Cavell Primary and Nursery School

Policy for Children Missing Education

Written by:Written by:Written by:Written by: Tracey BoczTracey BoczTracey BoczTracey Bocz

Date Written:Date Written:Date Written:Date Written: September September September September 201 201 201 2011111

Review Date:Review Date:Review Date:Review Date: July 201July 201July 201July 2012222

Date Adopted by Governing BodyDate Adopted by Governing BodyDate Adopted by Governing BodyDate Adopted by Governing Body

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Background

Cavell Primary and Nursery School will follow the Norfolk County Council ‘Children Missing Education’ Practice and Procedures document which clarifies the Local Authority’s statutory duty regarding Children Missing Education and emphasises the link between safeguarding children and child protection and as a result, the need for information to be shared between agencies. Definition ‘All children of compulsory school age who are not on a school roll, receiving a suitable education or who are not receiving education otherwise than being at school (for example, at home, privately or in alternative provision).’ – Norfolk County Council, Children’s Services – 2009 A “suitable education” is defined as - ‘efficient full time education suitable to his/her age, ability and aptitude and to any special education needs he/she may have’. The duty does not apply to children who are registered at a school but who are not attending regularly. The duty complements and reinforces duties that already exist for schools to monitor attendance and to work with attendance officers and the local authority where the attendance of individual pupils gives cause for concern. It also does not apply to children who are being educated at home. Monitoring arrangements already exist for these children Why Children go Missing from Education

Nationally OFSTED estimated in November 2004 that approximately 10.000 children are missing from schools every day. There is considerable research available which identifies the reasons for children and young people being ‘missing from school’. The most common reasons include:

• Failing to be registered at a school at age 5

• Failing to make a successful transition • Exclusion (formal and informal) • Mid –year transfer of school • Families moving to a new area Some children living in certain circumstances face more obstacles which may include not receiving a suitable education. These include:

• Being under the supervision of the youth justice system

• Children from families fleeing from domestic violence • Children of homeless families, perhaps in temporary accommodation, houses of multiple occupancy or Bed and Breakfasts

• Young runaways • Children in families involved with anti-social behaviour • Children on CP register • Children affected by alcohol/substance misuse

• Asylum seekers and refugees • Children of new immigrant families who may not have a fixed address

• Children of migrant workers • Children of highly mobile families (armed forces, Gypsy, Roma, traveller families)

• Children who have been bullied and/or suffered discrimination • Children at risk of exploitation • Looked after children, children in care, privately fostered, and children who go missing from care

• Young carers • Teenage parents • Children whose parents take them abroad for prolonged periods

• Children whose parents have mental health, medical or emotional problems or learning difficulties • Children forced into marriages

The Role of Schools

All pupils will be put on the school roll on the first expected day of attendance and will be listed in admissions and attendance registers from that day. When a child who is expected to join the school fails to arrive, the school will firstly try to contact the parents by phone or letter. The child will be on the attendance register and should be marked as an unauthorised absence. If no contact has been made after one week, the school will contact the Admissions Department to find out if the child has been registered elsewhere. After 2 weeks the school should complete a referral to the area attendance staff who will follow procedures for ‘missing pupils’. Deletions from the Admissions Register

Cavell Primary and Nursery school’s office staff will follow Norfolk County Council practice and procedures regarding admission registers and use Electronic Common Transfer to send information re school transfers.

Any deletions from the admission register will be made following the rules that are outlined in Section 8 of the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2006. Deletions will be clearly dated and the reason for removal indicated. If the child is transferring to another school, the name of the school should be indicated and pupil records sent within 15 days and use the electronic common transfer form to send information via the secure School to School Transfer website. Home Education

If a parent informs the school that they intend to educate their child at home, Services to Home Educators should be informed who will make arrangements for the LA to satisfy itself that the education provided at home is ‘suitable and efficient’. Fixed Term Exclusions

The school will provide work if a pupil is excluded for a fixed term and arrange alternative suitable full-time provision if this is for more than 5 days. If a pupil fails to return after a fixed term exclusion, the school will treat this as unauthorised absence and will contact the area attendance staff. The school policy has been written in conjunction with the Norfolk County Council Policy for Children Missing Education – Practice and procedure (appendix 1)