The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill—set to become law in September 2026 if passed—is stirring up a wave of conversation, concern, and questions in home education and alternative provision communities alike. Words like monitoring, registration, and oversight naturally evoke strong feelings—especially among those of us who have built our lives around supporting children in personalised, relationship-led, and often non-traditional ways.
At The Anthill, we want to acknowledge those emotions with care. Fear, frustration, and fatigue are understandable responses. But we also want to gently offer something else: perspective, reassurance, and a way forward.
Recognition Is a Double-Edged Sword—But It Can Be Used for Good
This Bill represents something significant: our ways of educating home-based learning, flexible provision, therapeutic alternatives are finally being seen. Not ignored. Not fringe. Seen.
That visibility brings scrutiny, yes. But it also brings opportunity. The growing attention on children’s wellbeing, education quality, and safe, suitable learning environments opens the door for us to show the value of the work we’re doing—especially in spaces like alternative provision, where nuance and care are often misunderstood.
What Might the Bill Mean?
While final details are still evolving, here’s what we expect the Bill may introduce:
- Compulsory registration for home-educating families
- Increased monitoring of children’s wellbeing and educational progress
- Defined expectations for what a “suitable education” looks like
For families and providers, this may mean more interaction with local authorities, clearer documentation of learning plans, and a need to evidence both educational quality and emotional support.
Here’s the Good News: You’re Not Starting From Scratch
At The Anthill Community, we are preparing for this. That’s why we are creating Anthill Trails—our practical, supportive app for home educators and alternative providers alike. It’s designed to walk with you through every stage of reporting on learning outcomes and progress outside the mainstream:
Understanding your “why” and developing your educational style
Planning and evidencing progress with clarity
Supporting children’s emotional well-being and neurodiverse needs
Navigating local authority expectations with confidence
Building collaborative support networks
Whether you’re a home educating parent wondering how to show that your child is thriving, or an alternative provision leader navigating new compliance pressures, Anthill Trails offers a flexible system that supports real-world learning and meets external expectations.
For more information or to sign up to our waiting list click here