Children Not in School statutory guidance

Overview

This consultation seeks views on draft statutory guidance and proposals for regulations to implement the Children Not in School measures in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.

It updates and incorporates the 2019 Elective Home Education guidance for local authorities and parents and explains how new duties should work in practice.

Key matters include eligibility for registration, required information for recording, the education provider duty threshold, and the pilot of mandatory meetings before a child’s removal from school for home education.

We are also publishing analysis of the previous Government’s 2023 consultation on the non-statutory Elective Home Education guidance.

Why your views matter

We welcome views from local authorities, home-educating parents, schools, out-of-school settings, charities and others to inform final guidance and regulations