The newly appointed head of Ofsted has sparked outrage among home-educating families and Conservative MPs after suggesting that home schooling could be used to conceal child abuse.
Sir Martyn Oliver, who took over as His Majesty's Chief Inspector in January, made the controversial comments during an Education Select Committee hearing, drawing immediate condemnation from home education advocates who accused him of stigmatising their community.
MPs Demand Retraction and Apology
Conservative MP Fiona Bruce, who chairs the International Freedom of Religion or Belief All-Party Parliamentary Group, led the criticism, demanding Sir Martyn retract his "deeply offensive" remarks and issue a formal apology.
"To suggest that home education could be a cover for child abuse is not only wrong but deeply offensive to the thousands of families who choose to home educate for many legitimate reasons," Bruce stated.
Ofsted's Defence and Growing Backlash
While Ofsted defended their chief inspector, stating he was highlighting potential safeguarding risks that inspectors must consider, the explanation failed to calm the growing storm.
Home educating families expressed feeling "tarred with the same brush" as potential abusers, with many taking to social media to share their positive experiences with home education and condemn what they see as unfair characterisation.
Call for More Nuanced Approach
The controversy has reignited debates about Ofsted's relationship with home educators and raised questions about whether the watchdog needs to adopt more careful language when discussing different educational approaches.
As the row continues to develop, pressure is mounting on Sir Martyn to address the concerns directly and repair relations with the home education community he'll need to work with in his new role.
