The Education Secretary ordered officials in late December to review home education in England over fears that parents could be ‘poisoning’ their children’s minds.
According to senior Government sources, home schooling beyond the reach of inspectors is now ‘on the radar’.
The Independent on Sunday reported that the Government is considering giving parents and teachers a ‘specific point of contact’ at local councils in order to raise issues about a child. A Government source said: ‘There has always been the freedom in this country for people to educate their children at home. Many people do it very well. But we need to know where the children are and to be certain that they are safe. For every parent doing a brilliant job, there may be someone filling their child’s mind with poison.’ Large increases in the number of people who home educate have been noted from 2010 to 2015.
