elective home education report - kent · starters: reasons for ehe: schools schools stated*,...
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Elective Home Education Report
1 September 2018 to 31August 2019 Academic year: terms 1-6
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Introduction
This report focuses on Kent’s Elective Home Education (EHE) current population for the academic year 2018/19 (Terms 1-6) as well as starters and leavers to the service during this period.
Key findings
• The total number of Children and Young People (CYP) currently registered as Electively Home Educated (EHE) has increased to 2690 at the end of the academic year 2018- 2019. This represents an increase of 9% compared to the academic year 2017- 2018.
• The six EHE Support and Advice Officers have completed 1918 visits to new and historic families within Terms 1-6 2018/19.
• The total number of CYP registered at some point during this academic year is 3888.
• Of the 99 Kent secondary schools, 17 schools are accountable for off-rolling 20.5% of the current home educated cohort.
• Of the current cohort of CYP registered to home educate, 29.2% are known to Early Help (current and historic) and 26.8% are known to Social Services (current and historic).
• Currently there are 134 CYP with an EHCP (SEN) registered to home educate, an
increase of 38% compared to Term 6 2017/18.
• Over the past 2 years, there has been an increasing trend for CYP registering to home educate within Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. Currently, Key Stage 3 represents 32% of the cohort and Key Stage 4 represents 31% of the cohort.
• Data provided by schools suggests the main reason parents advise schools they wish to off-roll a CYP to home educate, records (50.1%). As ‘preferred method of education’, ‘Anxiety and health reasons are cited for 22.6% of cases representing an increase of 11.5% compared to the academic year 2017/18.
• During this academic year to date 1198 CYP ceased being registered to the home education team at Kent County Council. 64% of cases closed were open for a year or less; this may indicate that home education has been chosen by parents as a short-term intervention.
• During Terms 5 and 6 of 2019, the home education team have been contacting Year 11 families to ascertain onward destinations of the CYP as part of the NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) prevention process. Of the 422 Year 11 pupils registered as home educated, our current data* states 301 CYP (71%) have a September guarantee for EET (In Employment, Education or Training) including 121 (29%) remaining as home educated.
*The EET and NEET data will be confirmed at the end of September 2019.
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1st September 2018 – 31st August 2019 (Terms 1-6)
Total EHE cases currently open at the end of Term 6
2690
Total cases opened during this period 1590
Total cases closed during this period 1198
Total registered at any point during this period
3888
Total visits completed by Elective Home Education Support and Advice Officers (new and historic cases)
1918
Total visits declined (not engaging/not home/cancelled)
1754
The total number of Children and Young People (CYP) registered to Elective Home Education (EHE) in Kent continues to increase.
At the end of this academic year (2018-2019), 2690 CYP are registered to home educate; representing an increase of 9% compared to those registered at the end of the academic year 2017/18.
1918 visits were completed by the EHE Support and Advice Officers during the academic year; visiting new and historic families.
1754 visits were cancelled or declined by families who were not engaging with the service. This high number of cancellations and families not being home at the scheduled time for a visit, has impacted on the EHE Support and Advice Officers workload. Currently the EHE policy is being revised to reflect the DFE guidance for local authorities, published April 2019; with the aim to reduce the number of cancellations incurred allowing the officers time to focus on families who have require support.
Current EHE Population
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Current EHE Population: End of the Academic Year
The total number of CYP registered at any point during this academic year to date is 3888, an increase of 15% compared to the academic year 2017-18 where the total number of children registered at any point was 3379. This is a marked increase; highlighting the increasing trend of home education within Kent.
Current EHE Population: Referral District
Looking at two of Kent’s most deprived districts, we can see that the highest number of CYP registered to home educate reside in the district of Swale (13.1%) and third highest number reside in Thanet (10.7%).
The district of Maidstone has the second highest number of referrals (12%). Maidstone currently has pressure on primary school places, which may be reflected within this figure; a situation compounded by the ongoing conversion of commercial properties into residential in addition to new housing development.
24712690
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
2018 2019
Total EHE cases currently openat the end of Term 6
260242
193172 162
323
191 181
353
289
190
142
10
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
EHE referral district
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Current EHE Population: Previous School Recorded
Of the 99 Kent secondary schools, 17 schools are accountable for off-rolling 30.4% of the Key stage 3, 4 & 5 current home educated cohort. 15 of these schools have Academy status.
Current EHE population: Other Service Involvements
Of the current cohort of CYP registered to home educate, 29.2% are known to Early Help
(current and historic) and 26.8% are known to Social Services (current and historic).
Concerningly, this demonstrates that more than half (56%) of the cohort have required
professional intervention prior to deciding to home educate
9.8% of the current cohort were currently open to either Social Services or/and Early Help
at the time of referral.
This data indicates a significant proportion of parents who opt to home educate; may not be
best placed to provide their children with a suitable level of education, due to the wider
environmental and social issues they are facing.
