A group of parents who teach their children at home claim the school system is broken and lets children down.

Families who aim to avoid their children being “institutionalised” gathered in Lister Park, Bradford, for a ‘Not Back To School’ picnic yesterday.

The group threw out an invitation to like-minded families in the district wishing to find out more about educating a child at home.

The aim of their event was to dispel the ‘myth’ that children educated outside a school environment did not get a chance to socialise with their peers.

About 20 parents took their children to the park’s play area where they blew bubbles and shared sandwiches.

The Telegraph & Argus reported yesterday (above) how pressure for school places in some parts of the district was causing some schools to create extra reception and Year 7 classes, while some have classes of more than 30 children.

Picnic organiser Fionna Pilgrim said children in classes that size could not be tailored to meet the individual needs of pupils.

She said: “If one child in that class makes great gains then that’s great but you can’t expect all 30 or more to succeed at that level. The best teachers succeed part of the time but others struggle.”

Rebekah Ashworth, 44, of Keighley, teaches her sons Sidny, 12, and Stanley, 15, at home.

She said more families were becoming disillusioned with the state education system. She said: “There seems to be more and more each September. There are a lot of people here today that I have never seen before.

“Some people take their children out because of bullying, some never have any intention of sending their children to school, but we have all got one thing in common, we all have our child’s interests at heart which the state system doesn’t.”

Mrs Pilgrim said: “We hope that this gathering was a valuable chance to get together and celebrate home education, which is thriving, with more and more families finding it a valid and exciting alternative to school.”

e-mail: ben.barnett @telegraphandargus.co.uk