What is a Home Education Report? How to Write One

If you’re new to home education or are writing a home education report for the first time and don’t know where to start, stay tuned. We’re sharing tips on how to write one and what to include!

A home education report is a document which details your child’s education now that it is taking place at home instead of in a traditional school setting. 

Typically, you will need to write a report to demonstrate to your local authority that your child is receiving a suitable education. It’s the LA’s duty to ensure that every child is being educated properly. 

You must always respond to their communications and write an adequate report. The last thing you want is the LA chasing you up or believing that you are not providing your child a suitable, full-time education. 

Tips on Writing a Home Education Report

• Make sure the report is personal to your child. 
• If you have multiple children, make sure each report is unique to them.
• Specify the submission date.
• Mention their achievements.
• Detail what a typical learning day looks like.
• Include details of progression and what your child is working towards or learning next.
• You do not need to include samples of your child’s work 
• If your child is SEN, describe how the education meets their needs.
• The report can be written in bullet points or paragraphs.
• You can lay some of the information out in a table if that’s easier. 
• It does not need to be lengthy, but it should include enough information about your child’s education.
• Get someone else to check over the report once written.

What to Include in a Home Education Report

• Introduce your child and mention their age and any aptitudes and abilities that they have.
• Say why and how home education has benefited your child.
• Detail any educational opportunities, including groups, resources and social outings and how these benefit your child’s learning.
• Describe what your typical day of learning looks like.
• Mention what your child has been learning.
• Mention the style of home education that you follow.
• Detail how your child has progressed and how you monitor their progression.
• Include specific details on literacy, numeracy, physical education and socialisation.
• Mention their achievements and any certificates gained or courses completed.

Describing Education

There are many different styles of home education and all are valid and appropriate. Some parents, however, may find it difficult to describe their child’s education, especially if they use an unstructured approach. 

Parents whose children use a structured, subject-based approach or curriculum may find it easier to write a report because they can discuss what their child has learnt in each subject and how they’ve moved through the curriculum. 

For those using an unstructured approach, although you may not be doing any formal learning, your children are still learning. Their education just looks a little different. You can mention clubs and any extracurricular activities they do or, for example, how a day out at the museum taught them about the evolution of animals. Mention their discoveries and how and why they discovered them and what the discovery led to.

Describing Progress

For parents using a more structured approach with their children, progress can easily be described by referring to completed courses, workbooks and curriculums. 

For parents using a less structured approach, progress can be described by referring to daily activities and achievements. Mastering a skill, whatever it might be, is also a sign of progress.

Remember, progress happens over time, so don’t worry if you’re not seeing as much progress currently. Look back over the past few months, or the year, and note down everything achieved since then. 

The main thing to remember is not to stress about writing a home education report. It’s actually much easier once you get started, but if you still need help, check out our sample report or this one from a Shropshire home education family.