Deprived Wards in Bristol Have Highest Levels of Home Education

June 13, 2022 Chopsy Baby

Some of the most deprived areas of Bristol have the highest levels of ‘elective home education’, updated data from Bristol City Council reveals this month.

Elective Home Education, is the term used by the Department for Education for the choice made by a family to educate their children between the ages of 5 to 16 years of age at home.

Families choosing to educate at home are free to set their own curriculum, work or methods of study. There is a thriving and supportive Elective Home Education community in Bristol which many choose because it is the best option for their child.

Whilst many families choose to take this path as a valid choice, there are fears that some families with children or young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (Send) feel pushed into de-registering their child from school or are off rolled.

Currently, the wards with the highest levels of Elective Home Education match those with the highest levels of deprivation.

Hartcliffe and Withywood: 65
Ashley: 49
Filwood: 42
Lawrence Hill: 42
Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston: 41
Eastville: 37
Frome Vale: 36
Henbury and Brentry: 33
Southmead:31
Knowle: 27

A parent from Withywood who asked not to be named told us: “My daughter is miserable. She has SEN. Her school are not meeting her needs. Some of them are really simple adjustments they could make but little things are always a big battle. I’ve been looking into home education because she is also being bullied because of her SEN. It’s really stressful and I’m worried about how it’s affecting my child.”

The full list of Elective Home Education statistics are below.