See answers to previous information requests

I would like to request information relating to unaccredited online schools. For the purposes of this request, "unaccredited online schools" refers to online education providers that offer full-time education to pupils of compulsory school age which have NOT been accredited under the Department for Education's Online Education Accreditation Scheme. I am aware that the Online Education Accreditation Scheme was only launched in the 2022/2023 academic year so all online school providers prior to 2022/2023 will have been unaccredited.

Please provide the following information:

1. The total number of children the council has funded to attend unaccredited online schools in each of the past eight academic years (2017/2018 through to 2024/2025 inclusive). Within each academic year, please break down the total by:
a) Sex, i.e. how many of these children are male and how many are female.
b) Age or 'Key Stage' year.
c) Ethnicity.
d) The proportion of these children that qualify/qualified for free school meals (but not including infant free school meals).
e) The proportion of these children that have/had special educational needs.

2. The total amount the council has spent on this attendance at unaccredited online schools in each of the past eight academic years (2017/2018 through to 2024/2025 inclusive).

3. The mean cost per placement in an unaccredited online school in each of the past eight academic years (2017/2018 through to 2024/2025 inclusive).

4. The median cost per placement in an unaccredited online school in each of the past eight academic years (2017/2018 through to 2024/2025 inclusive).

5. The names of the unaccredited online school providers, or the top five most used unaccredited online school providers in each of the past eight academic years (2017/2018 through to 2024/2025 inclusive).