Home education guidance: island communities impact assessment

Step one- develop a clear understanding of your objectives

1.1 What are the objectives of the policy, strategy or service?

The home education guidance is produced by the Scottish Government as a resource to help support home educating families and local authorities, with the most recent iteration published in 2007. The guidance is being updated to bring it in line with current policy and legislation, and to reflect changes since 2007, especially in relation to the incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and Curriculum for Excellence.

The guidance sets out the legislation that underpins a parent’s right to choose to home educate their child and provides information for local authorities and for parents and families on the roles and responsibilities of each in relation to children and young people who are home educated.

1.2 How are islands identified for the purpose of the policy, strategy or service?

At present there is not a definition of islands given for the purposes of this guidance update. Each local authority in Scotland should have due regard to the guidance, as set out in Section 14 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000.

It should be noted that uninhabited islands will not be affected by this guidance, as it pertains only to home education.

1.3 What are the intended impacts/outcomes and how do these potentially differ in the islands?

The intended outcome of the guidance is to offer relevant guidance to local authorities and families to aid promotion and development of positive relationships based on mutual respect. The intended outcome of the guidance review is to ensure that the guidance reflects current policy and legislation. A significant reason for updating the guidance is to ensure that, in line with the UNCRC, sufficient and timely opportunity is given for the child’s voice to be heard on matters that affect them, should they wish it.

The new guidance includes proposals to work with local authorities to discuss what options are available for gathering high-level data on those home educating, which is likely to increase understanding of demographics of home educating communities. We hope this will enable us to better consider island communities in future decisions relating to home education.

We do not expect these overall expected impacts/outcomes to differ in the islands.

In preparation for the refreshed guidance, Scottish Government consulted on a draft update to the guidance. The consultation ran from 22 March 2022 until 31 August 2022. Through the process of engagement in the consultation period, we sought to understand whether there is a differential impact on rural and urban communities across Scotland in relation to accessing services connected to home education. As an example, we sought to identify what difference in impact there might be for a home educated learner in the islands seeking access to qualifications through an accredited centre. Through the engagement we sought to understand where island communities may be particularly impacted due to distance between relevant services or opportunities to support learning. We learned that access to exams and qualifications can be an issue experienced by all home educators in Scotland. However, due to remote location, these difficulties may be compounded for those in island communities due to costs of travel to an accredited centre on the mainland.

Island-based home educators may be able to gain access to GLOW, Scotland’s national digital learning platform, through their local authority. Additionally, Scottish Gaelic speaking home educators can access eSgoil, a Gaelic schools service which broadcasts lessons. This may be of particular benefit to those in the Highlands and Islands.

The expectation of an annual conversation to include the child is made accessible to home educators in the highlands and islands, should they desire to do so, as this can happen online for convenience.

1.4 Is the policy, strategy or service new?

No, this updated guidance is a refresh of the home education guidance which was first made available in 2004, and last updated in 2007. The last update predates any requirement for an impact assessment to be carried out.