What to write in an EHCP diary, with real examples
A diary is one of the few pieces of evidence that shows what your child's life is like every day, not just on the day a professional visits. The trick is to make each entry specific, dated and factual.
The four things every entry needs
- The date, and the time if it matters (before school, after pick-up, bedtime).
- What happened, described as you saw it or were told it.
- How long or how often: 40 minutes, three times, all evening.
- What helped, or what support was given, and whether it worked.
A difficulty rating from 1 to 5 adds a quick way to see patterns over weeks.
Vague versus specific: examples
| Vague | Specific and useful |
|---|---|
| Bad morning again. | Mon 3 Nov. Refused to put school uniform on, hid under the bed for 35 minutes. Arrived at school 50 minutes late. Calmed only when I agreed to walk him to the classroom door. |
| Struggles with noise. | Tue 4 Nov. Covered ears and left the dinner hall after 5 minutes. Ate nothing at school (lunchbox came home full). TA says this happens most days. |
| Can't sleep. | Wed 5 Nov. In bed 8pm, asleep 11.40pm. Woke at 3am and stayed up. Very tired and tearful before school. |
| Had a meltdown. | Thu 6 Nov. Meltdown after school: screaming, hitting the car door, about 40 minutes. Trigger seemed to be a supply teacher and a changed timetable. Quiet room and ear defenders helped. |
| Good day. | Fri 7 Nov. Went in calmly using the visual timetable the TA made. Teacher said she joined in group work for the first time. |
The good days matter too. They show which support works, which helps the council decide what should go into a plan.
What to record beyond incidents
- Sleep: when your child fell asleep and woke
- Eating, especially at school
- Toileting, if it is a difficulty
- School refusal, lateness and time missed
- Masking: calm at school, then distress at home
- What school told you, with the date and who said it
- The effect on siblings, work and family life
What to leave out
- Guesses about diagnoses or causes you have not been told by a professional
- Names of other children
- Angry comments about staff. Stick to what happened and when.
Make it a 30-second habit
Consistency beats length. A short entry every day for 8 weeks says more than a long account written the night before a meeting. Use our free printable template, or log on your phone with EHCPlog and turn it into a dated PDF when you need it.