updated 16/12/2025
Please read this page in full. Template responses are provided further down.
When a Local Authority (LA) asks for examples of a child’s “work”, what they often mean in practice is samples. This may include requests for:
Photographs of completed work
Screenshots of online platforms or websites
Videos of the child “working”
Login details for learning platforms
We use the term “work” because many LAs continue to assume that home education closely mirrors school-based, formal learning. This is precisely why we strongly recommend providing information on your own terms, usually in the form of a written provision and resources report using our guide. A report allows you to clearly explain your educational philosophy, approach, learning style, how progress is made, and including lots of examples of the learning— without being forced into a school-centric framework.
Example:
“Jonny has been developing his understanding of area and perimeter by calculating how much turf is needed for the garden and how much lace is required to edge a tablecloth.”
Sample:
A photograph of Jonny carrying out the activity.
Example:
“Sam has been working through quadratic equations using CGP GCSE materials alongside Oak Academy lessons.”
Sample:
Photographs of completed workbook pages.
Examples describe learning. Samples expose private material.
According to the government’s Elective Home Education (EHE) guidance, Local Authorities may request information in a form of their choosing. However, families are not legally obliged to respond in the way the LA requests.
You should respond, but you may do so in a format that works for your family — we recommend a written report. Failure to respond at all can be used to suggest that education may not be suitable, but declining to provide samples cannot.
There are significant concerns around providing samples of a child’s work:
It is an invasion of a child’s privacy.
Sharing personal learning with a stranger can be distressing and disempowering for the child.
A small number of photos or pages does not provide a holistic picture of home education.
Samples lack context and explanation, increasing the risk of:
further demands for more evidence
misinterpretation
unfounded claims that education is unsuitable
Providing samples also:
Allows the LA to scrutinise and challenge your report unnecessarily
Enables accusations (explicit or implied) that parents are “lying”
Sets an unhealthy precedent for other families
“Other parents sent dozens of photos, so why won’t you?”
What one family does can affect the expectations placed on the entire home education community.
Please read the information above before deciding how to reply.
If the LA requests a visit only, do not offer a report unless they ask for one. Politely decline the visit and wait for a reply, they may or may not ask for written information.
If the LA requests a visit or a report plus samples, respond only with a report. Do not mention samples at this stage.
If the LA acknowledges your report but then asks for samples, we suggest responding with:
Thank you for confirming receipt of our provision and resources report. As no specific concerns have been raised, we assume you are satisfied that our child is not missing education and that the education provided is suitable.
Our child does not consent to sharing samples of their learning with a complete stranger. We expect this decision to be respected.
At this stage, we strongly recommend contacting us for personalised support via our Facebook group or contact form.
If you choose to respond independently, the following points may be useful.
Consent and the child’s rights
I will not be providing samples of my child’s work. This work is their intellectual property, and they have not given consent for it to be shared with a stranger. This aligns with UNCRC Article 12, which requires respect for the views of the child.
No requirement for samples
The Departmental Guidance for Local Authorities does not require parents to provide samples of work. The word “sample” does not appear anywhere in the 45-page document.
Section 6.12 — form of information
“An authority should not dismiss information provided by parents simply because it is not in a particular form preferred by the authority.”
Section 5.4 — no obligation to produce evidence
Parents are under no legal obligation to:
agree to meetings
allow the child to be seen
produce specific evidence such as samples of work
Best interests of the child
It is in our child’s best interests for their wishes to be respected. The report we provided sufficiently explains how education is delivered, how progress is understood, and why the provision is suitable.
No requirement for formal work or assessment
As confirmed in Section 2.11 of the Guidance for Parents, there is no legal requirement for:
formal work
dated or marked work
formal assessment or target-setting
Learning takes place in many forms, not just written output. Isolated samples cannot provide a holistic understanding of our provision; our report does.
The guidance is clear:
Section 5.2
“It is important that the authority’s arrangements are proportionate and do not seek to exert more oversight than is actually needed.”
Persistent demands for samples amount to monitoring, which is outside the LA’s powers.
Section 5.3
A positive relationship requires trust. Implying dishonesty by demanding proof undermines that relationship and discourages families from seeking support.
Section 5.4
Where no concerns exist, contact should be brief. Repeated requests for further evidence do not meet this standard.
If you have specific concerns about our child’s education, please clearly identify them so we can respond appropriately with further explanation or examples.
Otherwise, we look forward to hearing from you again at the appropriate annual point, when we will provide our next provision and resources update.
Staffordshire website design and website SEO by Fellowship Studios.
