Number of pupils home schooled rises again
The number of children being home schooled has risen again, Ofsted inspectors have found in the third and final set of reports looking at the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and young people.
Almost three-fifths of schools told inspectors they had at least one pupil whose parents had removed them from school to be home educated since the start of the autumn term.
School leaders said that some parents have told them that they only want to home educate temporarily and that their children would return once ‘the pandemic is over’. This suggests there will be a significant number of children returning to school after a very long gap, expecting to catch up.
Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman said: "There is real optimism that the end is finally in sight for the sort of restrictions that we currently live under, but it’s clear that there is a long way to go before education and social care returns to normal. For many children, there is more to be done: to catch them up, to level the playing field and to prepare them well for the next stage in their lives."
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