by Patrick Gearey

Parents are hitting back at plans for what they believe are Big Brother-style powers to inspect home schooling.

The plan forms part of a wide-ranging shake-up in the way parents who choose to teach their children at home are monitored - but a number of contributors to KentOnline have criticised the plans for being too invasive. One contributor - 'Firebird' - believes it is a step too far, aruging: "What [Graham] Badman recommends policing is not simply home education but parenting.

"Under this government parents are considered unfit unless checked and approved by an ever growing list of 'professionals'."

Others echoed the view that councils already had enough powers to regulate home education.

Tessa Protheroe wrote: "Local authorities already have powers to monitor - parents can have a visit or submit a report. The authorities can issue a School Attendance Order if the educational provision is not satisfactory."

A reader called ‘Alanna1’ commented: "So what has happened to the basic right of every citizen in this country to be assumed innocent of a crime unless proven otherwise? Under these new proposals home educating parents and their children will be forcibly inspected, even if there is no evidence or cause to believe that abuse is taking place."

Tania agreed, writing: "Rights to inspect work places are one thing...the home is another. School inspections are warranted by the necessity of proving to parents that their delegated legal responsibility to provide education is being fulfilled."

Rachel, an early years teacher, points out that parents already look after children for much of the time without the need for inspection.

"I think the review has missed one vital point - what about the 13 weeks a year that school children are not seen? Shouldn’t all children be checked regularly during the holidays as well as all under-fives not in nursery or pre-school, if children educated at home or not seen regularly are at such perceived risk?"

But there was some support for the proposal. Martin Frey sympathised with angry home-educating parents but thought it was necessary to have controls.

He said: "School is often the first place where problems with a child's home environment are noticed. Children who don't go to school must be inspected - or all kinds of terrible things may go on unseen."