97
341
2033
73
358
2040
158
627
1905
105
615
1970
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Known to EarlyHelp - Current
Known to EarlyHelp - Historic
Not known toEarly Help
Known to SocialServices - Current
Known to SocialServices - Historic
Not known toSocial Services
EHE Early Help and Social Services pupil involvement
2017-2018 Cohort end of term 6
2018-2019 Cohort end of term 6
24
24
24
24
25
26
26
29
29
29
30
32
3335
36
53
72
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Brockhill Bank Performing Arts College
Charles Dickens School
John Wallis Academy
Westlands School
The Sittingbourne School
The Aylesford School
Folkestone Academy
Canterbury Academy
Hartsdown Academy
Thamesview School
New Line Learning
The Towers School
Cornwallis Academy
Sandwich Technology School
Mascalls Academy
Homewood School & sixth formOasis Academy
EHE - Previous school recorded
6
Current EHE Population: Special Educational Needs
Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) - Currently,139 CYP with an EHCP are registered
to home educate (5.2% of cohort), representing an increase of 38% compared to the same
period in 2017- 18.
Special Educational Need identified and/or EHCP - The current number of CYP with SEN
and/or and EHCP has increased from 19% for the academic year 2017-18 compared to
21% 2018-19.
Current EHE Population: Key Stages
Over the past two years, there has been an increasing trend EHE within Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4; Key Stage 3 represents 32% of the current cohort and for Key Stage 4 represents 31% of the current cohort.
101
139
375
431
19%
21%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Cohort end of Term 62018 - 2471
Cohort end of Term 62019 - 2690
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
EHE children with an SEN identified
EHE children - EHCP EHE children with SEN need (no EHCP) % of EHE with SEN
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
Cohort end of Term 6 2019
Cohort end of Term 6 2018
EHE by Key Stage
EARLY YEARS KS1 KS2 KS3 KS4 KS5
7
162 153181
88
182
135
175
120 125 133 135
29
377
160
79
36
76
43
74
42
77 72
109
40
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Sep-18 Oct-18 Nov-18 Dec-18 Jan-19 Feb-19 Mar-19 Apr-19 May-19 Jun-19 Jul-19 Aug-19
EHE starters and leavers
Registered to home educate Left home education
Starting and Leaving EHE this academic year
This acadmic year (2018-19) 1590 new registrations were recorded in Kent.
Since November 2018, the number of CYP registering each month is higher than the
number of CYP who have ceased to EHE.
Starters: EHE Starters
The majority of CYP who became home educated during this academic year (2018-19) were in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. The highest number of EHE referrals were received from secondary schools in Year 9 (13%), Year 10 (15%) and Year 11 (12%). This is a pivotal time in a pupil’s education when CYP are undertaking their GCSE examinations and is questionable why parents are choosing to home educate at this late stage in their child’s education. Within primary schools the highest number of EHE referrals were made in Year 2 (6%) and Year 6 (7%). These year groups are the end of Key Stage One and Key Stage Two where the children complete SAT’s examinations.
45
89
206
255223
639
66
156
293
201
11
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Early Years Key Stage 1 Key Stage 2 Key Stage 3 Key Stage 4 Key Stage 5
EHE starters by Key Stage
Male Female
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Starters: Reasons for EHE: Schools
Schools stated*, ‘preferred method of education’ (50.1%) as the main reason for off-rolling CYP to home educate. Anxiety and health reasons are cited for 22.6% of cases representing an increase of 11.5% since 2017-18, highlighting health and emotional health issues.
*The collated data matches the EHE 1 form schools complete when off-rolling a CYP to home education. The document has been
amended this academic year in line with the ADCS Survey. Therefore, some reasons are no longer listed on the EHE 1 form (as the table below indicates).
Reason 2017-2018 2018-2019 2 Year Trend
Referral from CME 1.8% 3.5%
Dissatisfaction with school - SEND 1.5% 2.1%
Dissatisfaction with school - bullying 2.6% 3.6%
General dissatisfaction with the school 5.7% 5.9%
Did not get school preference New *X New
Health and emotional health 11.1% 22.1%
Difficulty accessing a school place 4.8% 3.9%
A means of avoiding legal prosecution New 0.1% New
A means of avoiding school exclusion New 0.06% New
Parent did not provide a reason 21.8% 9.4%
Religious, philosophical or cultural 3.1% 45.8%
Parent child relationship (No longer a criteria) 0.7% 0.2%
Preferred method of education (No longer a criteria) 32.9% 50.1%
Short term intervention (No longer a criteria) 4.6% 4.4%
Unwillingness or inability (No longer a criteria) 10% 5.9%
Starters: Reasons for EHE: Parents
The EHE team are now collating data* to cite the parent’s reason for choosing to home educate.
