Updated 22 September 2026

CNIS Register Tracker

Tracking the progress of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 home education provisions in England. Mandatory home education registration is expected to start in 2027. Plain English. Updated as things develop.

Current status: Act is law. Registration not yet required.

What this means for your family right now

The Children Not in School register for England is not yet open. Here is what we know so far.

Still legal as before

Home education in England is legal and unchanged. Nothing about how you educate your child needs to change today.

Registration is coming

A mandatory register of home educated children is coming. It is not here yet. The earliest realistic start date is 2027.

Prepare your records now

When registration begins Local Authorities will be able to request evidence of suitable education. Organised records will make this straightforward.

Legislative timeline

Where the CNIS Register stands

Each stage must be completed before the next can begin. We update this page when things change.

Complete
Bill introduced in Parliament
November 2024

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill was introduced in the House of Commons by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson. It began its journey through Parliament.

Nothing changed at this point for home educating families. The Bill was just a proposal at this stage.
Complete
Parliamentary scrutiny completed
April 2026

The Bill completed 17 months of parliamentary scrutiny, including debate and amendment in both the House of Commons and House of Lords.

The home education sections were debated and amended during this process. The final Act includes provisions for a mandatory register, Local Authority home visit powers and changes to the School Attendance Order process.
Complete
Royal Assent: Act becomes law
29 April 2026

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 received Royal Assent and became an Act of Parliament. It is now law in England and Wales.

The Act is law but the home education sections are not yet switched on. Becoming law and coming into force are two different things. Nothing changed for home educating families on this date.
In progress
Department for Education develops regulations and guidance
Expected late 2026

Before the home education sections can begin ministers must publish detailed secondary legislation and statutory guidance. This sets out exactly how the register will work, what information parents must provide and how Local Authorities must respond.

This is the stage we are at right now. The Department for Education is working on the detail. Until regulations are published no one, including Local Authorities, knows exactly how the register will operate.
Not yet
Public consultation on guidance
Expected late 2026 to early 2027

The Department for Education is expected to run a public consultation on the draft guidance before it is finalised. Home educating families and organisations will be able to respond.

This is an opportunity for the home education community to influence how the register works in practice. Home education organisations, including Education Otherwise and the Home Education UK Alliance, are expected to coordinate responses.
Not yet
Statutory guidance published
Expected early 2027

Once consultation is complete the Department for Education publishes the final statutory guidance. This tells Local Authorities exactly what they must do and tells parents exactly what they must provide.

Once guidance is published you will know the specific information you need to provide to register. This is when most families will start preparing seriously.
Not yet
Commencement regulations laid in Parliament
Expected 2027

Ministers lay commencement regulations in Parliament formally bringing the home education sections of the Act into force. Parliament has a short period to scrutinise these before they take effect.

This is the formal legal step that switches the register on. Once commencement regulations are laid, the clock starts ticking toward the start date.
Not yet
Mandatory registration begins
Expected 2027, no confirmed date

Local Authorities open their Children Not in School registers. Parents of home educated children must register and provide information about their child's education.

This is the moment the new rules apply to your family. You will need to register with your Local Authority and be able to demonstrate that your child is receiving a suitable full-time education. Families with organised records will find this straightforward.
Questions

What parents are asking

No. The Act does not change the curriculum or teaching approach you are required to follow. Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 still applies: you must provide a suitable, full-time education for your child's age, ability and any special educational needs. The Act changes how your Local Authority finds out about your child and monitors that duty. It does not tell you what to teach.
No. Mandatory registration is not yet in force. The home education sections of the Act require commencement regulations before they take effect. Until those are published and laid in Parliament, nothing changes. You do not need to register unless you choose to.
The realistic estimate widely discussed is 2027. The Department for Education must first publish regulations and statutory guidance, run a public consultation and lay commencement regulations in Parliament. No specific start date has been confirmed. We will update this page when one is announced.
The new home visit powers in the Act are not yet in force. Until commencement regulations are laid, your Local Authority has no additional powers beyond those that already existed. You are not obliged to allow a home visit.
The Act requires parents to provide the child's name, date of birth, address and information about how the child is being educated. The detailed requirements will be set out in statutory guidance which has not yet been published.
The Act includes provisions for School Attendance Orders where a Local Authority believes a child is not receiving a suitable education and the family does not engage. However the registration system is not yet in force, and the detailed consequences of non-registration will be set out in guidance.
No. The home education provisions of this Act apply to England only. Scotland has its own education legislation under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. Wales is subject to the Act, but the Welsh Government may implement it differently.
The families who will find this easiest are the ones building organised records now. A clear activity log, a philosophy statement explaining your approach, evidence of your child's work and a record of any Local Authority correspondence means that when registration begins you have everything ready. You are not scrambling at the last minute.

Get notified when this changes.

We will email you when there are confirmed updates to the registration timeline. No spam. Just the facts when things move.

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Start building your records now.

When registration begins the families who are ready are the ones keeping organised records today. Little Folio helps you log activities, store evidence and generate a professional report for your Local Authority. Free to start.

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Further reading

Legal update

CNIS Register Update, August 2026: What We Actually Know

 Legal update

What the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act Means in Practice for Home Educating Families in 2027

 Getting ready

What records do home educating parents need to keep in England?

This page was last updated on 22 September 2026. We update it when confirmed information is available. Sources include legislation.gov.uk, the Department for Education and established home education organisations.