The Written Response
Replying to the LA, on the page.
A complete template for responding to your local authority's annual informal enquiry — what to include, what to leave out, sample phrasing for every area they can ask about, and a full example letter ready to adapt.
Understanding what the LA is actually asking
Most LA letters to home-educating families are not threatening. They are administrative — a routine check that a child of school age is receiving education, triggered by deregistration or by a referral from another service. The language sometimes sounds formal. The underlying question is simple: is this child learning?
Before you write a single word of your response, read the Legal Compass guide (F-02) if you haven't already. Understanding what the LA can and cannot ask for — and what you are and are not required to provide — changes the register of your response from defensive to confident.
"The letter felt threatening until I read it properly. It was just asking what my daughter was doing. Once I realised that, writing the response took about an hour."
What LAs typically ask about
While there is no prescribed format for LA enquiries, most ask about some or all of the following areas. These map loosely onto the areas local authorities consider when assessing whether education is "suitable" under Section 7.
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Literacy and English
Reading, writing, comprehension, vocabulary. LAs want to know that a child is developing the ability to communicate in written and spoken English. This is the area most families address first and most naturally.
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Numeracy and Maths
Number, calculation, and mathematical thinking. As with literacy, LAs are looking for engagement and progress — not a specific curriculum or achievement level.
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Breadth of education
Evidence that learning is not limited to two subjects. Science, history, geography, arts, physical activity — any combination. Breadth does not mean covering every subject every week. It means the education is not artificially narrow.
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Social opportunities
How the child has opportunities to interact with other children and adults. This is often the question parents feel most defensive about — but it is legitimate. LAs are not asking whether your child is in school groups. They are asking whether they have social contact.
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Physical development and wellbeing
Less commonly asked, but occasionally included. Any physical activity — sport, swimming, cycling, walking, play — satisfies this. You do not need a formal PE curriculum.
📌 You are not required to address every area
If the LA has not asked about a specific area, you are not required to address it unprompted. Answer what is asked. If you are writing a general introductory response (not in reply to a specific list of questions), covering the five areas above is comprehensive. Do not go beyond what is needed.
A response that works every time
A good LA response is not long. It is specific, warm in tone, and accompanied by a small amount of concrete evidence. Here is the structure that consistently satisfies enquiries without inviting follow-up.
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Opening paragraph — who you are and your educational approach
One paragraph. Your name, your child's name and age, how long you have been home educating, and a brief description of your general approach. This is not an essay — two or three sentences is enough. It signals confidence and context before you get into specifics.
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Subject sections — one paragraph each, specific not vague
A short paragraph on each area: literacy, numeracy, breadth. Each paragraph describes what your child is doing, with at least one specific example. Not "we cover maths" but "we work through a Singapore Maths workbook and practise mental arithmetic through daily cooking and shopping." Specificity is the difference between a response that ends the enquiry and one that prompts a follow-up.
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Social opportunities — brief and honest
One paragraph describing social contact. Home-ed groups, clubs, activities, family, neighbours. Do not overstate this. A child who has one home-ed group and one sports club has social opportunities. Say so simply.
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Closing — confident, open, brief
One or two sentences. You are happy to provide further information if needed. You look forward to hearing from them. This is not an invitation for escalation — it is a professional close that signals good faith without conceding anything.
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Attachments — two or three pieces of evidence
A photograph, a sample of written work, a project writeup. Not a portfolio — two or three items that make the response concrete. Choose things that show real engagement, not things that make your education look most like school.
📌 Length guidance
One to two sides of A4. If you find yourself writing more, you are either over-explaining or including things you don't need to include. A response that takes five minutes to read is less effective than one that takes two. Brevity and specificity together signal confidence. Length alone signals anxiety.
Sample phrasing for every area
Below is sample phrasing for each section of the response. These are starting points — adapt them to reflect your actual child and your actual education. An LA officer reading twenty responses a week recognises a template immediately. Make it yours.
Example — structured approach
"My name is [name] and I am writing to provide information about the home education of my daughter [name], aged [age], who has been home educated since 2026. We follow a broadly structured approach, working through the mornings most days and spending afternoons on projects, outdoor learning, and activities. Our education is primarily child-led within a framework I provide."
Example — project-based approach
"I am writing to provide information about [child's name]'s home education. [Name] is [age] and has been learning at home since 2026. Our approach is project-based — we follow sustained investigations of real-world topics that cross subject boundaries naturally — alongside daily practice in literacy and numeracy."
Example — reading focus
"[Name] reads daily and widely — currently working through [title] alongside non-fiction books about [interest]. We discuss what she reads and she narrates back what she has understood — a technique that develops both comprehension and verbal fluency. Her written work includes regular journaling, project write-ups, and occasional creative writing. A sample of her written work is attached."
Example — structured approach
"We use [programme/approach] for reading and spelling, working through it three to four times per week. [Name] reads independently for pleasure most evenings. His written work develops through project write-ups, which he completes after any significant learning experience — these tend to be two to three paragraphs describing what he observed, what he found interesting, and what questions arose. An example is attached."
Example — structured workbook
"We work through [curriculum/workbook] for maths, typically three sessions per week. [Name] is currently working on [topic area — e.g. fractions, times tables, written multiplication]. Alongside this, we use maths practically and regularly — measuring in cooking, calculating distances and times on bike rides, managing a small weekly budget."
Example — practical and life-based
"Numeracy is embedded throughout our week. [Name] manages a weekly budget for family shopping, which involves mental arithmetic, estimation, and percentage calculations in a real context. We use a maths workbook [or: online programme] to ensure systematic coverage of key concepts, working through it two to three times per week."