Reason Reason cited by school 2018-19 Reason cited by family 2018-19
Dissatisfaction with school - SEND 34 2.1% 58 3.6%
Dissatisfaction with school - bullying 57 3.6% 106 6.7%
General dissatisfaction with the school 95 5.9% 127 7.9%
Did not get school preference *X *X 13 0.8%
Health and emotional health 352 22.1% 168 10.6%
Difficulty accessing a school place 62 3.9% 17 1.1%
A means of avoiding legal prosecution 2 0.1% 19 1.2%
A means of avoiding school exclusion 1 0.06% 22 1.3%
Parent did not provide a reason 149 9.4% 16 1.0%
Religious, philosophical or cultural 728 45.8% 68 4.3%
No information gathered from parent *X *X 976 61.3%
* The data above represents 25.4% of parent’s reasons for home educating (data collected in latter part of the academic year). X represents data not available. A full data set will be recorded from September 2019. 55 cases were referred from the CME.
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Starters: Other Service Involvements
At the point of referral, 2018-19 6% of CYP and their families were in receipt of support from Specialist Children’s Services (SCS) 34% had historical SCS involvement.
During this academic year, at the point of referral, Early Help was providing support to 8% of the CYP and their families. 34% newly registered CYP and their families had historic involvement.
960
91
539
630
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
No Social Servicesinvolvement
Current involvement Historic involvement Historic and currentinvolvement
EHE Social Services involvement
919
126
545
671
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
No Early Help involvement Current involvement Historic involvement Current and Historicinvolvement
EHE Early Help involvement
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Leavers: EHE Leavers
The majority (64%) of CYP leaving EHE during this academic year (2018-19) have been registered to home educate for less than one year; indicating that home education is being used as a short-term intervention, rather than a philosophical or lifestyle choice*. * Due to the implementation of Synergy the data has been defined as one year plus and less than one year for the duration of EHE. As time progresses these data ranges will become more specific.
Leavers: EHE reasons for leaving home education
The majority of CYP leaving home education this academic year are now attending a mainstream school (34%).
763
435
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900
Less than 1 year
1 year plus
EHE leavers - duration of EHE
6
26
31
413
23
22
82
254
117
217
7
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
Referred to Ed Prog
Apprenticeship
Attending alternative cur, PRU or Special School
Attending mainstream school
In employment (including with training)
Inappropriate referral
Moved out of area and country
EHE cases closed and referred to CME
Attending further education
NEET/Year 12/13 (no onward destination shared)
No reason given
EHE Leavers - Reasons for leaving
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Directorate Scorecard Indicators
CYPE20* Percentage of children registered to EHE where the LA is not satisfied a child is
in receipt of suitable education, referred to CME.
CYPE 21* Percentage of registered EHE children requiring a school place, offered a school
within 60 school days.
* CYPE 20 and 21 are new indicators and currently Synergy reports are being written to provide this data set.
CYPE 22 Percentage of CYP registered to EHE who receive an offer of a visit within 10
school days of them being brought to our attention
The percentage of CYP registered to home educate who receive an offer of a visit within 10
school days of them being brought to the team’s attention has increased this academic year
and the scorecard indicator target is being met. This is largely due to the implementation of
Synergy database and processes followed within the EHE administration team.
72.23% 72.91% 73.91% 74.77%
80.19%83.40%
89.88%
96.66% 96.76% 98.01% 97.90% 97.90%
0.00%
20.00%
40.00%
60.00%
80.00%
100.00%
120.00%
Sep-18 Oct-18 Nov-18 Dec-18 Jan-19 Feb-19 Mar-19 Apr-19 May-19 Jun-19 Jul-19 Aug-19
Percentage of CYP registered to EHE who recieve an offer of a visit within 10 school days
% Target met
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Conclusions
This academic year 2018-19 the EHE Support and Advice officers have continued to focus on
increasing the numbers of visits made and developing positive relationships with home
educating families. The six EHE Support and Advice officers are responsible for twelve districts;
during the 2018-19 academic year, the EHE Support and Advice Officers each held an average
caseload of 648 individual CYP.
The Synergy database provides clear workflows for the EHE Support and Advice Officers to
Follow ensuring that visits are recorded and follow up visits are offered within the required
Timeframe.
The EHE team sit within Fair Access and we are incredibly proud of the work that the team is
delivering, the officers work collaboratively with other colleagues in the Fair Access team,
including Children Missing Education, In Year Admissions and the Senior Access to Education
Officers; ensuring that pupils who are not in receipt of a suitable education are identified at the
earliest opportunity and a school place secured where appropriate.
Further collaborative working with schools is required, to ensure that schools have the
conversation with parents so they are fully informed of their responsibilities when they make
the decision to remove their child from a school roll to home educate,
Data is captured to identify patterns and trends. Where Schools are identified as off-rolling
disproportionate numbers to home educate, this information is collated reported to the school,
allowing them the opportunity to address this. The data is also reported annually within the
Schools Adjudicator report.
As one of the largest local authorities, Kent are proactive in supporting legislative change,
providing data which evidences that EHE is on the increase and not always parent led.
Kent Chair the South East Elective Home Education Officers forum (SEEHEO), which is made up of
78 members from 53 authorities and Kent have a place on the panel of the Association of Elective
Home Education Professionals (AEHEP).
Data Summary
The data in this report is based upon EHE referrals within Kent County Councils term dates
and therefore may be marginally different to the figures in Management Information’s
monthly reports.