Stockport Council has revealed the number of homeschooled children in the borough.

An FOI has shown 478 children in Stockport are currently home schooled.

It's below the national average - in a borough of Stockport's size, the national average would be around 720 children.

Homeschooling, which rose in popularity following the COVID-19 pandemic, requires parents to teach their child on a full-time educational schedule from the age of five.

Reasons for choosing to home school vary, but some common factors include 'lifestyle' reasons, mental health, and - less commonly - religion.

Home schooling parents do not have to follow the national curriculum, but they must align with the government's educational standards.

If the council decide a homeschooled child's education is inadequate, they have the right to issue parents a school attendance order which requires a child to attend school.

And parents who request a place at school for their child can expect a wait of up to 165 days for their child to be enrolled.

According to government figures, 94.3% of children have attended school so far this academic year.

During the 2023/24 academic year the attendance rate was 92.8% across England.