Educational Concerns

The request was partially successful.

Dear Bedford Borough 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 in the years (from January 1st to December 31st) 2015, 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 4 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 2015, 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 (2013 - present) and recorded communications relating to elective home education (2016 - present), including any e-mail attachments. This does not include communications between the Elective Home Education team and electively home educating parents.

Yours faithfully,

J Carter

Freedom of Information, Bedford Borough Council

Thank you for your e-mail requesting information under the Freedom of
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We will proceed with the request which we received today. It is our
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Daniela Hanson, Bedford Borough Council

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Dear J Carter

 

Request pursuant to Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Request No 11929

 

Further to your request for information dated 26^th February.  I can
confirm that the information you requested is held under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. Under The Freedom of Information Act (Section 14 (2)
) the Council has the right to refuse an applicant information held if an
exemption applies.

 

The Council believes in this case that the request has previously been
complied with (FOI11881 – a revised copy is attached for your information)
and recently enough to suggest that no new information could be provided
if another search was undertaken it has therefore decided to refuse your
request.

 

If for whatever reason you are unhappy with our response to your
application you are entitled to pursue any dissatisfaction through the
Council's Internal Review Procedure.  Pursuant to Section 17 (7) of the
Act the procedure provided by the Council for dealing with complaints
about the determination of this request for information is the Council’s
FOI Complaints Procedure, a copy of which can be obtained on request or is
set out at:
[1]http://www.bedford.gov.uk/council_and_de...

 

Kind regards
Daniela

Daniela Hanson
Freedom of Information Administrator (Children's Services)
Support Services
Children's Services
Bedford Borough Council, Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AP
Tel: 01234 276749 (Internal 44749)
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Dear Daniela Hanson,

Thank you for your patience, apologies for send you the same request twice! It was not intentional.

Yours sincerely,

J Carter

Daniela Hanson, Bedford Borough Council

I am out of the office.  If your email is to do with Freedom of
Information or is urgent please contact: [1][email address
or [2][email address]

     

Kind regards

Daniela

FOI Administrator (Children's Services)

Support Services

 

 

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