Our school refused to follow educational psychologists advice. When we objected, the principal was adamant that we should withdraw them from the school, i.e. they were off-rolled. After years of advocating for our child within the system, the system was not meeting their needs in any way. We withdrew them to homeschool. We were able to meet their needs at home in ways that the school both couldn't and wouldn't.
The current system fails particular groups of children especially badly, e.g. those with G&T, SEN, DME or neurodiversity. These children often do better in home education than in a system designed around and for the median. Measures which would work for many such children such as flexi-schooling and placement out of chronological year group are entirely at the discretion of the school principal, and are usually refused by principals who are inadequately trained.
In 4 years of home education we didn't have a single check from the LA on provision, progress or welfare. I spent the first two years relieved that they were leaving us alone and not interfering. But I spent the next two becoming increasingly incredulous and angry that nobody cared even to check if our child was still alive, let alone receiving education. We also had problems accessing the basic healthcare such as vaccinations that are normally rolled out through schools. Some institutions were also extremely unhelpful in making educational resources normally available to schools available to homeschoolers (e.g. UKMT made it clear they couldn't give a monkeys). Despite this our period of home-schooling was outstandingly successful and our child started attending a leading university before turning 18 (though the local authority can't possibly know that), where their needs have been met better than they ever were at school.
There are now significantly more children being home educated in the UK than are attending boarding schools. It is a mainstream choice. What is needed is proper support and regulation. The funding for this is more than paid for by the fact that each home-educated child saves the state the cost of a school place. Specifically:
There should be a national register of all children (not just home educated children) and who has both parental and educational responsibility.
LA's should employ someone in a role analogous to school nurse, to conduct an annual health and welfare check, and make vaccinations such as flu and HPV routinely available.
An annual educational check on appropriateness of provision and progress since last check should also occur.
LA's should have a duty to make places at an exam centre available to home educated students to take GCSE and other exams, if necessary by requiring the nearest state school to take the student as an external candidate, and LA's should bear the cost of their exam entries. Careers advice, and advice on selecting courses, should also be a responsibility of the LA.
State schools should offer every child an education that is appropriate not just to their age but also to their aptitude and ability and any special needs that they may have. Unfortunately for tens of thousands of children that is not a reality. While the system remains broken and inflexible, and while school principals remain unaccountable, schools will continue to fail many children, and home education is often the only remaining choice by which parents can ensure their children's needs are met.