One of the first questions families ask when they start home educating is whether they need to keep records, and if so, what kind. The answer is both simpler and more important than most guides suggest.
There is no law in England that specifies exactly what records home educators must keep. You will not be fined for failing to keep a portfolio, and no inspector will arrive at your door demanding a folder of evidence. But the families who keep good records are also the families who feel most confident when their local authority gets in touch, when a child transitions to further education, or when questions arise about what they have been doing.
This guide sets out exactly what to keep, why it matters, and how to do it in a way that fits around real home education life.
The legal position on record-keeping
The Education Act 1996 places the duty to provide a suitable full-time education on parents, not on any state institution. But it does not specify what records parents must keep to demonstrate this.
Local authorities have the power to make informal enquiries of parents who appear to be educating their children at home, to satisfy themselves that a suitable education is being provided. This is set out in section 437 of the Education Act 1996. If they have reason to believe a suitable education is not being provided, they can issue a School Attendance Order.
The key phrase is satisfy themselves. In practice, this means you need to be able to give a coherent account of your child's education when asked. Records are your evidence that education is happening. They do not need to be elaborate, but they do need to exist.
Why good records matter even when they are not required
Even without a specific legal obligation, there are several practical reasons why home educators benefit from keeping records from the start.
Local authority enquiries
After deregistration, your local authority will usually make contact within a few weeks. They are required to satisfy themselves that suitable education is being provided. If you have a running record of what you have been doing, you can respond quickly and confidently without scrambling to reconstruct months of learning from memory.
Transitions and qualifications
If your child later takes GCSEs, A-levels, or other qualifications as a private candidate, records of prior learning can help them prepare. If they apply to college or sixth form, some institutions ask for evidence of prior study. A well-maintained portfolio can carry genuine weight.
Your own confidence
Home educating can feel precarious, especially in the early months. A record of what your child has done, learned, and achieved is a reminder to yourself, not just to the local authority, that real education is happening. Many families find that reviewing their records is one of the most reassuring things they do.
The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026
The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 introduces a register of children not in school. Once that register is active, local authorities will have clearer duties to make contact with home educating families and to satisfy themselves about the suitability of education being provided. Good records will matter more, not less, once the register is in place. Read our full guide to what the Act means for home educators.
What records to keep
You do not need to keep everything. The goal is a clear, honest picture of your child's education, not an exhaustive archive. These are the records that matter most.
An activity log
A simple running record of what you have done each day or each week. This does not need to be detailed. "Read three chapters of a novel, baked bread and discussed fractions, went to the library and chose books on ancient Egypt" is entirely sufficient. The log shows regularity and breadth across time.
You do not need to map activities to the National Curriculum. Home education is not required to follow it. But if you are covering a range of subjects and experiences, your log will show that naturally.
Samples of work
Keep samples of written work, drawings, projects, and other tangible outputs. You do not need every piece of work, just a representative selection. Photographs of activities, models, experiments, and outings count as evidence too. A photograph of your child building a den, cooking a meal, or identifying plants on a nature walk is evidence of learning.
Reading records
Books read together and independently, websites explored, documentaries watched. These show intellectual engagement and can be recorded as a simple list. If your child writes book reviews or keeps a reading journal, keep those too.
Correspondence with your local authority
Keep copies of every letter, email, or message you send to or receive from your local authority. This includes your initial deregistration letter, any LA letters requesting information, your responses, and any reports or assessments you submit. If a dispute ever arises, this correspondence is your record of what was said and when.
Assessments and progress notes
Some families commission independent reports from tutors or educational consultants. Others write their own reflections on their child's progress at the end of each term. Neither is legally required, but both are useful. A brief termly note on what your child has done well, what they have found difficult, and what you plan to focus on next gives a clear picture of educational progression over time.
Evidence of specialist activities
Music lessons, sports clubs, drama groups, coding classes, home education co-ops, museum visits, and field trips. Keep a record of these. They demonstrate socialisation and enrichment outside the home, which is often a focus of local authority enquiries.
What you do not need to keep
You do not need to produce a formal curriculum plan, although some families find it helpful for their own planning. You do not need to log every hour of every day. You do not need to produce school-style reports or formal assessments. You do not need to demonstrate that your child is working at a particular year group level. Home education is required to be suitable for the individual child, not aligned to any national standard.
