Landmark proposals for a register of all children not being educated in school, including those being taught at home, have been set out by Education Secretary Damian Hinds today (Tuesday 2 April).

The Government is consulting on proposals which will, for the first time, provide a clear picture of where children are if they are not in school. Estimates suggest almost 60,000 children are deemed to be educated at home – a figure that is thought to be rising by around a quarter every year.

A register of children not in school will transform a local council’s capacity to identify and intervene where the standard of a child’s education isn’t good enough or, in the rare instances, where they are at risk of harm. It will also help the authorities spot young people who may be receiving a solely religious education, attending an unregistered school or not receiving an education at all.

The Department is also proposing new measures to support parents who choose to educate their children at home, in the form of a legal duty for local authorities to provide assistance like helping to pay for exam costs and more.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said:

The term ‘home education’ has now acquired a much broader meaning than it used to. It is now a catch-all phrase, used to refer to all children not in a registered school. So whilst this does include those actually getting a really good education at home, it also includes children who are not getting an education at all, or being educated in illegal schools where they are vulnerable to dangerous influences – the truth is, we just don’t know.

As a Government, we have a duty to protect our young people and do our utmost to make sure they are prepared for life in modern Britain. That’s why this register of children not in school is so important – not to crack down on those dedicated parents doing an admirable job of educating their children in their own homes, but to prevent vulnerable young people from vanishing under the radar.

Under the plans, it will be parents’ responsibility to register their child if they are not being taught in a state-funded or registered independent school.

The Government is also consulting on proposals that would require local authorities to provide support such as teaching resources or financial contributions to exam fees – at parents’ request.

Damian Hinds continued:

Parents who choose to teach their children at home have often made huge sacrifices – even giving up their careers – so that they can do what is best for their families. I want to make those parents’ lives easier and help them provide the best education for their children.

I also want to hear from home educating parents so we can understand what support they would benefit from and how we can help them and their children flourish.

The Government is also publishing today guidance for local authorities and for parents that clarifies their powers and responsibilities under current law, setting out the action councils can take if they have concerns a child is not receiving a suitable education. This includes school attendance orders – a legal power that already exists, compelling parents to send their child to a registered school.

For parents, the guidance sets out considerations they should make when deciding whether home education is the right choice for them and their child.

Today’s consultation follows a call for evidence carried out last year which collected views from across the sector. The consultation will be open for 12 weeks until Monday 24 June.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, said:

These proposals offer an important opportunity to make sure that all children not attending school are safe, and receiving an education that prepares them for adult life.

Ofsted has long had concerns about the increasing numbers of school-age children not attending a registered school, many of whom may not be receiving a high quality education or being kept safe. We are especially concerned about children ‘off-rolled’ from schools, and those in illegal schools. The new register will make it easier to detect and tackle these serious problems.

Children’s Commissioner, Anne Longfield, said:

The number of children who are not being educated in school has rocketed over recent years. For some families, educating at home will be a positive choice but many more children are falling out of school and their parents struggling on their own.

It is vitally important that we know that all children are safe and that they are receiving the education they deserve to help them to succeed in life. The introduction of a register for children not in school is very welcome and something I been calling for. I am pleased these proposals also include support for families.

Greater Anglia passengers will soon benefit from faster connections on brand new trains — with improved compensation in the event of disruption — Rail Minister Andrew Jones has announced yesterday (1 April 2019).

Visiting Norwich, Ipswich and Witham, the minister met with Greater Anglia managing director Jamie Burles, staff and passenger representatives to mark the official launch of the new DR15 compensation deal and to start the countdown to new faster services running between Norwich and London next month.

He also tried his hand at the training simulator drivers are using in preparation for the roll-out of the brand new £1.4 billion fleet of trains on the network this year. The longer electric and bi-mode trains will run across the network, providing passengers with more seats, air conditioning, USB and plug sockets, improved information screens, spaces for cycles and accessible toilets.

Rail Minister Andrew Jones said:

Our top priority is ensuring passengers get the reliable and punctual services they expect, but if things do go wrong, it’s only right that they are compensated fairly and quickly. This is why the launch of DR15 is excellent news for passengers.

With faster services and brand new trains coming soon, we are working hard to deliver significantly better journeys for passengers on Greater Anglia.

In May (2019), 4 new fast services between Norwich and London will be launched – meaning passengers can get to and from the capital in 90 minutes from Norwich and 60 minutes from Ipswich.

The Environment Agency has secured £200,000 donation through an Enforcement Undertaking following a pollution incident near Doncaster.

Yorkshire Water Services Ltd have paid £200,000 to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust as part of an Enforcement Undertaking (EU). The EU was offered to the Environment Agency after the company admitted causing sewage to enter the Pissy Beds Drain, a tributary that eventually leads into the River Trent in September 2015.

Benefit to environment

EUs are a restorative enforcement sanction. Polluters can make an offer to the Environment Agency to pay for or carry out environmental improvements as an alternative to any other enforcement action. The Environment Agency then carefully considers whether the remedial efforts offered by the polluter are acceptable, taking into consideration all the circumstances surrounding the commission of the offence.

On 22 September 2015 the Environment Agency was made aware of a burst at a main surface water sewer, but further investigations showed that a transfer of foul sewage between pumping stations led to raw sewage entering the Pissy Beds Drain near Hatfield Colliery.

The Pissy Beds drain flows to Brierholme Carr Drain, then to South Soak Drain which leads to the River Trent. Elevated ammonia and low dissolved oxygen levels were detected due to sewage entering the watercourse. This had the potential to harm fish and the invertebrate life. Once made aware of the incident, The Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water Services’ response meant that the pollution was contained while the burst was located, stopped and fixed, preventing further environmental harm.

