The Centre for Social Justice has called upon the British government to create a national registry of children in repose to what they described as an “alarming rise” in youngsters being home schooled following the Chinese coronavirus lockdowns.
According to a study from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), over a fifth of all children have been “missing” from schoolrooms since the government began implementing lockdown measures. The report found that 2 million of the nation’s nine million students are not attending class regularly.
The figure includes 1.67 million kids who were deemed “persistently absent” by the Department for Education (DfE) during the second term of 2021, representing an 82 per cent increase over 2020. The CSJ went on to state that there has been an “alarming” 34 per cent increase in students being educated at home, with 81,000 home schooled children.
“In some areas, the total number of children in home education more than doubled,” the report stated. “At present, half of all children taught at home were found to have begun their retreat from the classroom during lockdowns.”
The head of education for the think tank, Alice Wilcock said: “While some may be receiving a good education at home, neither the Government or local authorities have much idea of who these are or what is happening to them. Indeed, there is evidence to suggest that some are being deliberately off-rolled by schools to fend for themselves.”
The CSJ pointed to the government lockdown policy in particular as a driving force behind the move towards home schooling, with have of those children recorded beginning their education at home during the lockdowns. According to the Daily Telegraph, the British government closed schools more days than any other country in Europe with the exception of Italy, with UK school kids missing class on 44 per cent of learning days between January of 2020 and July of 2021.
The report also noted that mental health problems among children and bullying were motivating factors for removing a child from school as well.
Co-founder of the anti-lockdown Together campaign, Alan Miller said: “Another example of the consequences of policies of lockdowns and impositions. As always the worst off suffer the most.”
Therefore the think tank called on the government to implement a national registry for children who are being home educated, and to allow a right of return for any child within six weeks of leaving a school.
“This will empower professionals working with children to be able to say where all children are, whether educated at school or at home,” said Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner for England.
“Some children who are home educated have been subject to safeguarding concerns, including abuse, neglect, criminal exploitation, and child employment,” she added.
In response to the report, a spokesman for the Department for Education said: “We know the importance of a consistent education for children’s life chances which is why we have put in place a range of measures to help drive up attendance levels.
“These include strengthened guidance for schools and councils, new data dashboards, advisers working with local authorities and a mentoring pilot for persistently absent pupils, all with the aim of boosting attendance levels in schools.”
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