Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that children who are home schooled receive a comparable level of education to that received in a school.

Responsibility for providing a suitable full-time education for children of compulsory school age who are educated at home rests with the parents. Although local authorities do not have a power to monitor such provision on a routine basis, they are under a duty to identify children who are not receiving a suitable full-time education. As part of that process, they will take appropriate steps to ensure that if a child is not being properly educated at home to serve a school attendance order. The department publishes guidance to local authorities on this matter, which is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/288135/guidelines_for_las_on_elective_home_educationsecondrevisev2_0.pdf