As qualified educationists and parents of home-educated children, we were concerned to read your article, “35,000 lost to schooling” (TES, March 30).

The law places the responsibility for a child’s education on parents.

Some fulfil this responsibility through school, where there is a nationally defined curriculum, age-related targets, a testing schedule and the monitoring of outcomes.

Most teachers know that this “one size fits all” system has difficulty accommodating some children’s needs. Parents who educate at home are freed from many of the constraints in the school system.

Sadly, too often those employed to “inspect” home education are proponents of the schools model, with closed minds, no training, a poor understanding of the legislation and a great deal of “baggage”.

It does not have to be like this. In some authorities there is good practice and a constructive partnership between home educators and the organisations that represent them.