The number of children being educated at home in North Tyneside continues to rise, according to council figures.
Council statistics show, as of December 1 2024, there are currently 245 children being taught outside of school in North Tyneside. The figure has consistantly risen since 2017, where only 50 kids were recorded as home-schooled.
The most common reason for elective home education cited by parents is the mental health of thier children (79), followed by “philosophicaly or preferential reasons” (54). Other recorded reasons include dissatisfaction with a school due to bullying (13), underlying health condition (12), and dissatisfaction with a school’s special educational needs and disabilities service (11).
36 surveyed parents or carers did not provide a reason.
The number of recoded home-school childern since 2012 are as follows:
- 2012: 42
- 2013: 46
- 2014: 37
- 2015: 39
- 2016: 51
- 2017: 50
- 2018: 57
- 2019: 91
- 2020: 102
- 2021: 125
- 2022: 155
- 2023: 164
- 2024: 245
A report by North Tyneside Council on home education states that whilst many children “thrive” with home-schooling, many also experience “emotionally based non-school attendance”. Parents report having “no choice” other than to remove their children from school for the sake of their mental health.
This is further compounded by the expection for the child to complete 25 hours of lessons a week when already “disengaged and unable to access full-time education for several months or years”. In addition, the local authority has two members of staff to support home-schooled children which, according to council documents, “is becoming more challenging”.
Council officers are also faced with increasingly complex cases, ranging from children suffering from anxiety, stress, self-harm, burnout, pregnancy, domestic abuse, substance misuse and undiagnosed special educational needs or disabilities.
With regards to children educated outside of home, the council’s report states: “Local Authority officers support them, making suggestions to parents about voluntary services, including those available online, through registered charities, and continue to work to improve the offer available to all North Tyneside children, regardless of their educational choices. Local Authority Officers are working with partner agencies to improve this offer.”
Councillors will gather on Janurary 6, at the council’s Cobalt HQ, to note the report.
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