School Children Missing Education Referral and Joint Enquiries Procedure

This procedure applies to maintained and academy primary and secondary schools in England when a pupil is suspected or identified as missing education, or when deletion of the pupil’s name is being considered after the specified prolonged absence grounds. Actions must remain case-specific and reflect the available evidence and the child’s welfare.

1. Case identification and initial action

Record the circumstances giving rise to the concern, including the pupil’s attendance position, the information available and the action required. Where a pupil fails to attend on the agreed admission date, undertake reasonable enquiries to establish the child’s whereabouts.

Where a child is identified as missing education, work jointly with the relevant local authority to conduct reasonable enquiries immediately. The enquiries must be thorough and collaborative where possible. Decide the necessary, relevant and appropriate actions by considering the specific circumstances and evidence in the individual case, exercising careful judgement and taking action without delay. Treat the child’s welfare as the paramount concern.

2. Referral to the home local authority

If the school reasonably believes that the pupil will no longer attend and the parent has not provided written notice that the pupil will attend another school or that education otherwise than at school will be provided, refer the case to the child’s home local authority CME team as soon as possible.

Record the referral date, the home local authority, the information provided and the person responsible for maintaining contact: [responsible person name].

3. Reasonable enquiries and communication

Continue reasonable enquiries about the pupil’s whereabouts while the referral is being progressed. Where the pupil has been identified as a child missing education, conduct the enquiries jointly with the local authority immediately and collaboratively where possible.

Maintain regular communication with the local authority carrying out the enquiries. Record the enquiries undertaken, the evidence considered, communications, decisions, actions without delay and the current position: [current case status].

Continue communication until it is mutually agreed that the enquiries have concluded or that there are no further actions the school can take.

4. Considering deletion of a pupil’s name

For grounds H and I, joint reasonable enquiries between the school and local authority are required before the pupil’s name can be deleted. Ground H applies where a pupil has not returned within 10 school days following a leave of absence. Ground I applies where a pupil has been continually absent for 20 school days without authorisation.

Before deletion under these grounds, the joint enquiries must locate the pupil and establish the pupil’s circumstances. When the pupil has been located and the circumstances established, both the school and the local authority must agree that there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the pupil will attend the school again.

Do not delete the pupil’s name under these grounds until the required joint enquiries have been completed and the required agreement has been recorded. Record the basis for the decision and the date of the agreement: [deletion decision record].

5. Case conclusion

Conclude the school’s involvement only when the school and local authority have mutually agreed that enquiries have concluded or that there are no further actions the school can take. Where deletion is being considered under grounds H or I, retain the recorded findings of the joint enquiries and the agreement that there are no reasonable grounds to believe the pupil will attend the school again.