Summary: what to keep and why
| Record type | What to include | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Activity log | Brief daily or weekly notes of activities and learning | Shows regularity and breadth of education over time |
| Work samples | Written work, drawings, project outputs, photographs | Tangible evidence of learning and progress |
| Reading records | Books, websites, documentaries | Shows intellectual engagement and reading development |
| LA correspondence | All letters and emails to and from your local authority | Essential record in case of any dispute or formal process |
| Specialist activities | Classes, clubs, groups, outings | Demonstrates socialisation and enrichment outside the home |
| Progress notes | Termly reflections on progress, strengths, and next steps | Shows educational progression and parental oversight |
Thinking ahead: the CNIS register
The Children Not in School register, introduced by the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, will require parents who are home educating to register their child with the local authority. Once in place, local authorities will have a duty to offer support and, where appropriate, to make enquiries about the suitability of education being provided.
The register is not yet active at the time of writing. The government has committed to bringing it into force, but no date has been confirmed. When it does come into force, families who already have a record-keeping habit will be in a much stronger position than those who have to reconstruct their child's education history from scratch.
If you have not yet started keeping records, start now. Even a simple notebook or a shared folder of photographs is better than nothing.
How to keep records in practice
The best system is the one you will actually use. Some families keep a physical folder with printed photographs and handwritten notes. Others use a shared digital folder, a simple spreadsheet, or a dedicated app. The important thing is consistency, not format.
A brief weekly log that you keep up to date is far more useful than an elaborate system you abandon after three months. Many families find that the act of logging their education, even briefly, changes the way they think about home learning. When you are writing it down, you notice more. You see progress that you might otherwise have taken for granted.
Little Folio was built specifically for this. You can log activities as you go, attach photographs and documents as evidence, and store all your LA correspondence in one place. At any point, you have a clear, chronological record of your child's education that you can review, share, or print.
Start your free trial of Little FolioFurther reading
- The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026: what home educators need to know
- How to deregister your child from school to home educate in England
Frequently asked questions
Do I legally have to keep records of home education in England?
No. There is no law in England that requires home educators to keep specific records. However, local authorities have the power to make enquiries about your child's education, and records are your evidence that a suitable education is being provided. Families who keep records are far better placed to respond to any local authority contact quickly and confidently.
What happens if my local authority asks to see evidence of education?
Your local authority may request information about how you are educating your child. You are not legally obliged to allow a home visit, but you are expected to provide some account of what you are doing. A well-maintained activity log and some samples of your child's work are usually sufficient. If you are keeping records from the start, responding to a local authority enquiry is straightforward rather than stressful.
Do I need to follow the National Curriculum?
No. Home educators in England are not required to follow the National Curriculum. Your obligation is to provide a suitable, full-time education that is appropriate to your child's age, ability, and aptitude, including any special educational needs. What counts as suitable is intentionally broad and does not require alignment with school year group content or assessment standards.
How long should I keep records?
There is no legal requirement specifying how long home education records must be kept. In practice, many families keep records until their child is an adult. If your child takes qualifications as a private candidate or applies to further education, earlier records can be useful. Records of local authority correspondence should be kept indefinitely in case any question about your child's education history arises later.
Will I need records for the new CNIS register?
The Children Not in School register, introduced by the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, is not yet in force. When it does come into effect, families will be required to register with their local authority. Local authorities will then have a duty to make enquiries about the suitability of education being provided. Good records will make this process much simpler. Start keeping records now so you are prepared whenever the register comes into force.
What is the best format for home education records?
Whatever you will actually maintain. Some families keep a physical folder with printed photographs and handwritten notes. Others use a shared digital folder, a simple spreadsheet, or a dedicated app. The important thing is consistency, not format. A brief weekly log that you keep up to date is far more useful than an elaborate system you abandon after three months. Little Folio is designed to make the digital approach quick and easy, with activity logging, document storage, and local authority correspondence all in one place.
Little Folio is a record-keeping app built for home educating families in England. Log activities, store evidence, and manage LA correspondence in one place, so you are always prepared.
Last updated: July 2026. This post is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. Always verify against current official guidance and seek independent legal advice for your specific circumstances.