Homeschooling petition

Update, and new petition. In response to the persistent and extremely worrying signs that the Government is preparing to impose burdensome regulations on homeschoolers, a petition was set up to tell the Government to leave the issue alone. (See original post.) With 1,627 signatures, the petition deadline passed and the government make its official response:

The Government respects the rights of parents who choose to educate their children at home. Local authorities have a limited scope for intervention if it appears to them that a child in their area is not receiving a suitable education. We do not believe it is unfair for local authorities to scrutinise the quality of provision when legitimate concerns are raised. This should be done sensitively, and recognise that home educators do not have to follow the National Curriculum and have a broad discretion as to how and when education takes place.

This is merely a reiteration of the current policy, with no acknowledgement that the policy is under review. It suggests that the response was generated entirely mechanically, without any thought at all.

Accordingly, it makes sense to sign another petition, worded more explicitly: 'Keep homeschooling legal'!