Paper copies statement
A statement that parents can ask for a free paper copy of anything published on the website, and that translations, Braille or audio versions are free too. Maintained schools must publish it.
Check this on my websiteWho it applies to
- Published on
- The school's own website
- School type
- Academies and maintained schools
- School stage
- All stages, from early years to sixth form
- Does not apply to
- No school types are excluded
When is it due?
- Renewal
- No fixed date
The official sources set no renewal date. Keep it accurate whenever it changes.
What's needed
Publish a statement that paper copies of anything on the website are available free of charge on request, naming who to ask, on the statutory information page.
What it must contain
1 part- Says translations, Braille and audio versions are free of charge tooMust
What the official sources say
Set out in 2 official sources:
What academies, free schools and colleges must or should publish online
Academies and colleges should provide a paper copy of this information free of charge, if a parent or carer requests it.
Should§ Why information must be published
School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012
3 The governing body must provide a paper copy of the information published on the website without charge to parents on request.
Must§ SI 2012/1124 regulation 2(3), substituting regulation 10(3) of the 2008 Regulations
4 In regulation 11 (supplementary provisions relating to published documents)— a in paragraph (1) after “document” insert “or website”; b in paragraph (2)— i after “document”, the first time it appears, insert “or website”, and ii after “document”, the second time it appears, insert “or on the website”; c in paragraph (3)— i after “document”, save for the last time it appears, insert “or information on a website”, and ii after “document”, the last time it appears, insert “or information”; and d for paragraph (4) substitute— 4 Parents must not be charged for a copy of such a translation or Braille or audio tape version if they are entitled without charge to a paper copy of the original document or information published on the website.
Must§ SI 2012/1124 regulation 2(4), amending regulation 11(1)-(4) of the 2008 Regulations
Questions schools ask
Does every school have to publish the paper copies statement?
Maintained schools must publish it. Academies should publish it.
When does the paper copies statement need to be published?
Renewal: No fixed date. The official sources set no renewal date. Keep it accurate whenever it changes.
What must the paper copies statement include?
Says translations, Braille and audio versions are free of charge too.
Where does the requirement for the paper copies statement come from?
It is set out in What academies, free schools and colleges must or should publish online and School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012.
Changes to the official sources
The sources for this item do not publish dated change notes. Their current versions are listed above.
We last checked these sources on 21 September 2026.
Is this on your school's website?
We check your site the way an inspector or a parent would find it: page by page, against the official wording of each requirement. If it's there, you get the page and the words we found. If it isn't, you get every place we looked.
Check this one requirement free, or scan your whole site against every requirement.
Official sources last checked 21 September 2026 · register version 1.0.4