![\"Northern](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1753651634_188_ODPF3QMUY5PWPLEUHS62NLOSEU.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Ian](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1753651635_137_UMBR3EASIBBRXEAVMIJR5T5JEU.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nEducation experts suggest that the increased popularity of home educating mirrors a trend happening in the US.<\/p>\n
There has also been a notable spike since the Covid-19 pandemic when remote learning was introduced across the north.<\/p>\n
While the numbers are relatively small, observers have previously claimed that home-schooling\u2018s rising popularity is evidence of increased disillusionment with the education system.<\/p>\n
![\"Alliance](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Y3SOQA6ZJRFX7JPAYF36V5C4EQ.jpg\")
Alliance MLA Michelle Guy has also called for more information about children missing in education. PICTURE: ALLIANCE <\/p>\n
The figures show that there are now 1,099 young people known to the EA as being \u201celectively home educated\u201d \u2013 a rise from 945.<\/p>\n
In 2020\/21, there were 710 pupils known to the EA that had been home educated.<\/p>\n
The number increased steadily since then, rising to 808 and 907 by 2022\/23.<\/p>\n
The figures do not count remote learning during Covid lockdowns but instead focus on those who are not learning within mainstream school systems. <\/p>\n
The figures also may not include all children currently receiving education from home, as some may have never enrolled in a school.<\/p>\n
Ms Guy said that while the information provided showed the number of children electively home educated was now over 1,000, \u201cthe actual number may be much higher\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor example, if a child has never attended school, there is no legal requirement on parents to make any contact with the EA or Department of Education,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a child is being de-registered from a school for home education, the EA are reliant on the school completing a particular form, however in a recent circular to schools, the EA noted that both they and the department are aware that schools may not always be doing this. <\/p>\n
\u201cFamilies may opt for home schooling for a variety of reasons, but it must always be done in the best interests of the child. It must be ensured that they are receiving a quality education and have all the social opportunities and connections their peers will.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added that families and young people should \u201cnever feel forced into homeschooling because our education system has failed them\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether that is because of bullying not being adequately addressed, special, special educational needs support not being in place, or if they require support,\u201d Ms Guy said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat situation should not be tolerated.\u201d <\/p>\n
Ms Guy said there were some concerns about how the progress of these children was tracked to ensure they are receiving an appropriate education. <\/p>\n
In his reply to Ms Guy\u2019s question, Mr Givan said the Department of Education does not currently hold information in relation to the number of children currently missing in education the north.<\/p>\n
![\"Education](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/FCYZPNITWJO25PQ4LML5EVVOYA.jpg\")
Education Minister Paul Givan (Liam McBurney\/PA) <\/p>\n
However, his department does receive monthly management information from the EA on school attendance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis information is cumulative; it counts information throughout the year and therefore cannot identify pupils who are absent from school,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are many reasons for a pupil to be absent from school and the pupil level information received does not provide the reasons for absence.\u201d<\/p>\n
The statistics provided he added, provided an overview of the number of children \u201cknown to have been de-registered for the purposes of Elective Home Education (EHE)\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cOther reasons why a child may be de-registered from a school include having permanently left the country and the death of a child,\u201d Mr Givan said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The number of children being educated at home instead of school has topped 1,000 for the first time.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":296849,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5011],"tags":[110004,1144,64806,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-296848","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-northern-ireland","8":"tag-education-authority","9":"tag-northern-ireland","10":"tag-paul-givan","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114927320949287035","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296848","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=296848"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296848\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/296849"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=296848"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=296848"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=296848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}