CWS Bill

Doing some admin for the Waymakers Parliament Deep Dive prompted me to write this post! Many families have seen discussions online about the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill currently moving through Parliament. We wanted to share a short, clear update about what is happening and what it may (and may not) mean for home-educating families in general and those involved with Waymakers in particular.

Because the bill is still moving through Parliament and some details would depend on future regulations and guidance, there are a range of interpretations circulating about what it might mean in practice. The aim here is simply to summarise the key proposals as clearly as possible.

Where the bill is nowThe bill has completed its stages in the House of Lords and is returning to the House of Commons so MPs can consider amendments made by the Lords.

It has not yet become law, and it may still be amended before any new rules take effect.

The main proposal affecting home educationOne part of the bill introduces a statutory “Children Not in School” register.

If passed, families who home educate would need to:
• register their child with the local authority
• provide basic information about their education
• keep that information up to date if circumstances change.
The government says the aim is to ensure children do not disappear from education systems and can receive support if needed.

Situations where permission may be required
The bill proposes that local authority consent may be required before removing a child from school in certain safeguarding situations (for example where a child is subject to specific child protection processes). This would affect a relatively small subset of families rather than all home-educating households.

Possible interaction with local authorities
Some amendments and policy discussions around the bill also include the possibility that local authorities could:
• request additional information about a child’s education
• ask to meet with families (and sometimes the child) in certain circumstances
• in some cases request a home visit.
How these powers would be used in practice would depend on the final wording of the legislation and later statutory guidance, which has not yet been published.

What this means for Waymakers
Waymakers is a supplementary home education community, not a school. Children attend as part of their wider home-education experience, and families remain responsible for their child’s education.
Waymakers does not provide full-time education or take responsibility for a child’s overall educational provision; rather, it offers part-time interest-led, project-based opportunities that families may choose to include within their broader home-education approach.

At present, nothing in the bill directly regulates community learning groups like Waymakers. If the bill becomes law, families may simply choose to mention learning communities their children attend when describing their educational activities.

A note of reassurance
Legislation can understandably cause concern, but it’s important to remember:
• the bill has not yet become law
• debate and amendments are still ongoing
• home education remains a lawful and recognised choice in UK law.
​
We will continue to monitor developments and share updates as the legislation progresses so families can stay informed.