Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape of education in England has seen a marked shift toward online learning, particularly for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The growth of private online schools, often funded by local authorities, presents both opportunities and challenges for councils tasked with meeting increasingly complex needs within constrained budgets.

One example is Sam’s 13-year-old daughter, an autistic student with an education, health, and care plan, who enrolled at Cambridge Home School Online (CHS) in April 2023. Initially, the virtual setup offered relief from the anxiety and other mental health issues that had hindered her attendance in mainstream school. The family was under the impression that her dislike of being seen on camera during lessons—a provision outlined in her care plan—would be accommodated. However, within one term, the family was informed that CHS required students to have their cameras on. Sam subsequently discovered inconsistencies in the school’s special educational needs policy, including references to governance structures that do not exist and inaccurate assertions about council oversight.

CHS declined to comment on specific cases but stated that camera usage is intended to support learning, monitor wellbeing, and meet safeguarding responsibilities. The school acknowledged that some policies on their website were outdated and removed them following inquiries. CHS also noted that fewer than 2% of its students are funded by local authorities.

The expansion of online education is reflected in funding and enrolment figures. Analysis of data obtained through Freedom of Information requests indicates that council spending on online schooling in England increased nearly 19-fold between 2018-19 and 2024-25. At least 3,397 students were enrolled in online schools during the 2024-25 academic year, based on information from 69 of 151 councils, suggesting the true number is substantially higher. Despite government recommendations that local authorities commission only providers accredited by the education regulator Ofsted, many online schools—including CHS—operate without accreditation. The absence of a statutory requirement for accreditation has prompted concerns among experts about oversight and quality assurance.

Jo Hutchinson, director for SEND and additional needs at the Education Policy Institute, described the rapid growth of online schooling as outpacing regulatory frameworks, creating potential gaps in safeguarding vulnerable students. She highlighted that online provision is increasingly seen as a "safety valve" for existing pressures within the SEND system, including rising demand, budget deficits, and a lack of local special school placements. This is compounded by a rise in conditions such as emotionally based school avoidance.

The use of virtual schooling varies significantly across local authorities. Norfolk county council reported a dramatic increase in online pupils—from 11 in 2018-19 to 923 in 2024-25—corresponding with a rise in spending to £4.6 million, which accounts for more than a quarter of total online education expenditure among reporting councils. Norfolk officials emphasized investment in specialist and alternative provisions alongside virtual schooling and reported applying "robust commissioning and quality assurance processes" aligned with voluntary national standards set by the Department for Education. They described online learning as typically short-term or part of broader support packages combining remote and face-to-face education.

Conversely, 30 councils reported no use of online schools, and several others recorded declines in online enrolment over recent years. Since the government introduced a voluntary Ofsted accreditation scheme for online schools in 2023, only 16 providers have become accredited, a process limited to schools offering a full curriculum or serving as a main education source. This excludes many providers that deliver part-time or supplementary services. While local authorities conduct their own due diligence on unaccredited providers, experts warn that resource constraints leave many councils unable to carry out comprehensive evaluations.

Mary Bousted, former general secretary of the National Education Union, questioned whether the rise in online schooling reflects children rejecting mainstream education or the system failing to accommodate diverse needs. Both Bousted and Hutchinson advocate prioritizing efforts to enhance inclusivity within mainstream schools to reduce reliance on virtual options. Bousted emphasized the importance of reintegrating young people into traditional school environments, arguing it should remain the preferred approach to SEND provision.

The Department for Education plans to review the accreditation process later this year as stakeholders consider the future role of online education amid ongoing system pressures and calls for greater accountability and quality assurance.