The number of children being educated at home in England has jumped by a striking 15% in a single year, with anxiety and mental health concerns cited as primary drivers for the exodus from mainstream classrooms.
Sharp Rise in Elective Home Education
Official statistics from the Department for Education show that the number of children taught by parents or guardians at home reached 175,900 during the 2024/25 academic year. This marks a significant increase from 153,300 the previous year.
The trend shows no sign of slowing. For the autumn term of 2025/26 alone, the figure stood at 126,000, which is a 13% rise from the 111,700 recorded in the same term a year earlier.
Mental Health and SEND Needs at the Forefront
One of the most common reasons given for choosing home education was the child's mental health. The data indicates that 16% of home-educated children are being taught at home because they feel too anxious to attend school.
An equal proportion, also 16%, have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) that parents feel are not being adequately met within the mainstream school system. A further 12% are home-schooled due to parental philosophy or preference.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders' union, responded to the figures, stating: ‘It is striking how mental health remains the reason most frequently identified. The increase in the proportion of pupils being educated at home for this reason highlights the urgent need for further investment in community mental health services.’
Survey Exposes Scale of School Anxiety
This official data is supported by a separate survey of 2,000 pupils, released in November and commissioned by the Minerva Virtual Academy. It found that a staggering 50% of pupils admitted they had missed or avoided school at some point in the last academic year because they felt anxious.
The survey delved into the specific causes of this school-based anxiety:
- Exam and grade pressure was the top cause, cited by 28% of respondents.
- 21% said being asked to speak in front of the class triggered their anxiety.
- 18% feared falling behind in their work.
- Another 18% worried about their appearance.
- 18% were anxious about not fitting in or having friends.
While for most this happened less than once a month, a concerning minority reported frequent avoidance: 6% said it was a weekly occurrence, with 7% saying every two to three weeks and 8% once a month.
The Role of Smartphones in School Stress
Campaigners and pupils have pointed to another modern stressor: the proliferation of smartphones in schools. They warn that the learning environment has become more stressful as pupils live in fear of being filmed by bullies and having embarrassing footage shared on social media.
Additionally, students have reported being shown disturbing violent and pornographic content on phones during school hours. Despite these concerns, a Government survey in November found that only one in ten secondary school teachers said their school requires pupils to hand in phones for the entire day.
The converging pressures of academic performance, social dynamics, and digital intrusion are creating a perfect storm, pushing a growing number of families towards home education as a refuge, while raising serious questions about the support available within the traditional school system.