Example — project-based breadth
"Beyond literacy and numeracy, our learning is broad and cross-curricular. Our most recent project — a study of [topic, e.g. water treatment, local history, the life cycle of birds] — covered science, geography, and written communication simultaneously. We also visit museums and heritage sites regularly, read widely across history and natural science, and attend a weekly [art/music/drama] class. A project write-up is attached showing the range of learning from a typical investigation."
Example — structured subjects
"Our curriculum includes science (we follow [programme] and supplement with experiments and nature study), history (currently studying [period/topic] through living books and documentary resources), and geography (a mixture of map work, local study, and project-based investigations). [Name] also has a strong interest in [area] which we pursue through [books/courses/activities]."
Example — groups and activities
"[Name] has regular opportunities for social interaction with other children and adults. We attend a local home-education group [weekly/fortnightly] where she works and plays alongside other home-educated children of mixed ages. She also attends [activity — e.g. swimming, drama, gymnastics] weekly, where she is part of a group with children from a range of backgrounds. Family visits and community activities provide additional social contact throughout the year."
Example — SEN family, building gradually
"[Name] is currently in a period of gradual social reintegration following a difficult school experience. He attends a small home-education art group [fortnightly] and is building confidence in group settings. He has close relationships with family members and regularly interacts with our local community through errands, visits, and activities. We are actively expanding his social opportunities as his confidence develops."
Example — informal and formal
"Physical activity is a regular part of our week. [Name] cycles, swims, and spends time outdoors most days. She also attends [activity] weekly. We prioritise time outside and active movement as part of our educational approach — including nature walks, cycle rides, and outdoor projects — which contribute to physical development alongside learning."
Standard close
"I hope this provides sufficient information to satisfy your enquiry. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information. I am happy to provide additional samples of work or details of our provision if helpful.
Yours sincerely, [Name]"
Common mistakes that invite follow-up
The most common errors in LA responses are not omissions — they are inclusions. Here is what consistently makes a response less effective.
✓ Do include
- Specific examples of what your child is actually doing
- The name of any curriculum, programme, or workbook you use
- Real places visited and what was learned there
- Your child's age and how long they've been home educated
- Two or three pieces of evidence as attachments
- A warm but professional tone throughout
- A clear offer to provide more information if needed
✗ Do not include
- Legal argument or references to your rights
- Challenges to the LA's authority to enquire
- Philosophical justifications for home education
- Criticism of school or the education system
- Vague statements without specific examples
- A timetable or daily schedule (not required)
- An exhaustive document covering everything
- Personal information about your family not relevant to education
- Emotional language or expressions of resentment
"The families who have the easiest time with LA enquiries are the ones who answer the question asked, attach something concrete, and stop. It really is that simple."
💡 The tone to aim for
Professional, warm, and specific. Think of it as writing to a colleague who has a reasonable question — not to an adversary who needs to be defeated. An LA officer reading your letter should come away thinking "this family knows what they are doing and their child is being educated." That impression comes from specificity and confidence, not from length or legalistic language.
A full example letter ready to adapt
Below is a complete example response. Square brackets indicate where you insert your own information. Everything else is sample phrasing you can adapt, reorder, or replace entirely. Do not send this verbatim — make it sound like you.
Home Education of [Child's full name] · DOB 2026 · Response to Enquiry
Dear [name / Home Education Team],
Thank you for your letter of 2026. I am writing to provide information about the home education of my [son/daughter] [name], aged [age], who has been learning at home since [month/year].
Our general approach is [brief description — e.g. broadly structured with focused morning sessions / child-led following your child's interests / eclectic drawing on Charlotte Mason methods].
[Name] reads widely and daily. [He/She] is currently working through [title or description] for pleasure and [structured reading programme or approach] for skills development.
Written work develops through [describe — e.g. regular project write-ups, journaling, narration, creative writing]. A sample of [his/her] written work from [month] is attached.
For mathematics, we use [programme, workbook, or approach], working through it [frequency]. [Name] is currently covering [topic area].
We also apply mathematical thinking practically — [real examples: e.g. calculating distances on cycle routes, managing a weekly budget, measuring ingredients].
Beyond literacy and numeracy, [name]'s education is broad. [Describe two or three areas — e.g. science through observation and experiment, history through living books and museum visits, arts through a weekly class].
Our most recent project — [brief description] — covered [two or three subjects] simultaneously. A project write-up is attached.
[Name] has regular opportunities for social interaction. [He/She] attends [describe groups or activities] where [he/she] works and plays alongside other children of different ages.
We are [actively building / maintaining] [his/her] social network as a valued part of our overall educational approach.
Physical activity is part of our regular week. [Name] [describe — e.g. swims, cycles, attends gymnastics, spends time outdoors daily]. We prioritise time outside and active movement as part of our educational approach.
I hope this provides sufficient information to satisfy your enquiry. I am happy to provide additional samples of work or further details of our provision if that would be helpful.
Yours sincerely,
[Your full name]
[Email address or phone — optional]
1. [Written work sample: project write-up on [topic], [month]]
2. [Photograph: [name] at [location] during [activity], [month]]
3. [Reading log: books read [month to month]]
📌 After you send it
Keep a copy of everything you send — the letter and any attachments. If the LA requests a meeting or asks follow-up questions, you have a record of what you said and when. Most families receive no follow-up after a clear, specific written response. If you do receive follow-up, respond to the specific question asked rather than sending a new comprehensive document.
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