Children Missing from Education

Children Missing from Education

Guidance for Schools2015-16

These guidance notes should be used in conjunction with existing local procedures and codes of practice relating to Children Protection & Safeguarding, Special Educational Needs and School Exclusions, Exceptional Leave of Absence, Penalty Notice Regulations, In-Year Fair Access and Pupil Placement Panel procedures,.and the DfE’s CMEguidance, January 2015.

1Introduction

This policy sets out the London Borough of Barnet’s management of the broad area of Children Missing from Education, including systems to track children into schools, to maintain access to education and to promote robust procedures in schools, within the Local Authority (LA), and external agencies to ensure that children are not disadvantaged or put at risk.

2Definitions

Children Missing from Education (CME) covers a broad range of circumstances, so it is useful to define the essential strands that will be dealt with in this guidance. Schools having contact with other local authorities may find that different terms are used. There are three categories.

Children Missing from Education (CME)

A Child Missing from Education(CME) is one without a school place. The role of all professionals is to alert the LA to this, and for the LA to secure a school place in the case of a child resident in Barnet, or to notify the destination LA that the child may be without education in its area.

Children Missing from School (CMS)

A Child Missing from School (CMS) is either:

one who is registered at a school but has failed to attend for ten consecutive days before action is required by the LA’s CME Officers, EWOs or Targeted Youth Worker, (depending on age and school of the child), or

one who has failed to return from agreed leave for five consecutive days,

In both circumstances, schools must use the initial period of absence to use first-day response procedures and other follow-up action to ascertain a child’s whereabouts.

Children Missing Out on education (CMO)

A Child Missing Out on education (CMO) is one falling within the broad area outlined by the Ofsted document of November 2013 Pupils missing out on education. Such children are at risk of missing out on education through

• poor procedures on the part of schools or the LA,
• poor practice or prejudicial thinking by professionals,
• poor parenting,
• their own behaviour,or needs
• changes in family circumstances, such as rehousing, relationship difficulties or domestic violence.

These are broad themes that involve areas such as School Improvement, Early Intervention and Safeguarding. These generic issues are not the direct concern of the CME Officers within the Education Welfare Team.

Children can move from one of these categories to another. The aim should be that they move out of all these categories rather than from one to the next.

Procedures

Children Missing from Education (CME)

There are two strands to CME

• Children new to school and those moving into the borough
• Children removed from a school roll without a known destination

1Children new to school and those moving into the borough

These are referred to the CME officers by any professional (police, health, social work, et cetera) concerned that a child may be without a school place using the CME referral form (Appendix 2)This form is unlikely to be used by schools.

Investigations then take place to verify the child’s education or to enforce placement via a School Attendance Order. The In-Year Fair Access Panel(see below part XXXX) places children who have poor behaviour or attendance, or where there are no vacancies within reasonable distance from their home.

2Children removed from a school roll without a known destination

Schools refer children who have been removed from their roll in accordance with the regulation 8 of the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006, whose destination school is not known. The categories needing to be referred on the CME off-roll form (Appendix 3) are as follows:

• Moved too far from school
• Failed to return from exceptional leave of absence
• Unexplained absence of four weeks and no trace
• Too ill to pursue education at all (severe or terminal illness)

Children moving from one school to another, anywhere in the country, do not need to be referred.

Similarly, children moving abroad need not be referred unless there are known safeguarding concerns, in which case, the above form should be used AND a referral to MASH made.

Schools are permitted to remove compulsory-school-aged children from roll only under Regulation 8 of theEducation (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006. See Appendix 7

Removing a child from the school roll is a very important action. Inappropriate action exposes children to disrupted education with resulting poor outcomes and increased risk of harm.Schools must follow correct procedures to ensure that they do not breach their legal and safeguarding duties.

Pupils must not be deleted from the school roll without authorisation from the head teacher or other designated person.

Schools must comply with the expectations concerning the investigation of non-return as in Appendix 1 (f) and (h)

Children Missing from School (CMS)

Schools use internal procedures such as First-day Response to challenge absenteeism and follow up with communication with families for longer absences.

