Keeping records as a parent

The single most useful habit for anyone dealing with a school or council.

Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.

What it is

Records means dated notes of what was said and by whom, copies of correspondence, and a log of incidents, absences and missed provision.

Where it applies

Any parent dealing with SEND, attendance, exclusion or a complaint.

How it works

Almost every dispute turns on what was said and when. Memory is contested; a dated email is not.\n\nFollowing a phone call with a short email confirming what was agreed converts a conversation into a record without any confrontation.

What you can ask for

After any significant call or meeting, email a short summary: "Thank you for speaking to me today. My understanding is..." That single habit is worth more than any other.

Keep one folder, chronological, with everything in it.

Ask for decisions in writing with reasons. A decision nobody has written down is one nobody has had to justify.

Where to get help

SENDIASS for free local advice, IPSEA and Contact nationally.

Where to read more

Read the official guidance

Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28