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.
2024 to 2025 census dates
Autumn data collection
- Census date - Thursday 3 October 2024
- Return date - Friday 25 October 2024
- Database closure date - Friday 8 November 2024
Spring data collection
- Census date - Thursday 16 January 2025
- Return date - Friday 7 February 2025
- Database closure date - Friday 21 February 2025
Summer data collection
- Census date - Thursday 15 May 2025
- Return date - Friday 6 June 2025
- Database closure date - Friday 20 June 2025
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.
Updates to this page
Published 6 October 2022Last updated 16 January 2025 + show all updates
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Added a link to 'EHE and CME data collection 2024 to 2025: notepad entries'.
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Updated 'Validation rules for 2024 to 2025'. Version history in document.
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Removed 2023 to 2024 census dates and data collection guide. Added validation rules for 2024 to 2025.
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'EHE and CME data collection 2024 to 2025 guide' has been updated to correct the summer data collection return date from 'Thursday 6 June 2025' to 'Friday 6 June 2025'.
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Added 'EHE and CME data collection 2024 to 2025 guide’. Added section under heading '2024 to 2025 census dates’ and removed 'on a voluntary basis' from the introduction.
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Updated ‘EHE and CME data collection 2023 to 2024 guide’ to correct an error. The change is included in the version history.
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Updated the 'EHE and CME privacy notice'.
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'EHE and CME data collection guide' has been updated. The changes are described in the version history in the document.
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'EHE and CME data collection guide' has been updated. The changes are described in the version history in the document.
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Updated 'EHE and CME data collection guide' document, changes are described in the version history.
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Updated 'EHE and CME data collection guide' document, changes are described in the version history.
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First published.