If a child is absent for ten consecutive days without explanation, schools must refer to the Local Authority. This period is only five days in the case of a child failing to return on time from agreed leave of absence.

The referral route, using the CMS form at Appendix 4, differs according to school

The referral form asks for details of a school’s intervention prior to referral. Schools should bear in mind that their internal procedures on absence are subject to Ofsted inspection.

The Education Welfare Team will ascertain the whereabouts of the child and/or advise the school to remove the child from roll, as appropriate.

The incidence of CMS cases is greater following a school holiday. In September, such cases can have a financial impact on schools because of the Census. A CMS referral can lead to a child returning more promptly or, following investigation, lead to the school place being freed up for a new pupil, thus ensuring income for the school.

Children Missing Out on Education (CMO)

Ofsted’s report Pupils missing out on education lists vulnerable types of children and dubious practices across services. While procedures within the LA and its schools are normally robust, there is always the possibility of bad decision-making on occasion. Below are examples of pitfalls for schools.

The role of parents in undermining their children’s education is also unfortunate and is best addressed by pursuing attendance vigorously and providing support or access to external support

ELECTIVE HOME EDUCATION

Parents have a right to educate their children otherwise than at school and do not have to explain why. They do, however, have to notify their current school of their decision and the school has to remove the child from the roll. The only exception to this is when the child is the subject of a School Attendance Order, in which case, the LA has an effective right of veto.

Schools must notify the LA of every case where EHE is pursued by parents and the LA will follow up with the family.

EXCLUSIONS

Excluding children by definition means they are missing out on education (CMO) but this is, unfortunately, a consequence of misbehaviour. Adherence to the rules on exclusion safeguards children’s education e.g sixth-day provision being robustly applied secures access to learning following a short period of sanction.

Services are available for vulnerable individuals to secure access to learning. Schools are required to avoid informal processes such as those in the table above under “illegal exclusion”.

Specific Risks – vulnerable children

In some circumstances, extended absence from school may indicate concerns for the health and wellbeing of a child in connection with forced marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM) or child sexual exploitation (CSE).

There should be no supposition that going to a particular country or belonging to a specific minority is suspicious but doubts arising from observation or receipt of concerning information must be referred to the MASH immediately.

Local authority procedures suPPorting children’s access to school.

Pupil Placement Panel (PPP)

The PPP sits fortnightly to review either all cases of children missing from school or missing out on education, examining placement issues for children with specific needs.

The PPP also reviews exclusions issues fortnightly, alternating with the above.

In-Year Fair Access Panel (IYFAP)

The IYFAP meets according to need to place children with attendance or disciplinary issues and those who are vulnerable for other reasons. It also allocates children to schools where capacity issues challenge the LA’s ability to accommodate children, most commonly new arrivals to the borough in need of a school place in areas where schools are full.

All Barnet schools contribute to this process by accepting children allocated to them and by some head teachers attending the meetings to make the necessary decisions.

Appendices

CME Guidance 2015-16 Page 1 of 21

OFF-ROLL CHECKLIST

DELETION OF PUPIL FROM THE SCHOOL ADMISSION REGISTER

THE EDUCATION (PUPIL REGISTRATION) (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2006

*Schools must consult with the Local Authority beforeremoving a pupil from roll where there is any doubt about the legality of deletion, safeguarding or attendance concerns*

CME Guidance 2015-16 Page 1 of 21

Children Missing Education (CME) Referral Form

Please complete this pro-forma in respect of a child who is known or believed to be without a school place. Completed details should be sent to Wendy Roach, Education Welfare Team, Building 4, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road South, London N11 1NP or to ,if encrypted, or via USO-FX .

PLEASE TICK BOX IF APPLICABLE AND GIVE DETAILS BELOW

PLEASE FILL IN DETAILS BELOW FOR EACH CHILD FOR WHOM YOU NEED A SCHOOL PLACE:

Name of Child

Gender

Date of Birth

Year

Details of recent history/current provision and other relevant information:

Referred by

Child Missing Education (CME) Off Roll Form

School to complete when de-registering a pupil who is at risk of missing education

(Refer to Off Roll Guidance / Checklist Appendix 1)

CHILD’S DETAILS