Educational Concerns

The request was partially successful.

Dear Middlesbrough Council,

A) Can you please categorise how those known to the team dealing with elective home education became known? E.g. School, Doctor, self-referral, concerns about the educational provision reported etc.

i) Does the local authority seek to satisfy itself that the educational provision the parent(s) are providing is suitable to the child's age, aptitude, ability and any SEN as soon as they become aware that parents are electively home educating, regardless of how they become known to the local authority?

ii) How many instances have there been from June 2016, 2017 and to the date of this FOI where the person dealing with elective home education has or has had concerns that a 'suitable' education is not being provided?

B) I would also appreciate it if this information could be broken down into categories:

1) whether they feel that no education is taking place?
2) whether they feel that the philosophy of education is inadequate - for example in the case of autonomous or child led learning, that the particular child is not appearing to be learning 'enough'?
3) whether there are concerns because the family have not implemented a structured approach?
4) or whether the fact that the national Curriculum is not being followed is causing concern?
5) a qualified third party is not involved in the child’s education?
6) An educational report has not been provided by a third party such as; a teacher etc.

C) I would like to know of these children, how many of these concerns were proven?

i) Of the children in the above 6 categories, please indicate if further steps have or are being taken - for example, referred to CME or issued with a School Attendance Order. Please break it down into each year asked for.

ii) Please indicate how many of these went to court in 2016 and 2017.

iii) Please also indicate if any Education Supervision Orders are currently in court for this population?

Finally, please provide all recorded documentation relating to elective home education including policies, procedures (2015 - present).

Please provide copies of all recorded communications relating to elective home education (2017 - present), including any e-mail attachments.

This does not include communications between the Elective Home Education team and electively home educating parents or information that falls under S40 (which I expect to be redacted).

Yours faithfully,

J Carter

foi, Middlesbrough Council

1 Attachment

 

[1]cid:image001.png@01D214E5.57EF90F0

Dear J Carter

 

REF NO: 012542

 

Thank you for your recent enquiry, received on 13/03/2018, in relation
to  home education and SEN.  I can confirm that your enquiry is receiving
attention and a response will be provided within 20 working days following
receipt of your enquiry as allowed under the Freedom of Information Act
legislation.

 

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I will
let you know the likely charges before proceeding.

 

Please do not hesitate to contact me direct on (01642) 729696/729698 or
email [2][Middlesbrough Council request email] should you require any further advice or
assistance with this or any other matter.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Information Governance Assistant

Organisation and Governance

Performance and Partnerships

Middlesbrough Council

TS1 9FX

 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
2. mailto:[Middlesbrough Council request email]

foi, Middlesbrough Council

3 Attachments

 

Dear Sir / Madam

 

REF NO: 012542  

 

I am writing to confirm that Middlesbrough Council has now completed its
search for the information you requested on 13 March 2018. Please accept
my sincere apologies for the delay in responding to your request.

 

In your request you asked for the following information:

 

A) Can you please categorise how those known to the team dealing with
elective home education became known? E.g. School, Doctor, self-referral,
concerns about the educational provision reported etc.

 

Response: Referred by school, parent, CME Team or other LA.

i) Does the local authority seek to satisfy itself that the educational
provision the parent(s) are providing is suitable to the child's age,
aptitude, ability and any SEN as soon as they become aware that parents
are electively home educating, regardless of how they become known to the
local authority?

 

Response: Yes

 

ii) How many instances have there been from June 2016, 2017 and to the
date of this FOI where the person dealing with elective home education has
or has had concerns that a 'suitable' education is not being provided?

 

1) whether they feel that no education is taking place?

 

2) whether they feel that the philosophy of education is inadequate - for
example in the case of autonomous or child led learning, that the
particular child is not appearing to be learning 'enough'?

3) whether there are concerns because the family have not implemented a
structured approach?

 

4) or whether the fact that the national Curriculum is not being followed
is causing concern?

 

5) a qualified third party is not involved in the child's education?

 

6) An educational report has not been provided by a third party such as; a
teacher etc.

 

Response: 1 occasion where it was felt that no education was taking place
or if it was taking place it was not a full-time efficient education
suitable to the needs/ability of the child

B) I would like to know of these children, how many of these concerns were
proven?

 

Response: None

 

i) Of the children in the above 6 categories, please indicate if further
steps have or are being taken - for example, referred to CME or issued
with a School Attendance Order. Please break it down into each year asked
for.

 

Response: None

 

ii) Please indicate how many of these went to court in 2016 and 2017.

 

Response: None

 

iii) Please also indicate if any Education Supervision Orders are
currently in court for this population?

 

Response: None

 

Finally, please provide all recorded documentation relating to elective
home education including policies, procedures (2015 - present).

 

Response:

EHE Policy and Guidelines May 2012 is attached. Please note that the
policy is currently under review.

EHE Schools Process Flowchart is attached which outlines procedure for
school to follow.

EHE Guide for Parents attached

 

Please provide copies of all recorded communications relating to elective
home education (2017 - present), including any e-mail attachments.

 

Response: The email correspondence sent from Elective Home Education to
Education Advisor, First Contact, SEN, Stronger Families, School Health
holds individual pupil sensitive information and is not appropriate to
share and is exempt under Section 40 (Personal Data) of the Freedom of
Information Act. We feel it would not be fair to release information which
could lead to the identification of an individual, either from that
information alone or from that information and any other information that
may be available to any person. TTherefore the first principle of the Data
Protection Act would be breached. Section 40 is an absolute exemption and
there is therefore no requirement to consider the public interest in
making a decision to withhold the information.

 

If you have any queries about this response, please do not hesitate to
contact me direct on (01642) 729696/729698 or email
[1][Middlesbrough Council request email]. Please remember to quote the reference number
shown above in any future communications.

If you are unhappy with the way your request has been handled you may ask
for an internal review within 40 days of receipt of the response. You
should write to:-

Ann-Marie Johnstone

Corporate Strategy Manager

P.O. Box 500,

Civic Centre,

Middlesbrough.

TS1 9FT

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the
right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for an independent
review. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: -

 

Information Commissioner’s Office,
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire,
SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

 

Steph Robson

Information & Compliance Officer

 

Finance, Governance & Support

P.O. Box 500,

Civic Centre,

Middlesbrough.

TS1 9FT

Tel. 01642 729696

 

Email: [2][Middlesbrough Council request email]

 

All intellectual property rights are reserved. Trademarks, brand names,
company names, and logos are the property of Middlesbrough Council, or of
their respective owners. Reproduction, alterations, modification,
distribution, or re-publication in any format, without prior written
permission from the property owner is forbidden.

 

The Council's copyright and other intellectual property rights are
protected by UK laws and by international treaties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Middlesbrough Council request email]
2. mailto:[Middlesbrough Council request email]