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registered interest false more like this
date less than 2021-11-29more like thismore than 2021-11-29
answering body
Department for Education more like this
answering dept id 60 more like this
answering dept short name Education more like this
answering dept sort name Education more like this
hansard heading Out-of-school Education more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of pupils being educated in illegal schools; and what steps he is taking to prevent those schools from operating. more like this
tabling member constituency West Dorset more like this
tabling member printed
Chris Loder remove filter
uin 83480 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2021-12-07more like thismore than 2021-12-07
answer text <p>Any educational institution which provides full-time provision to five or more pupils of compulsory school age (or one or more pupils of compulsory school age who is ‘looked after’ or has an education, health and care plan) is required to register with the Secretary of State for Education as a school. It is a criminal offence under Section 96 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 to conduct an independent educational institution unless it is registered.</p><p>The department has not made any estimate of the number of pupils in unregistered schools. Those conducting an unregistered school are committing a criminal offence and they do not generally inform the department about the school’s operation. It is not therefore possible to accurately estimate the number of children attending an unregistered school.</p><p>The department and Ofsted continue to investigate any institutions where intelligence or evidence suggest the operation of an unregistered school. Section 97 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 permits no-notice inspections of institutions believed to be operating in breach of the registration requirement.</p><p>Between 1 January 2016 and 31 August 2021, 119 settings subject to a Section 97 inspection were identified as operating as an unregistered independent school. Joint work between the department and Ofsted has led to 101 of these settings changing their provision to operate lawfully, and no longer in breach of the 2008 Act. In that time, five successful prosecutions have been brought against those responsible for conducting illegal settings.</p><p>The department consulted in 2020 on extending the registration requirement to education institutions that operate full time but only offer a very narrow curriculum, which are currently allowed to operate without registration. The department will respond to this consultation soon, setting out next steps. The department has also committed to taking forward measures to make it easier to investigate and prosecute unregistered schools, including in the 2019 Integrated Communities Action Plan. The department intends to take forward such measures when a suitable legislative opportunity arises.</p>
answering member constituency Worcester more like this
answering member printed Mr Robin Walker more like this
question first answered
less than 2021-12-07T13:41:22.727Zmore like thismore than 2021-12-07T13:41:22.727Z
answering member
4091
label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker more like this
tabling member
4751
label Biography information for Chris Loder more like this