The forgotten children: Lords call for crackdown on illegal schools

Calls have been made again in the House of Lords for Ministers to look into the issue of unregistered (or illegal) schools and take action to safeguard children, and make sure they are ‘properly educated and recorded for attendance’. Humanists UK, which has long campaigned against illegal religious schools, has welcomed this action which comes on the back of a Labour’s call on the UK Government to immediately introduce a home school register earlier this week.

Baroness Twycross, Labour’s shadow Education Spokesperson in the House of Lords, asked a question to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the School System and Student Finance, Baroness Barran, on what steps are being taken by the UK Government to address persistent absences in English schools. 

Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Lord Storey of Childwell said:

‘My Lords, when the Minister kindly replied to my Written Question tabled on 11 January, she said that there were “335 state-funded alternative provision schools”. But in terms of unregistered alternative schools or settings, she said that because they are unregistered, they “do not meet the criteria to register as a school”. So we’re, local authorities are, sending children to these unregistered provision settings, yet we do not know whether a record is taken of their attendance or whether they are safeguarded. This is not a satisfactory state, is it? Can the Minister look into this to make sure that these children are safeguarded, properly educated and recorded for attendance?’

In response to Lord Storey’s question Baroness Barran said she ‘shared’ Lord Storey’s concerns and was ‘more than happy’ to follow up on points he had raised. 

The forgotten children

Illegal schools are operating throughout England, many of which are religious, and at least 6,000 children have been identified as in them. Due to loopholes in the law including around the definition of what is a school, and the lack of a home education register, Ofsted’s are unable to investigate and take action against such settings. Legislation granting powers to Ofsted had appeared in parts three and four of the Schools Bill and had received cross-party support. Due to controversial elements in part one of the Bill the UK Government dropped the Bill in its entirety in late 2022. 

Humanists UK Education Campaigns Manager Lewis Young said:

‘There is a growing cross-party consensus on the need to take action against and shut down unregistered, illegal schools, and make sure children receive an appropriate, inclusive education, are taught in a safe setting, and are properly recorded for attendance. We’re thankful to Lord Storey for raising this important issue with Ministers.

‘It’s time for the UK Government to strengthen powers to take action on suspected illegal schools, and tighten up the definitions of what a ‘school’ is.’