The home education boom: 126,000 children, growing fast, with limited digital provision
Elective home education in England rose 13 per cent in a year. The technology families use is largely unregulated and unevaluated. Mental health is now the most cited reason for leaving school.
By Wistl Editorial · · At Home
Local authorities recorded 126,000 children in elective home education in England on the autumn census date in 2025, a 13 per cent increase from the 111,700 recorded in the previous autumn term. Over the full 2024 to 2025 academic year, 175,900 children experienced home education at some point, a 15 per cent rise from 153,300 the year before. The figures, published by the Department for Education in January 2026 , almost certainly undercount the true picture. England has no mandatory registration system, and children who have never attended school and have not been reported to their local auth