Elective home education and children missing education: submit your data
How local authorities can share aggregate data on children who receive elective home education (EHE) and those children missing education (CME).
Applies to England
The termly aggregate EHE and CME data collections are statutory. You must complete statutory data collections by law unless there’s a good reason not to.
EHE is a term used to describe a choice by parents to provide education for their children at home - or at home and in some other way which they choose - instead of sending them to school full-time.
CME are children of compulsory school age who are not registered pupils at a school and are not receiving suitable education otherwise than at a school.
The collections include:
- number of EHE and CME at census dates
- characteristics information such as sex and ethnicity
- reasons for EHE and CME
Important dates
This is a list of dates for when you must provide us with termly aggregate data returns.
2026 to 2027 census dates
Autumn data collection
- Census date - Thursday 1 October 2026
- Return date - Friday 23 October 2026
- Database closure date - Friday 6 November 2026
Spring data collection
- Census date - Thursday 14 January 2027
- Return date - Friday 5 February 2027
- Database closure date - Friday 19 February 2027
Summer data collection
- Census date - Thursday 20 May 2027
- Return date - Friday 11 June 2027
- Database closure date - Friday 25 June 2027
Return documents
Complete your return using the:
Send us your data
You’ll need to:
- register and log in with DfE sign-in
- use COLLECT to submit your data
Contact your local authority approver if:
- you want to request a DfE sign-in username or password so you can access COLLECT
- EHE and CME is not on the list of collections you can see in COLLECT
If you do not know who your approver is, use the DfE sign-in request form.
If you’ve forgotten your password, use DfE sign-in to reset it. You will need to click ‘Start now’ and then the ‘I’ve forgotten my password’ link.
How your data will be used
Some data we’re collecting is subject to a .
This data will:
- be analysed to build a clearer picture of the EHE and CME cohorts on local and national levels
- help us identify outlying local data and work with those local authorities to understand the reasons
- help us understand the drivers of EHE and CME
Information received and any analysis we share will not include any data that could identify any child or their parent(s).
Get help
Use the service request form if you have any questions about your data. We aim to answer your question within 5 working days.
Feedback
Use the feedback form if you have any comments about our data collection service, including COLLECT and the helpdesk service.