Demand For Home Education And Forest Schools Surges In The East Riding

Rising numbers of families in the East Riding are choosing to educate their children at home and in outdoor forest schools as parents seek flexible alternatives to mainstream education.

Alternative educational provisions and home learning environments are experiencing a surge in demand across the East Riding.

Around two per cent of families in the area are now choosing to educate their children at home, reflecting a steady national increase over the past five years.

The shift is driving a rapid expansion in outdoor education, with forest schools and nature-based learning centres struggling to accommodate the influx of new students. Many parents are adopting a blended approach, combining part-time mainstream schooling with home education and outdoor activities.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council's cabinet member for children, families and education, Councillor Victoria Aitken, said:

"East Riding reflects the national picture in that there has been a steady increase, over the last five years, of parents choosing to home educate their children. There are currently around two percent of families choosing to home educate in the East Riding with increases in recent years."

Local authorities are preparing for new statutory powers under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which will introduce compulsory registers for children not taught in mainstream schools and grant councils greater oversight to monitor home-schooling arrangements.

Councillor Aitken said:

"The council maintains contact with families known to be electively home educating and provides them with information, advice and support, and helps ensure a suitable education is taking place. There are changes contained within this year's Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill including a greater role for the Council in monitoring home education and safeguarding and we will work with schools, partners and home educating parents to ensure we meet these responsibilities and that children are receiving a suitable education in light of the new law."

The rising popularity of alternative education is strongly linked to an increase in children diagnosed with special educational needs and disabilities. Extended waiting times for bespoke Education, Health and Care Plans often leave parents seeking immediate, flexible solutions outside the traditional classroom.

Youth environment outdoor educator from Aldbrough, Jaz Hancox, said:

"Demand is skyrocketing. Two years ago we were struggling to get three or four people in our sessions. Now we are fully booked with 20 families and we have more turning up each time. The environment plays such a big part in how young people learn. At the end of the day, we're just doing what we do to help people thrive. People shouldn't criticise parents, they are just trying to do what's best for their child's life. And young people vote with their feet, they are clearly enjoying it."

To support older children who might miss out on traditional exams, new qualifications are being developed. East Yorkshire children will soon have access to Level 2 Nature and Wellbeing qualifications, which are equivalent to a GCSE.

Programme director for Rewilding Youth, Charlotte Dean, said:

"Years and years ago home education was seen as a hippy or alternative choice. But that's not the case anymore. It's not just what's happening inside of schools today, it's what is happening outside of school too. Now parents have the feeling that mainstream schools are not meeting their children's needs. That means home education is ever increasing."

The desire for outdoor learning is even prompting some families to purchase their own natural spaces to facilitate their children's development.

Woodland conservation and rewilding expert, Anton Baskerville, said:

"We are seeing more families thinking differently about how their children learn. For some, that means home schooling. For others, it means incorporating more outdoor education into their child's life or even creating their own woodland space where children can explore, learn and develop practical skills. We have families who are specifically looking for woodland because they want to give their children somewhere to explore and learn. There is something incredibly powerful about giving a child a place where they can get muddy, make mistakes, ask questions and follow their curiosity."

Nationally, Department for Education data from the last academic year shows that over one hundred and seventy-five thousand children were engaged in home education, with seventy-eight thousand newly starting their home educating journey during that period.