Do you have to send your council a home education report, what it needs to show, and what to put in it, from the DfE guidance. Includes an example and the ways to write one.
For home educators in England. Checked October 15, 2026 against the Department for Education's Elective home education guidance for parents and for local authorities. We make Learning Corner, a record-keeping app. This isn't legal advice: your council's own home education policy and Education Otherwise are good second reads.
You don't have to send your council a report, but a short written one is the usual way to answer when they get in touch. It should show that education is actually happening and that your child is making progress, not just describe your approach. There is no set format: a page or three covering what you do, each main subject with examples of what your child did and can now do, social time, how you plan and check progress, and the resources you use. You can write it yourself in Word or Google Docs; if you keep a short daily log, Learning Corner can write it from that.
No. Councils are allowed to make informal enquiries about the education you provide, and the DfE guidance for parents says you are under no legal obligation to respond, to meet them or to produce specific evidence (paragraphs 5.3 and 5.4).
The catch is what happens if you don't. If the council has no information, it is entitled to conclude that your child does not appear to be receiving a suitable education. It must then serve a formal notice (a section 437(1) notice) giving you at least 15 days to show that they are, and if it is still not satisfied it can issue a school attendance order (5.6 to 5.8). That is why many families send something in writing: it answers the question once, on your terms, and usually without a visit.
The law (section 7 of the Education Act 1996) says your child must receive an efficient, full-time education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude, and to any special educational needs. Your report is your evidence for that. In practice councils look for:
What you don't need: the National Curriculum, a "broad and balanced" curriculum, formal lessons, detailed lesson plans or teaching qualifications (2.11). The council also shouldn't dismiss your report because it isn't in the format it prefers (LA guidance, 6.12).
A structure that answers the questions councils commonly ask, in order:
First report or annual update? If you've only just started, the council should expect lighter plans (parents' guidance, 5.5), so describe your approach, the areas you'll cover, what you're using and a few things you've done so far. Later reports should show progress since the last one.
An invented example for a nine-year-old, to show the level of detail that works.
What we did: We read Charlotte's Web aloud together most mornings, taking turns with chapters, and Ellie finished it in early November. She then wrote a two-page review comparing the book with the film. She keeps a nature diary on our weekly walks, writing a few sentences after each one.
Progress: She now reads chapter books aloud fluently and goes back to correct herself when a sentence doesn't make sense. Her diary entries have grown from single sentences in September to short paragraphs, with capital letters and full stops used correctly.
What we did: Three or four short sessions a week on multiplication from her workbook, plus weighing, measuring and pricing when we baked for the home education group's cake sale.
Progress: She knows her 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10 times tables by heart and has started on the 6s. She can add prices up to £10 and work out change without writing it down.
No. The DfE guidance for parents says you are under no legal obligation to respond to a council's informal enquiries or to produce specific evidence (paragraphs 5.3 and 5.4). But if you do not respond, the council is entitled to conclude that your child does not appear to be receiving a suitable education, which can lead to a formal notice and a school attendance order. Many families answer with a short written report because it settles the question on their own terms.
There is no required length or format. One to three pages is typical: enough to show what your child has been learning and the progress they have made, with a few concrete examples. A report that only describes your approach or your plans is a common reason councils ask for more.
No. You do not have to teach the National Curriculum, provide a broad and balanced curriculum, give formal lessons, have a timetable or keep school hours, days or terms (DfE guidance for parents, 2.8 and 2.11). You should be able to show that education takes up a significant part of your child's life (2.9).
No. Councils may ask to see your child or visit, but you are under no legal obligation from education law to agree (DfE guidance for parents, 5.4). Many families send a written report and samples of work instead.
It usually means the report described the approach but did not show progress. The DfE guidance for councils says parents' information should show the education actually being provided and the progress expected and achieved, not just a statement of intent (LA guidance, 6.12). Add specific examples by subject: what your child did, and what they can now do that they could not before.
Lighter. The guidance says councils should bear in mind that in the early stages your plans may not be detailed (parents' guidance, 5.5), and progress is only expected once home education has been going for a while (LA guidance, 6.12). A first report can describe your approach, the areas you will cover, the resources you are using and a few things you have done so far.
The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026 and creates registers of children not in school. As of October 2026 the duty for parents to register is not yet in force and no start date has been set, so there is nothing new to fill in yet. Check your council's website for updates.
This page covers England. Wales has its own Welsh Government guidance, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate rules, so check the guidance for where you live.
See also: Best homeschool record-keeping apps