We gathered the documents behind the 2027 register and the “suitable education” test so you can read the rules first-hand — the national guidance, the new law, and real councils' published policies. All free, all on the government's and councils' own websites.
These apply everywhere in England — every council works from them.
DfE — Elective home education guidance ↗The Department for Education's official guidance, in two versions: one for parents and one for local authorities. This defines what “suitable”, “efficient” and “full-time” mean. (GOV.UK) Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 ↗The Act that creates the “children not in school” register and the duty to show a suitable education. (legislation.gov.uk) GOV.UK — what the new law means for parents ↗The government's own plain-English explainer of the changes. The 2027 law & the LA report →What the register asks for, in plain English — and how Schola turns your everyday days into it.Real, published examples. Your own council will have its own — search “[your council] elective home education”.
Rotherham Council — EHE policy ↗Includes a clear 14-point “what suitable education means” checklist — the most detailed public example we found. Suffolk County Council — guidance for parents ↗A step-by-step walk-through, including sharing your plans and the annual update. Lincolnshire County Council — EHE protocol ↗How one council assesses whether provision is suitable. Barnsley Council — EHE policy (PDF) ↗Another council's published approach, for comparison.Links open on the government's and councils' own websites. Schola isn't affiliated with any council or the DfE — we've simply gathered these so you can read the rules for yourself, then use Schola to give your council exactly what they ask for.
Our LA-report page maps each requirement to how Schola helps you show it — in one click, when the council asks.