School Prolonged-Absence Deletion and Joint Enquiry Procedure

1. Scope and applicability

Use this procedure where a pupil at [school name] has not returned within 10 school days following a leave of absence, or has been continuously absent for 20 unauthorised school days, and deletion of the pupil’s name under grounds H or I is being considered.

This procedure applies conditionally to maintained and academy primary and secondary schools in England.

2. Required control before deletion

The pupil’s name must not be deleted under grounds H or I until the school and the local authority have completed joint reasonable enquiries to locate the pupil and establish the pupil’s circumstances.

3. Procedure

3.1 Confirm the absence period

Record the pupil’s relevant absence period, including whether the pupil has not returned within 10 school days following a leave of absence or has been continuously absent for 20 unauthorised school days.

3.2 Conduct joint reasonable enquiries

Arrange and undertake reasonable enquiries jointly with [local authority name] to locate the pupil and find out the pupil’s circumstances.

Record the enquiries undertaken jointly, the findings about the pupil’s location, and the findings about the pupil’s circumstances.

3.3 Establish the pupil’s circumstances

Do not proceed to deletion until the pupil has been located and the pupil’s circumstances have been established.

3.4 Obtain joint agreement

Before the pupil’s name is deleted, the school and the local authority must agree that there are no reasonable grounds to believe the pupil will attend the school again.

Record the documented agreement between [school name] and [local authority name] before any deletion under grounds H or I.

4. Decision point

Deletion under grounds H or I may be considered only after the absence period has been recorded, joint reasonable enquiries have been completed, the pupil’s location and circumstances have been established, and both the school and the local authority have documented agreement that there are no reasonable grounds to believe the pupil will return to the school.