Parents could be forced to report Sunday School attendance

A statutory obligation could be imposed on parents to report if their home-schooled child is attending Sunday School and other forms of church education, under the wide-ranging Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

The bill, which details plans for compulsory registration of home-schooled children, has also been criticised by some for a suggested implication that ‘all home-educated children are at risk’.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024-25 passed its second reading on 8 January 2025. The proposals include a range of reforms aimed at improving the safeguarding of children, including a single numerical identifier for every child, and at raisng educational standards.