Guide · For tutors, centres and groups
What records should tutors keep for home-educated pupils?
Keep seven things: the child's name, date of birth and home address, plus the date, length and parent involvement for each session, and a note of any council contact. That is enough to answer a notice under the new Act, and little enough to keep safely.
Last checked 10 November 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
Per child
- full name
- date of birth
- home address
- whether they are home educated, flexi-schooled or at school full-time
Per session
- date
- start and end time
- whether a parent was actively involved
Per council contact
- the date a letter or notice arrived
- what it asked for
- what you sent and when
Why these and nothing else
They match what a council notice can ask for: name, date of birth, home address, total time, and time without a parent involved. Anything beyond that is your own business record, not something the register duty needs.
A weekly total saves time later
The threshold may be set in hours a week or as a share of the child's education. A running weekly total per child lets you check your position in seconds.
What not to keep in the same place
Keep teaching notes, progress records and anything sensitive apart from your attendance record. If you ever need to produce the attendance record, you will not be sorting through personal detail to do it.
How long to keep it
The Act does not set a period for providers. A notice can ask about the previous three months, so you need at least that. Many providers keep attendance for the year a child attends plus a further year. Decide your period, write it down and delete on schedule.
Keep it safe
These are children's names and home addresses.
- Use a password or a locked drawer.
- Do not keep it in a shared family folder or a group chat.
- Back it up.
Tell families
Let parents know what you record and why. A short line in your terms is enough. Our parent notice template gives wording.