Thousands of children are languishing in unregistered faith schools.
These schools prioritise fundamentalist religion over the education and welfare of children.
The scandal of unregistered schools must be addressed.
Some religious institutions operate schools which are not registered with the Department for Education, despite this being a legal requirement.
Schools are left unregistered to avoid regulations and inspections, so they can teach a very narrow, religion-based curriculum without oversight. This severely limits children's future options, as children leave these schools with very poor literacy, no formal qualifications and no skills or experience for life in modern Britain.
The lack of scrutiny also presents major safeguarding concerns. Children have been taught in unsafe conditions and subjected to physical punishment in these schools. The curriculum may also teach extremist, regressive and discriminatory dogma.
In 2019, Ofsted estimated as many as 6,000 children were being educated in unregistered settings. But the number could be even higher. Approximately 86,300 children and young people were electively home educated nationally during the year 2019/20. There is little regulation of home education, so many of these children could in fact be attending an unregistered school.
Some unregistered schools exploit loopholes in the law to avoid registration and operate at the margins of the law as an "out of school educational setting". Although many out of school settings, including tuition centres and supplementary schools, provide an excellence service, a minority put children's welfare at risk.
We are working to end the harms caused by unregistered schools by campaigning for greater powers for Ofsted tackle these settings, the elimination of loopholes to force more schools to register, and improved regulation of elective home education.
Take action!
1. Suspect an unregistered school? Report it!
Unregistered schools are illegal and pose a serious threat to children's wellbeing. If you think you know of a possible unregistered school, please report it to the schools inspectorate Ofsted.
If you are aware of children in imminent danger, please call 999 and inform the police.
2. Share your story
Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue.
3. Join us
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
MPs call for home education register to protect children’s rights
Posted: Wed, 28 Jul 2021 13:42
A House of Commons committee has called for a register of home educated children in England, along with other measures long supported by the National Secular Society.
The Commons education committee has made the call in a report, Strengthening Home Education, which was published this week.
The report highlights evidence that many unregistered schools claim their children are in elective home education (EHE). Unregistered schools are illegal and not subject to oversight.
The NSS has long raised concerns that home education can be used as a cover for illegal faith schooling. The society backed plans for a register to help to protect children's rights in response to a government consultation in 2019.
The committee's report called on the government to "seek to balance the right of families to make the best choices for themselves with the responsibility to promote good outcomes for all children and young people, whether or not they go to school".
It added: "It is not unreasonable to seek some reassurance about the suitability of the education received by children who are electively home-educated."
The Department for Education (DfE) has not published a response to the 2019 consultation, but has indicated that it will consider a register.
Unregistered schools and EHE
The committee heard evidence that one quarter of unregistered schools inspected by Ofsted claimed their pupils were in EHE.
Ofsted also raised concerns that some children are receiving almost all their education in unregistered schools, and that a lack of oversight of education or safety left children attending them at risk.
Numbers in EHE rising
The committee said the number of children in EHE is rising faster than the significant rise in remote learning.
It noted that the number of children in EHE is estimated to be over 75,000, but added that it was "simply not good enough that we are only able to make a best guess" at the number.
The DfE has found "considerable evidence" that many children may not be receiving a suitable education.
The report also said the current approach was "relatively permissive" compared to many other European countries.
NSS comment
NSS head of education Alastair Lichten called on the government to adopt the recommendations.
"This report shows that proportionate efforts to protect children's independent rights to a suitable education can be consistent with respect for the independence and autonomy of families opting for home education.
"Ensuring all pupils are registered will prevent them falling through the gaps, help to tackle the serious problem of unregistered faith schools which evade any oversight, and allow support to be targeted where necessary."
Other recommendations
- The report also recommended that local authorities should assess the progress of children who are home educated. Currently they are advised to make contact, but in many cases there is none.
- It also recommended that the DfE should commission better research on the impact of EHE and ensure pupils have fair access to exams.
Image by free stock photos from www.picjumbo.com from Pixabay.
Out-of-school settings code to be voluntary, government confirms
Posted: Fri, 30 Oct 2020 12:06
The National Secular Society has warned of an ongoing risk to children's rights after the government confirmed that a new safeguarding code for out-of-school educational settings will not be compulsory.
The Department for Education (DfE) published finalised guidance for out-of-school settings (OOSS) in England last week. It said the aim of the guidance was to help OOSS providers "understand best practice for creating a safe environment for children in their care".
But it said following the guidance would be voluntary and the government would "not monitor or assess whether providers are implementing the practices set out".
OOSS are organisations or individuals that provide tuition, training, instruction or activities to children in England without their parents' or carers' supervision. They don't include schools, colleges, academies or registered carers.
The code makes recommendations on health and safety; safeguarding and child protection; suitability of staff and volunteers; and governance.
Previous NSS response to consultation
The NSS called for the code to be mandatory and enforced where proportionate in its response to the government's consultation on draft guidance last year.
The society, which has played a crucial part in exposing unregistered faith schools, stressed the importance of ensuring legitimate OOSS are not used as cover for illegal schools.
It also said government guidance should make clear that OOSS should not be children's "primary education provider".
NSS response
NSS head of education Alastair Lichten said the code was "a useful tool" but the lack of enforcement would "leave children's rights at risk".
"The content of this code is mostly helpful and many legitimate out-of-school settings will benefit from it. But it's unclear how entirely voluntary guidance will protect vulnerable children in a small number of settings where they may be vulnerable to religious abuse or radicalisation.
"We encourage the government to keep the door open to making parts of the code compulsory, where necessary and proportionate to defend children's fundamental rights."
Government response
The government said it appreciated "concerns around the voluntary nature of the code" but justified its decision on the grounds that the code was intended to be "a supportive resource for providers".
The DfE had indicated its unwillingness to enforce the code in 2018, as it abandoned plans for the compulsory registration of OOSS under pressure from faith groups.
