Brent

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Meeting the LA Education Department

Guidance on improving LEAs

EHE consult - LA response

Brent Education Welfare Service

(Local authority)

1 Do you agree that it is helpful for the DfES to issue guidelines to local authorities?

Yes

Comments:

This will be very helpful to both LA and parents and will be the basis for drawing up new guidelines as a joint initiative between the LA and home educating parents.

2 Do you agree that the description of the law (paragraphs 2.1-2.3) relating to elective home education is accurate and clear?

Yes

3 Do you agree that the description of local authorities’ responsibilities (paragraphs 2.5-2.11) is accurate and helpful?

Yes

Comments:

This clearly states the LA responsibility and identifies elective home education as legitimate educational provision with steps to be taken only when a suitable education is not being provided

4 Do you agree that the section on contact with the local authority (paragraphs 3.4-3.7) is accurate and helpful?

Yes

Comments:

We have very good relations with home educating parents in Brent and already carry out much of what has been suggested in these paragraphs

5 Do you agree that the section on providing a full-time education (paragraphs 3.11-3.14) – and in particular, the characteristics of provision (paragraph 3.13) – is accurate and helpful?

Yes

Comments:

I agree with the description of the characteristics of home education and welcome advice on identifying when there is a lack of either education/resources/parental involvement and what to do about it.

6 Do you agree that the section on developing relationships (section 4) is useful?

Yes

Comments:

In Brent we have started consulting with home educators and will be working closely with them to develop materials /advice/web site/ so that parents can be kept informed about roles and responsibilities.

Yes

Comment:

Brilliant. We are always looking for support for home educators, so very useful!

7 b) Should any other contacts be included?

Not Sure what this means?

Comments:

We've waited a long time for government to take a lead on the issues relating to home education - there needs to be consistency between LAs and clear guidance developed by LAs with home educators being in the forefront, after all they are the experts.

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