Sharp rise in number of home-schooled children in one area of South Yorkshire

In 2020, 303 families chose to home-school, compared to 200 in 2019, according to Councillor Gordon Watson, cabinet member for children’s services at Rotherham Council.

Jenny Myers, the independent chair Rotherham safeguarding children partnership said the increase in children being electively home-schooled before the pandemic was 'concerning.’

She added: “We’ve drafted a letter to the Department of Education expressing regional concerns about the issue.”

During a meeting of Rotherham Council’s Improving Lives Select Commission, Coun Watson said: “Around 32 [home schooled children] have come back since September 1, having decided that home education wasn’t for them.

“The number have been creeping up over years.”

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