Parents who home educate their children will be inspected by council officials and ordered to send them to school if standards are not met, a Government review said today.
England has one of the most liberal approaches to home education in the developed world. It is banned in Germany, and most European countries require registration.
The reforms are necessary because twice as many home educated children are known to social services as the normal school-aged population under current arrangements, the report revealed.
Graham Badman, a former director of children’s services, conducted the review for the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
His report painted a picture of a lack of regulation, with no one able to calculate how many children are not in school.
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It said: “It is a cause of concern that, although approximately 20,000 home educated children are known to local authorities, estimates vary as to the real number which could be in excess of 80,000.
“I am not persuaded that under the current regulatory regime, that there is a correct balance between the rights of the parents and the rights of the child - either to an appropriate education or to be safe from harm.”
The review found evidence of a small number of extreme cases, where home educated children had suffered harm because concerns were not picked up.
Mr Badman’s recommendations, which were accepted in full by the Government, included parents having to submit statements of what they intend to teach over the coming year.
He added: “Properly trained local authority officials should have the right of access to the home, following a minimum two-week notification to the parents.
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“They will check that the child is making progress against their learning statement. They will also have the right to speak to the child, to ensure they are safe and well.”
He also said that local authorities should be able to refuse parents the right to home educate, if there were concerns about the children’s safety or if they were not receiving a good enough education. These could be enforceable with court orders.
Mr Badman found some parents were in favour of more regulation, while others were “fiercely defensive” of their rights.
He quoted one parent who opposed inspection because: “No one from the local authority would in my opinion be on my child’s intellectual level, or they wouldn’t be working for the local authority.”
Delyth Morgan, the Children’s Minister, said she accepted in full the “proportionate and reasonable” recommendations.
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She said: “The fact is most developed countries require registration to home educate, with the majority also having a process of systematic monitoring.
“It’s only right we afford our own children and young people the same checks and balances.”