There has been a large rise in the number of children in Peterborough who are missing from education.

The figure has risen from 384 in September 2019 to 615 at the start of May this year.

Children are said to be missing from education if they are of compulsory school age and are not registered pupils, or are not receiving other suitable education.

Moreover, the number of pupils who left school to become home educated rose by 271 between September 2020 and May 4, 2021.

Last November, Peterborough City Council’s head of education Jonathan Lewis told the authority’s Children and Scrutiny Committee: “Education is under significant pressure at the moment and the area I am most concerned about currently is elective home education.”

Cabinet member for education Cllr Lynne Ayers added: “Certainly elective home education is a matter which has deeply worried us over the past few months.”

At the time there were 487 children in Peterborough in elective home education.