I would like to request information relating to online schools. For the purposes of this request, “online schools” refers to online education providers that offer a full curriculum or represent a child’s main or only source of education. Please provide the following information:

1. The total number of children the council has funded to attend online schools in each of the past seven academic years (2018/2019 through to 2024/2025 inclusive). Within each academic year, please break down the total by:
a) Children in primary education (Key Stage 1 and 2)
b) Children in secondary/further education (Key Stage 3 and above)
c) The percentage of these children that qualify/qualified for free school meals (but not including infant free school meals).
d) The percentage of these children that have/had special educational needs and/or disabilities.

2. The total amount the council has spent on this attendance at online schools in each of the past seven academic years (2018/2019 through to 2024/2025 inclusive).

3. For the three academic years 2022/2023, 2023/2024 and 2024/2025, please break down the total spend by each online school provider (and name them).

4. If the information requested in Question 3 is provided, it will not be necessary to answer this question as the information will already have been provided. If it is not possible to provide the information requested in Question 3, please answer this question (Question 4) instead:
The names of the online school providers used in each of the past seven academic years (2018/2019 through to 2024/2025 inclusive).

Please remember to break each answer down by academic year.