Bexley schools are increasing training to address the growing need for support for pupils experiencing emotional-based school avoidance and anxiety-related elective home education (EHE). The issue was discussed at the Children's Services and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on Wednesday, 2 July 2025, as part of a broader overview of education issues in the borough. The agenda and public reports pack for the meeting are publicly available.
Council officers reported that elective home education is a statutory right, but it is monitored carefully with a minimum of a 12-monthly check, and safeguarding needs are reported through other avenues as well. Emotional-based school avoidance is a growing need, and the council is increasing training for schools to address it. Officers noted a shift in the reasons parents are choosing to electively home educate their children, with a shift away from philosophical reasons and increasingly due to anxiety.
There is a correlation between children in year 10 and 11 and higher numbers around recognising that anxiety link, possibly, for young people coming out of year 9. Officers are looking at what is happening for that cohort of children around that anxiety and around the exam system possibly being a factor in why they're declaring EEHE, and is it around that number of year 11s. They are also making it a priority to track them at year 11 and to put support in with Dexley Youth Advice. The officers are focusing on year 10 and 11 students as data indicates significantly higher numbers experiencing anxiety in these year groups.