Every child needs a safe, secure start in life and a high-quality education which provides the opportunity to succeed, regardless of background. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will put in place a package of support to drive high and rising standards throughout our education and care systems so that every child can achieve and thrive. It will protect children at risk of abuse, stopping vulnerable children falling through cracks in services, and deliver a core guarantee of high standards with space for innovation in every child’s education.

The Bill has been developed in consultation with education and social care stakeholders to ensure that the measures included are both effective and practical. Its provisions are intended to complement and strengthen existing frameworks to support parents, school leaders and those working in the care system. The measures relating to home education, for example, have been introduced following years of extensive engagement and consultation. The government’s position remains that parents should have the right to home educate their children if they choose to do so, providing that the education being received is suitable and safe.

The government recognises the importance of the child’s voice in educational and wellbeing decisions. The Bill includes measures to ensure children’s perspectives are considered in relevant decisions affecting their education and wellbeing. The department has also conducted and published a Child Rights Impact Assessment, identifying where children are directly affected by policy and where certain groups of children and young people are more likely to be affected than others. For instance, under the School Attendance Order, local authorities will have a new power to request to visit the child in their home. This will provide an opportunity for the child to talk about their education. Local authorities should take the child’s opinion into account in their overall educational suitability decision where appropriate. In cases where parents are required to request permission from the local authority to home educate, the child’s wishes and feelings should be sought and considered, if reasonably practicable.

Regarding concerns about parental rights and school leadership, the Bill is structured to support parents and educators in delivering high-quality education. Part 2 of the Bill provides frameworks to assist school leaders and families in delivering optimal educational outcomes and wellbeing. The Bill will create a floor for standards so every parent can have confidence that they can send their child to a good, local school, but no ceiling on innovation so leaders can drive forward policies for the benefit of the children and communities they serve. We are continuing to engage extensively with leaders from across the school system, including our high-quality multi-academy trusts, to ensure we drive collaboration and enable best practice to be shared up and down the country.

The government notes the issues outlined in this petition on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. We welcome views and engagement from the public and are committed to working closely with stakeholders to ensure that the Bill achieves its objectives.

The Bill is currently being debated at Committee stage in the House of Lords, where amendments to the Bill are debated in detail. Remaining debates can be watched here: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Lords

Department for Education