Nick Gibb M.P(Minister of State for Schools)

We have received a letter from Mr Nick Gibb M.P(Minister of State for Schools)  i wonder why schools minister is writing to us? we did not get the email from officials and it looks like Penny Jones is  still upset

Dear Mr and Mrs Williams and Peter

I am replying to the letters that Mr Damien Hinds M.P sent to the Secretary of State on 23 September and 26th October 2010 on your behalf.Mr Hinds asked for a response to be sent directly to you.I am replying as the Minster of State for Schools.I am very sorry for the long delay.

When you sent your email to Mr Hinds on 22 September 2010 you stated you had not received a reply to the email you sent directly to the Secretary of State on 1 September 2010,in which you asked whether there were any plans to bring in new laws on home education.The Department receives a large amount of correspondence and the Secretary of State is unable to responds personally to all letters and emails.I understand that officials replied to you by email  and i am enclosing a copy of that reply,in case you did not receive it.

The Government supports home educators and recognise that many deliver a good quality education for their children.The position on funding is that a parents who are home educating their children take on the full financial responsibility for doing so.However local councils can draw down funding where they provide significant support for home educated children with special educational needs,or to enable a home educated child to attend a college or further education.This might include attending college to study for GCSEs.Local councils have discretion to decide whether to provide such funding.

The Secretary of State announced on 13 December 2010 that Government is not proposing to make any changes to these funding arrangements.Our priority is to target all available funding at schools.Tight fiscal restraints mean it is not possible for the Government to provide additional support for home educators at this time.

In your email to Mr Hinds,you raise the concerns that the Secretary of State is being advised on matters relating to home education by an official,Ms Penny Jones,who you allege appears hostile to home education.I understand that comments have also been voiced on various blogs/websites and that you have tried to encourage others to raise FOIs about Ms Jones.

An Officials role is to serve the government of the day and the Civil Service Code sets out the framework within which all civil servants must work.The code can be found at the following link
http://www.civil service.gov.uk/about/values/cscode/index.aspx

The Secretary of State considers it is unacceptable for civil servants to face criticism as a consequence of carrying out their official duties.It is important that civil servants are able to carry out their duties in accordance with the policies agreed with Minister.These duties may change from time to time particularly when there is a change following a General Election.

Yours sincerely

Nick Gibb


We sent a complaint back to him and copy to our M.P Mr Damian Hinds what do people think of the letter from Mr Gibb M.P?  share this letter with other home educators please