Rise in Homeschooling Highlights Growing Mental Health Concerns
Written by Jiarui Liang on 27th June 2025
Over the past five years, the number of children choosing home education in North East England has steadily increased, showing a growing trend across the region.
According to the latest government statistics, 111,700 children in the UK are currently receiving elective home education, with 4,570 of them in the North East. While this percentage is still relatively low nationwide, it is an increase compared to last year.
Chris Horn, Durham County Council’s strategic manager of provision and performance, said: “In County Durham, there are 67,000 statutory school-age children, with one per cent of those educated at home.”
In response to the upward trend, Mr Horn acknowledged the growing number of families choosing home education: “We understand that choosing to educate a child or young person at home is a significant decision for each family and recognise that the number of families electing home education has increased.”
As more families choose home education, local authorities are placing increasing importance on ensuring families can meet their educational responsibilities.
“Families of those who are electively home educated are required to ensure that they receive efficient full-time education that is suitable to their age, ability and aptitude, and which equips them for life within their community.” Mr Horn said.
In addition to monitoring the quality of education, local authorities will continue to fulfill their role, ensuring that children who are electively home educated receive adequate support.
“Our specialist officers continue to provide guidance and support to all families which home educate to ensure that the needs of these children and young people continue to be met.” He also mentions that.
Choosing home education does not mean losing the opportunity to return to school. Mr Horn added: “Headteachers have also agreed to support young people returning from elective home education to rejoin the most recent school they attended where this is appropriate.”
This decision provides families who wish to return to school with more options, allowing parents to make the most suitable educational decisions based on their children’s specific needs.
Changes in Home Education Trends Across Six Cities in Northeast England
According to Freedom of Information (FOI) data from several regions in North East England, including Sunderland, Newcastle, and Durham, the number of pupils choosing home education has increased since 2019, with Sunderland seeing the most significant growth.
At the start of the 2019/20 academic year, Sunderland had 214 home-schooled pupils. By the 2024/25 academic year, this number had risen to 644, an increase of 200%, which is the highest growth among the six cities in the past five years.
In the 2024/25 academic year, North Tyneside had 249 home-schooled pupils, compared to 215 in the previous year, showing an increase of 15.8%. Despite this, the number of home-schooled pupils in North Tyneside ranked the lowest among the six regions.
The number of home-schooled pupils in Durham rose to 785 in the 2023/24 academic year, still ranking the highest among the six councils in North East England.
Mental health has become one of the primary factors in homeschooling cases. This is not an isolated phenomenon, but a widespread issue affecting many young people during the pandemic.
A survey by YoungMinds revealed that one in five (19%) primary and secondary school students requires mental health support, yet only a quarter—or even fewer—receive adequate help.
The 2022-23 Child Mental Health Services report highlighted that around 305,000 (32%) children and teenagers were referred to mental health services and received support, while about 270,000 (28%) are still waiting for services.
The report also noted significant regional differences in service waiting times. For example, children in Sunderland face an average wait of 147 days, much higher than the national average, whereas waiting times in other parts of North East England are generally shorter, ranging from 19 to 88 days.
The 2024 Mind Mental Health Survey found that around 11% of 8 to 16-year-olds missed over 15 days of school due to mental health issues, highlighting the growing impact of these problems on education. These challenges have led some parents to choose homeschooling to better meet their children’s needs.
Public Perspective: Opinion on This Growing Trend
John Baz, a resident, said, “I believe children should be taught in a classroom environment. However, if they can’t make it to a classroom, homeschooling can be a good alternative.”
Rui Zhang shared her thoughts: “For particularly talented students, their learning needs may exceed what traditional schools can offer. In such cases, homeschooling can better support the development of specific skills.”
Di Li said: “Families can enhance school-based learning with personalized support, while schools compensate for the limitations of homeschooling through structured training and peer interaction.”
With more pupils choosing elective home education, children’s mental health has also become a significant concern. To ensure that each pupil gets the right support, local governments, educational institutions, and society must pay more attention to mental health.
