Campaign for Home Education

http://freedomforchildrentogrow.org

Sunday 11 April

Consultation on Dedicated Schools Grant: chance to ask Government about funding

Government Ministers have said that local authorities can already draw down funding through the Dedicated Schools Grant for home educated 14-16s to attend college and for "home educated pupils whom they support financially and who have a statement, or who have significant special educational needs that have not been formally recognised through a statement."

The Secretary of State has also said that the January 2011 funding guidance will indicate that local authorities can claim 0.1% of DSG via Alternative Provision where local authorities fund GCSEs for home educated young people.

The Government is currently running a public consultation on the Dedicated Schools Grant which may be found here.

DCSF says "There is no specific question on home educated children, though they are covered in paras 8.11 and 8.12 of the document, so if you wish to make any comments about their funding please use the blank text box at question 20."

The document is 87 pages long and can be found as .pdf here.

Paragraphs 8.11 and 8.12 may be found on page 48.

The easiest way to respond to the consultation is via the interactive online form here.

The consultation does not close until June but there is nothing to be lost from making an initial early response now. We can always add further comments after the General Election.

References

Consultation on Dedicated Schools Grant funding - http://tinyurl.com/ya7d3sl
Secretary of State's letter to Graham Badman October 2009 - http://tinyurl.com/yjjhg5e
Minister Diana Johnson statement on DSG House of Commons November 2009 - http://tinyurl.com/y9ot24s