regulations related to pupils in and out of school came into force yesterday. This was flagged up in a news post from March 2024. The 2006 Pupil Registration Regulations (covering deregistration) no longer apply, and in addition, there are new requirements for reporting absence more promptly to the LA. Read more here https://edyourself.org/pupil-registration-regulations-2024/ and here https://edyourself.org/technical-changes-cme-guidance-2024/

The Kings Speech on July 17th 2024 included proposals for a Children Not In School Register as part of the Children’s Wellbeing Bill. Read more here https://edyourself.org/registration-in-kings-speech-july-2024/

Shortly before the general election was announced, the Department for Education launched a consultation on the use of alternative provision under section 19 plus EOTAS with EHCPs. It closes on July 5th. Read my consultation response here https://edyourself.org/alternative-provision-consultation-response-2024/ LINK TO CONSULTATION HERE https://consult.education.gov.uk/behaviour-attendance-exclusions-and-alternative-provision/strengthening-protections-in-unregistered-ap/

The Welsh government’s plans for a children missing education database rely on doctors to share patient information. The General Medical Council [GMC] does not seem convinced, read more here https://edyourself.wordpress.com/2024/05/23/gmc-response-wales-cme-database-consultation/

The Department for Education is proposing new national standards and time limits for pupils in alternative provision. There will also be new rules for children unable to attend school and for those receiving EOTAS (part-time or full-time) via an EHCP. I explain more here https://edyourself.org/unregistered-alternative-provision-new-rules/ CONSULTATION CLOSES 5.7.24

I have just submitted my response for the Wales CME database consultation which closes this Thursday April 25th. The link for the consultation is here https://www.gov.wales/node/59753/respond-online and I have posted a copy of my response here https://edyourself.org/consultation-response-cme-database-wales/

I am sharing my draft CME database consultation (Wales) response here https://edyourself.org/consultation-response-cme-database-wales/ I am not based in Wales but the education law Wales is relying on applies to both England and Wales

Here is a one page summary and introduction to the pages on this website about the Wales Children’s Database https://edyourself.org/guide-to-wales-cme-database/ The database consultation closes on April 25th. The Welsh government has still not uploaded a child-friendly version of the consultation

The Welsh government wants GPs to hand over the name, address, date of birth and gender of nearly half a million children. Read more https://edyourself.org/gp-data-half-a-million-children-wales/ + https://edyourself.org/why-include-gps-in-wales-database/ Reminder that the database consultation closes on April 25th

The Welsh government plans to pilot the children’s database in a small number of councils where it will only apply to a few children initially but once section 29 is brought into force, any future government will be free to expand the database as much as it wants. Read more here https://edyourself.org/childrens-database-wales-law-but-not-law/

On Friday March 15th 2024 MP Flick Drummond’s home education bill had its Second Reading in the House of Commons. Read more here about what this means https://edyourself.wordpress.com/2024/03/16/flick-drummond-home-education-bill/

The Wales database proposals will have significant impact on home educating families who are already known to the LA. This may or may not have been intended. Read more here https://edyourself.org/wales-database-impact-children-already-known/

See also 1/ https://edyourself.org/wales-cme-database-consultation/ + 2/ https://edyourself.org/legal-powers-for-childrens-database-wales/ + 3/ https://edyourself.org/details-childrens-database-wales/ + 4/ https://edyourself.org/2024-wales-database-compared-with-2020/ + 5/ https://edyourself.org/data-sharing-childrens-database-wales/

The Welsh government has come up with a supposedly scaled-down version of the children’s database it tried to introduce in 2020. I have written a new web page about how the two versions compare https://edyourself.org/2024-wales-database-compared-with-2020/

In response to queries about the changes to the Pupil Registration Regulations and exactly what they mean for home educators, I have just published a new web page https://edyourself.org/pupil-registration-regulations-2024/

The School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024 laid yesterday in parliament will come into force on August 19th 2024 and will replace the 2006 Regulations. Deregistration from mainstream school for home education is currently covered by Regulation 8 (1)(d) 2006 but after August 19th it will be Regulation 9 (1)(f) of the 2024 Regulations.The exact wording for deleting pupil names from the school roll is also slightly different; my page on deregistration has more details https://edyourself.org/deregistration/ (For updated links on deregistration from special school click here https://edyourself.org/taking-child-out-of-special-school/ )

I have just written two new pages to explain the proposed Welsh database of “children potentially missing education.” The first page explains how the Welsh government hopes to adapt the database provisions in the Children Act 2004 because this is easier than passing a new law https://edyourself.org/legal-powers-for-childrens-database-wales/ The second page sets out exactly what is proposed https://edyourself.org/details-childrens-database-wales/

Minister Damian Hinds said yesterday in Parliament that the recent guidance consultation which closed on January 18th had received more than 4,000 responses. The shortened Hansard link is here http://tinyurl.com/5n842f37 By comparison, the 2019 children not in school consultation number was “nearly 5,000”; the 2018 guidance consultation was 3441; the 2009 Badman review consultation was 5211; and the 2007 Guidelines consultation was 919.

The Welsh government is proposing that the names and addresses of school age children using health services in Wales (including being registered with a GP) be passed on to the local authority where the child lives so that the LA can maintain a database of children “potentially missing education.” Read more here https://edyourself.org/wales-cme-database-consultation/

Towards the end of 2023 the government put forward some possible changes to the guidance on home education. A public consultation ended on 18.1.24. The government will now consider the responses to the consultation and will publish an official statement about next steps in due course. More information about consultation principles can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consultation-principles-guidance

Meanwhile the current guidance remains in force until such time as a final new version is published. The current guidance can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/elective-home-education My web page on the guidance is here https://edyourself.org/guidance/

I have posted a write up of the Facebook discussion from a couple of days ago here https://edyourself.wordpress.com/2024/01/12/answer-day-summary-home-education-guidance-consultation/ I have added a few extras and also pulled out some General Points. There is no rule says the government has to go with the majority in a consultation but there might be a tipping point where the proposed changes no longer seem such a good idea particularly if operational difficulties become apparent or if it looks likely to be counter-productive. This is where words matter in those answer boxes! REMINDER CONSULTATION CLOSES THURSDAY JANUARY 18TH

On Wednesday January 10th I will be answering queries and responding to comments about the home education guidance consultation. More details here https://edyourself.wordpress.com/2024/01/08/answer-day-wednesday-january-10th-2024/

The law on home education is unchanged. In place of new law, the government is testing the waters as to how far existing law can be stretched. My new blog post summarises the proposed changes and considers the possible impact on relationships between home educating families and the local authority. It also has tips on how to give feedback via the consultation which is open till January 18th. https://edyourself.wordpress.com/2024/01/03/changes-to-home-education-guidance-introduction/ See also https://edyourself.wordpress.com/2024/01/04/why-is-the-home-education-guidance-so-long/

For everyone who has told me “I know it’s important but I haven’t been able to face looking at it yet I have written this blog post https://edyourself.wordpress.com/2024/01/02/home-education-guidance-consultation/ It sets out a few simple steps for trying the “save and come back later” option on the consultation form (with screenshots!) so you can feel you have made a start.

Meanwhile all my other consultation pages are linked from here https://edyourself.org/2023-consultation-revised-ehe-guidance/#allpages and the consultation CLOSES ON JANUARY 18TH