Suitability of education in the EHE population

M Stafford made this Freedom of Information request to Lancashire County Council

The request was successful.

From: M Stafford

4 August 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

This Foi concerns children currently registered with the LA as
Electively Home Educated. These children are either de-registered
from a school or have never been registered with a school.

A) For how many of these children does the LA have concerns about
whether a 'suitable' education is being provided?

B) Please break this information down into the following
categories:
1. where there appears that no education is taking place?
2. where the philosophy of education is considered to be inadequate
-for example in the case of autonomous or child led learning, that
the particular child is not appearing to be learning enough?
3. where there are concerns because the family have not implemented
any structured?
4. where the fact that the national Curriculum is not being
followed is causing concern?

C) For children in any of the above 4 categories, are further steps
are being taken- for example, issuance of a School Attendance
Order?

D) Are any Education Supervision Orders currently issued or in
court for this population?

E) Has or would such concern about educational provision ever lead
to a referral to Social Services?

F) Is it possible that the The EHE Department is not aware that
Social Services are involved with a home educating family,
(especially if this involvement is on an on-going basis rather than
a one off referral which is found to be of no genuine concern)?

Yours faithfully,

M Stafford

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From: Freedom of Information
Lancashire County Council

5 August 2009

Dear Sir/Madam,

Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

We are writing to acknowledge receipt of your email dated 4^th August
2009, in which you request the disclosure of information under the
provisions of the above Act.

We have begun a search for the information you require and shall contact
you again when we are in a position to respond further. Should we envisage
any delays, or require more details from you, we will contact you
immediately.

In the meantime, if you have any queries about the above, please do not
hesitate to contact us, quoting ref. .

Yours sincerely,

On behalf of the Freedom of Information Team

Freedom of Information | Access to Information Team

Lancashire County Council, PO Box 78, County Hall,

Preston, PR1 8XJ

Tel: 01772 531116 | Fax: 01772 530949

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Lancashire, a place where everyone matters

********************

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From: Freedom of Information
Lancashire County Council

5 August 2009

Dear Sir/Madam,

Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

We are writing to acknowledge receipt of your email dated 4^th August
2009, in which you request the disclosure of information under the
provisions of the above Act.

We have begun a search for the information you require and shall contact
you again when we are in a position to respond further. Should we envisage
any delays, or require more details from you, we will contact you
immediately.

In the meantime, if you have any queries about the above, please do not
hesitate to contact us, quoting ref. RFI/544/2009.

Yours sincerely,

On behalf of the Freedom of Information Team

Freedom of Information | Access to Information Team

Lancashire County Council, PO Box 78, County Hall,

Preston, PR1 8XJ

Tel: 01772 531116 | Fax: 01772 530949

show quoted sections

Lancashire, a place where everyone matters

********************

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From: Freedom of Information
Lancashire County Council

2 September 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

Further to your email, dated 4^th August, in which you request the
disclosure of information under the provisions of the above Act, we are
now in a position to respond.

The Lancashire Education Inclusion Service has a team of teachers who
visit pupils whose parents have elected this route of education. Last
academic year we had in total 495 pupils on our register. Each week, as
the need arises, pupils are referred to the Children Missing Education
(CME) Team if it is felt that, for any reason, they are not receiving a
suitable education. The following information is based on July 2009
figures:

o In July there were 38 referrals to the CME Team
o 13 related to pupils who were not known at the last address we had on
record, and therefore the pupils were not seen; these will be
forwarded to be tracked
o 17 were referred as the teacher felt that, after a second visit, the
education being delivered was unsuitable for the pupil age and ability
o 4 were referred for repeated failed visits; despite numerous attempts
(letters and phone calls) it was not possible to meet the parent(s)
o 4 were referred as the pupil or parent had requested a return to
school.

Where there are concerns re the lack of information the CME team will then
use their powers to address the issue.

No School Attendance Orders have been initiated as yet, and parents and
the young person are usually keen to return to mainstream education. No
Education Supervision Orders have been initiated. We would consider a
School Attendance Order when parents/carers do not engage and despite
several attempts by the CME Officer no response has been made by the
parent/carer.

Due to the introduction of CAF (Common Assessments Framework) we now use
CAF as the referral route which should ensure that any other agencies
involved with the pupil are invited to any meeting or otherwise asked to
make a contribution.

We trust that the above is to your satisfaction, but in the event that
you wish to complain about the manner in which your enquiry has been
handled, you should write in the first instance to The Freedom of
Information Officer, Lancashire County Council, PO Box 78, County Hall,
Preston PR1 8XJ, or email [1][Lancashire County Council request email]

If, after this stage, you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to refer
the matter to the Information Commissioner, whose contact details are as
follows:

The Information Commissioner

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Tel: 01625 545700

Email: [2][email address]

Website: [3]http://www.ico.gov.uk

If you have any queries regarding our response, or you require any
additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information

Lancashire County Council

PO Box 78

County Hall

Preston

PR1 8XJ

Tel: (01772) 531116

Fax: (01772) 530949

Email: [4][Lancashire County Council request email]

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Lancashire, a place where everyone matters

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References

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Tania Berlow left an annotation ( 5 September 2009)

M. i got this one but could you please follow up and ask them if the 4 where parents could not be met implies that even if parents send in a plan and philosophy (annually) do they insist on visits before considering an education suitable. thanks

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From: M Stafford

6 September 2009

Dear Freedom of Information,

Thank you very much for your reply.

Please could you clarify that you need to visit the family in order
to consider educational provision suitable. Therefore the four
families found unsuitable due to a lack of a visit would be
considered so even if they sent in an educational philosophy and
report annually.

Yours sincerely,

M Stafford

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From: Freedom of Information
Lancashire County Council

28 September 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

Further to your email dated 6^th September 2009, in which you requested
clarification on your request, we are now in a position to respond.

If a family chooses not to allow us to visit and would rather send in a
report we accept the report if it clearly addresses what educational
provision is in place, who is responsible, and hopefully what progress the
pupil/s have made. When we fail to make contact after many attempts via
letters, phone calls and visits and have not had a report we will consider
a referral.

We trust that our response is to your satisfaction, but in the event that
you wish to complain about the manner in which your enquiry has been
handled, you should write in the first instance to The Freedom of
Information Officer, Lancashire County Council, PO Box 78, County Hall,
Preston PR1 8XJ, or email [1][Lancashire County Council request email]

If, after this stage, you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to refer
the matter to the Information Commissioner, whose contact details are as
follows:

The Information Commissioner

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Tel: 01625 545700

Email: [2][email address]

Website: [3]http://www.ico.gov.uk

Your request will now be closed as of this date.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information

Lancashire County Council

PO Box 78

County Hall

Preston

PR1 8XJ

Tel: (01772) 531116

Fax: (01772) 530949

Email: [4][Lancashire County Council request email]

show quoted sections

Lancashire, a place where everyone matters

********************

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Lancashire County Council request email]
mailto:[Lancashire County Council request email]
2. mailto:[email address]
mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.ico.gov.uk/
http://www.ico.gov.uk/
4. mailto:[Lancashire County Council request email]
mailto:[Lancashire County Council request email]

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From: M Stafford

2 October 2009

Dear Freedom of Information,

Thank you for the clarification.

Yours sincerely,

M Stafford

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