The growing population of home-educated children, coupled with the limited availability of schools due to independent school closures, is resulting in increased demand for tuition services and access to private exam centres for young people to take examinations.

Over 14% Increase in Home Educated Children

The Department for Education has reported a 14.7% year-on-year increase in the number of children in elective home education (EHE), compulsory school age children who are electively home educated. In the 2024/25 academic year there were 175,900 children in EHE at any point, compared to 153,300 in the previous academic year (Source: DfE. Elective Home Education. 15 Jan 2026). Mental health is the most frequently cited reason for EHE, accounting for 16% of cases, according to the Education Executive, with a further 12% citing philosophical or preferential reasons (Understanding the Rise in Home Schooling, 11 Mar 2026). 

Independent School Closures due to VAT on School Fees

According to Sarah Cunnane, the Independent Schools Council’s Head of Media and Communications, speaking to Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours programme in February, for some schools that had closed over the past year, VAT had proven “a step too far” (Source: ISC. ‘VAT on fees ‘a step too far’ for some smaller schools, warns ISC Head of Media. 12 Feb 2026). Indeed, ISC reported back in August 2025 that over 50 independent schools have closed or announced closure since VAT was imposed in January 2025 (Source: ISC. For many, the government’s decision to tax education has proven a bridge too far. 3 Aug 2025). This trend continued with The Independent reporting in January that 105 schools have closed since VAT on fees was imposed (4 Jan 2026).

In 2025, 29% of Young People Accessed Private/Home Tuition 

According to the Sutton Trust (Private Tutoring 2026), 29% of secondary school students in England and Wales have had private tutoring at some point. This has increased from 18% when data collection started twenty years ago and is up slightly from 27% in 2019. 
 Source: https://www.suttontrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Private-Tutoring-2026.pdf12y Accessed 12/03/26.
The Sutton Trust reports the following headlines:

•    Year 11 is the most likely year for pupils to have had tutoring at 25%, followed by Year 10 at 10%. 
•    In London 45% of pupils had received private tutoring, compared to 27% in the rest of England and 24% in Wales. It is 33% in urban areas and 19% in rural areas. 
•    Among Black pupils, it was 64%, Asian 50% and White 20%. Looking particularly at those in deprived areas, the figures are 65% of Black pupils, 43% of Asian pupils, and 10% of White pupils.

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