Parental anxiety leads to rise in parents choosing to home school children - Ofsted

Ofsted has published the first in a news series of briefings based on visits to schools in September, that looks at how schools are managing pupils’ return to education under the current Covid-19 restrictions. 

The inspectorate said that the report shows that school leaders are working hard to make sure pupils are catching up with their education in difficult circumstances.

However, schools are dealing with misinformation and myths about how they should approach Covid and  parental anxiety about safety appears to be behind an increase in the numbers opting to educate their children at home, Ofsted said.

More than a third of the schools visited for the report had noticed a rise in parents taking their children out of school to home school them.

The report is based on evidence from 121 one-day pilot visits to schools across England carried out between 14 and 18 September.

Schools volunteered to take part in the interim pilot visits with no graded judgement.

Ofsted is carrying out interim visits to schools this Autumn, with interim visits to early years providers due to start next month.

In November, Ofsted will publish reports to cover visits made in October including virtual visits to early years providers, and visits to further education colleges and local authorities, and services for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). 

‘Leaders reported their frustrations at having to correct the myths that had taken hold with some parents, often fuelled by “fake news” shared on social media,’ chief inspector Amanda Spielman said, in a commentary highlighting the findings from the reports.

‘Myths can also grow and circulate among schools about what they “have” to do, or not do: no singing; no swimming; all doors open, no matter the weather… Successfully rebutting these myths, which spread so easily, is hard. Like Japanese knotweed, myths have persistent roots – so a consolidation and simplification of government advice for schools would help bring clarity for teachers and parents alike as we head towards the winter.’

Schools also reported a decline in children’s physical health and Ms Spielman said that a return to PE was an important part of children’s return to school.

Concerns about what to do when children cannot attend school are very topical as cases spike in some areas, she said.

Schools are planning how to remotely educate pupils who cannot attend in person. As well as logistical challenges, the research highlighted the need to align remote learning with the classroom curriculum to maintain progression, when pupils are isolating away from school.

‘Remote learning presents considerable challenges. Often these are characterised as problems of access – to technology, to broadband or to peace, quiet and space in the home – and these concerns were described on our visits. But there are other challenges too, including how to motivate a child to engage outside of the classroom’s structured regime. Parents’ experiences of remote learning will vary, but common to many has been a real struggle get children to turn off the Xbox and pick up the textbook.’

Inspectors found that in primary schools there has been a focus on reading, as the foundation for wider learning.

Some schools have returned to teaching all subjects straight away, while others are taking a gradual approach to reintroducing foundation subjects such as modern foreign languages and geography.

Separately, Ofsted has also published a briefing based on visits to 70 children’s homes. The social care findings are based on assurance visits to children’s homes under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) made between 1 and 11 September.

Ms Spielman added, ‘We have been hearing directly from the leaders of schools and children’s homes, so we can help others understand what’s being achieved in extraordinary circumstances – whether that’s parents, other professionals working in these fields, or the Government.

‘Strong leadership and committed staff are key to making the best of this challenging time. The member of staff at a children’s home who isolated with a child who was displaying Covid-19 symptoms so they did not feel alone, stands out. But so does the determination, expressed by many of the school leaders we spoke to, that the pupils currently under their care and guidance must not come to be defined as “the Covid generation”. They deserve much more than that.’

• The chief inspector’s commentary is available here
  
• Covid-19 series: briefing on schools September 2020
• Covid-19 series: briefing on children's social care providers