Nursery World - Home education: 'MPs failed to listen to families' views'

The findings of the Education Select Committee's new report are narrow-minded and outdated, says Dr Harriet Pattison

Dr Harriet Pattison PHOTO Liverpool Hope University

I am incredibly disappointed but not surprised by the Select Committee's recommendations.

These are the same tired old ideas which were suggested and then dismissed over a decade ago as unworkable and inappropriate. It is incredibly disappointing that the Select Committee has failed to engage with stakeholders, with research and with the opportunities that there are to build innovative partnerships and co-operation between children, families, schools and local authorities.

They have not taken the views of home educators into account. They have not listened to a single home educated child or young person.

We could be building education that is personalised, flexible and meaningful for all children - harnessing the best of school opportunities and the freedoms of home education. Instead, these are narrow-minded policies that lack forward-thinking and which apparently do not consider the collateral damage they will cause to children.

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