Yorkshire Water Services cleaned the watercourse and have repaired the rising main that burst at a cost of £235,000. The company also paid the Environment Agency’s costs in full. The company have also carried out an end to end review of their telemetry system to ensure that early warnings are received and acted on, additional alarms have been put in place. Staff have been briefed on the learning from the incident.

The EU offers were officially accepted by the Environment Agency in late February 2019 and payments to the charity have already been made. The donation of £200,000 to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust will be used to fund Humberhead Levels Nature Improvement Area.

Louise Cresswell, the East Midlands Area Director at the Environment Agency, said:

Enforcement Undertakings allow polluters restore the harm caused to the environment and prevent repeat incidents.

They offer a quick resolution and help offenders who are prepared to take responsibility for their actions to voluntarily make things right. We will continue to seek prosecutions against those who cause severe pollution or who act recklessly.

Please report any environmental issues to the Environment Agency’s 24 hour Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

Andrea joins the MDP as Temporary Assistant Chief Constable on secondment from Kent Police, having recently completed the Strategic Command Course at the College of Policing.

Whilst serving much of her career with Kent Police Andrea delivered extensive culture change. Following a comprehensive Force-wide review, she implemented new systems, models and processes and contributed significantly to Kent Police being graded ‘Outstanding’ by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

Last year Andrea was seconded to the Metropolitan Police Service for three months, working within the Professionalism Command, covering Equality, Diversity, Communities and Engagement, following four months on secondment to HMICFRS, where she was involved in a project aimed at tackling the growth of drug-related crime.

After a successful career in CID, Andrea was promoted to Chief Superintendent in October 2015 and appointed Divisional Commander for East Kent, leading 1,000 officers and staff to deliver policing across the largest Division in the Force, within five very different and diverse urban and rural policing districts, with a total population of 640,000.

Andrea passed the Police National Assessment Centre (PNAC) in April 2018, having previously completed Senior Leadership Development training at the Ministry of Defence.

She has extensive experience as a firearms commander at both tactical and strategic levels and has managed large protests, significant public events and State occasions as both a Silver and Gold Public Order Commander.

During 25 years’ experience of investigating crime, Andrea spent the last ten managing the Major Crime, Serious and Organised Crime and Volume Crime investigations team.

She was Chair of the Kent Network of Women at Kent Police for three years and involved in the network for more than ten, receiving a ‘Special Recognition’ award from the British Association of Women in Policing, for supporting and encouraging women and for her contribution to Force-wide culture change.

Andrea said:

I am really thrilled to be joining the Ministry of Defence Police; it is an exciting opportunity and I feel privileged to become part of the team.

I look forward to meeting and working with colleagues across the Force over the coming months.

Background

As part of preparations for exiting the EU, Defra are continuing to create guidance to ensure that businesses are aware of forthcoming changes and ready for day one in a potential ‘no deal’ scenario. The Agri-Food Chain Stakeholder Engagement team has shared seven key food, drink and agriculture related government communications that have been released in recent days and weeks.

How to import organic produce if the UK leaves the EU with no deal – Certificate of Inspection

If the UK leaves the EU with no deal, the way in which we import organic produce will change as we will lose access to TRACES NT. Imports from third countries (excluding the EU, EEA and Switzerland until 31 December 2020) will still require a Certificate of Inspection (CoI). This will be a UK CoI and will be a manual system for an interim period until an electronic replacement is available. This system mirrors the system that was in place 17 months ago.

Defra have circulated the CoI template, guidance and resources to a number of stakeholders and are working on updating their webpages.

For any questions contact megan.young@defra.gov.uk

Food and drink sector link to EU Exit assets

Please find information that the food and drink sector need to know before we leave the EU. This is a helpful tool that can be shared with your members and supply chains. Included are social media assets, flyers, animations and posters.

Nutrition and health claims on foods if there’s no EU Exit deal

The UK nutrition and health claims register sets out all authorised and rejected nutrition and health claims. In the event of a no-deal EU Exit, only authorised claims in the register may be used in the UK. Find more information from Department for Health and Social Care.

Vitamins and minerals in foods if there’s no EU Exit deal

Department for Health and Social Care have also released the UK register and associated guidance which specifies which vitamins and minerals may be added to foods, and any substances that are banned or restricted, in the event of a no-deal EU Exit.

VAT on goods you move from Ireland to Northern Ireland if the UK leaves the EU without a deal

HMRC have released information and guidance for UK businesses who move goods from Ireland to Northern Ireland. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, import VAT will be due on goods that are moved from Ireland to Northern Ireland at the relevant rate. If you move goods into Northern Ireland from any other country, or from Ireland directly to Great Britain, you should follow the relevant customs procedures.

Customs procedures for goods moving between Ireland and Northern Ireland if the UK leaves the EU without a deal

There is HMRC guidance for businesses who move goods between Ireland and Northern Ireland. These goods will face different procedures compared to other UK-EU trade if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

UK signs trade continuity agreement with Caribbean countries

Department for International Trade have published a press release highlighting that the UK has signed a trade continuity agreement with a series of countries in the Caribbean.

Food and Drink and Farming landing pages

We recommend that stakeholders continue to check for updated no deal guidance on our dedicated landing page for the food and drink sector. There is also a farming sector landing page. These pages have been created to ensure that EU Exit guidance is easy to find. The landing pages combine all relevant EU Exit guidance in the case of a no deal scenario for the Food and Drink and farming sector stakeholders and are updated regularly with new no deal communications as they become live.