Longfield calls for action to tackle informal exclusions

Appearing before the House of Commons education select committee, children's commissioner Anne Longfield said she is concerned that a number of schools are forcing or "encouraging" children with behaviour issues to leave school.

She told MPs that the situation is leading to a rise in home education and that many pupils involved have special educational needs.

"I've been inundated with conversations from local authorities about this," she said.

"They have been telling me on a very regular basis for at least the last six months that they can see a rise in the number of children who are being either excluded from schools or encouraged to move from schools.

"That means that the number of children who are going to alternative provision is growing. The number of children who are going into home education is growing."

Longfield said that at a recent conference involving council representatives many told her the number of home education children in their areas had doubled, with some saying numbers had trebled.

She added: "We estimate that 50,000 children are being home educated. Probably only about 25 per cent are the 'philosophical' parents doing it for philosophical reasons.