The Children, Education and Families Information Briefing was scheduled to discuss elective home education and provide a statistical report on Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessment outcomes. The meeting was intended to provide information for debate only if a member of the committee requested it in advance.

Elective Home Education Briefing Paper

The briefing paper provided an overview of elective home education (EHE) in the London Borough of Bromley. It outlined the legal framework, the council's role and responsibilities, and the arrangements in place for monitoring children educated at home. The paper explained that parents have a legal right to educate their children at home, as per the 1996 Education Act, which states parents must ensure their child receives efficient full-time education suitable (a) to his age, ability, and aptitude, and (b) to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. ¹

The council's role is to respond to concerns that a child is not receiving a suitable education and to offer support and information to parents, rather than directing them on how to educate their children. The briefing detailed the council's statutory responsibilities, including identifying children not receiving a suitable education and making enquiries where necessary. It also outlined the monitoring process, which involves initial contact with families and annual monitoring, with more frequent contact for higher-risk cases.

The paper presented data on the number of electively home-educated children in Bromley, noting a significant increase in registrations over recent academic years, with 619 children registered between September 2025 and April 2026. It also detailed the reasons families provided for choosing EHE, with Parental Choice being the most common.

Safeguarding arrangements were also discussed, with the service working closely with other Children's Services departments. The briefing highlighted the use of Section 437(1) notices under the Education Act 1996, a formal process initiated when there are concerns about a child's education. This process involves three stages: an intention to issue a notice, the formal notice itself, and the potential consideration of a School Attendance Order if concerns remain unresolved. The data presented indicated that in a substantial number of cases, parents respond to Section 437(1) interventions by providing sufficient information to demonstrate that suitable education is being delivered.

The briefing also touched upon the forthcoming Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, which is expected to introduce a statutory national register of Children Not in School and additional safeguards prior to de-registration.

Statistical Report on EHCP Assessment Outcomes

This report provided a comparative analysis of Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) activity for 2024 and 2025. It highlighted trends in demand, decision-making, and outcomes. The number of requests for EHCNA increased from 1,054 in 2024 to 1,120 in 2025, a rise of 6.3%.

Decision-making trends showed a shift towards agreeing to assessments, with the proportion of requests agreed increasing from 65% in 2024 to 71.4% in 2025. The report stated that this suggests a greater proportion of requests are meeting the threshold for statutory assessment or that improvements have been made in the quality of submitted evidence. Outcomes following assessment remained consistent, with 89.3% of assessments resulting in the issuing of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) in 2024, and 89.9% in 2025.

The analysis by educational phase indicated that primary-aged pupils continued to account for the largest proportion of requests. However, there was a noticeable increase in requests from secondary-aged pupils and a significant proportional increase in Post-16 requests. Schools remained the primary source of requests, followed by parents. The report also noted a significant increase in requests initiated by Local Authority services or other professionals, rising from 8.8% in 2024 to 14.6% in 2025.

The report concluded that while decision-making and assessment outcomes remain robust, the growth in demand, particularly among older cohorts, may indicate pressures within earlier intervention systems. The increase in professionally led requests was seen as highlighting the importance of effective multi-agency collaboration and early identification pathways.

The report also addressed a concern raised by a Councillor regarding repeat requests for EHCNA being subsequently agreed. It explained that when an initial request is declined, detailed feedback is provided, and subsequent requests are often more robust with clearer evidence, reflecting the effectiveness of the graduated response process.