Sally Keeble, a Labour party politician, has pointed out that the severe crisis caused by the lack of school places in the Northamptonshire area is forcing families to pay for homeschooling. These comments were made after the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) released research, which stated that the number of students who are homeschooled has more than doubled in the past four years.
Ofsted’s report is concerning, as this means more families are voluntarily choosing to educate their children in private, and not to send them to public schools. Of course, the situation is not aided by the fact that there are fewer places in schools across Northamptonshire.
Currently, many students have to travel to schools outside the area to study, as there is a significant shortage of educational facilities. For the upcoming school year, at least one hundred and fifty seventh graders will have to seek alternatives for their education, as there are not enough spaces in schools.
Northamptonshire and teachers
One of the main reasons for the lack of a sufficient amount of places in public schools in the area is the environment these schools provide. According to a large number of families, there is an abusive environment in schools, especially in terms of mental health.
Another reason for the insufficient amount of school places is the lack of enough educated professionals looking to pursue a teaching career. This situation is not surprising, because many teachers assistants and supporting staff in the United Kingdom have complained of the low pay of their jobs.
Nevertheless, there is a real crisis within the educational system in the area, and if the number of homeschooled children continues to rise, they might soon become more than the children attending public schools.
