Leavers

Key messages on best practice and statutory duties for schools to deal with leavers and school absence.

other than at the end of the school phase, there are only limited circumstances in which pupils can be deleted from the school roll and other deletions are illegal
the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 apply andthere is associated DCSF guidance Keeping Pupil Registers(link for both - http://www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolattendance/legislation/index.cfm)
in most cases, parents advise schools of their plans e.g. they are moving or applying to other schools. Best practice included in LBE guidance is for schools to use the Form for Leavers which checks current mobile numbers, requests date of leaving, new address where known and name of a third party who the family will be maintaining contact with and who is not expected to move eg family friend or neighbor. If contact is lost with the parents then this third party can be contacted to help track the children.
best practice is for the pupil to remain on roll until admitted to another school and the CTF transferred via S2S within 15 days (statutory duty). Where the travel arrangements to the current school can be maintained, the pupil should continue to attend until admitted to a new school. However where the distance is too great or where there is any delay e.g. because of lack of school places, then the school can refer to the CME Lead who will liaise with the equivalent in the new home LA transferring responsibility for following up access and admission to a new school. Best practice is for the school to upload the CTF to the S2S Lost Pupils database as unknown destination (code XXXXXXX). The vacancy in the Ealing school can then be offered to another applicant.
where a pupil stops attending, the attendance policy must be followed. First day calling is
Best practice. Usually parents can be contacted and a reasonable explanation provided. School staff must consider factors such as any indication or history of Safeguarding issues, evasion or discrepant information, the possibility of any criminal matters such as abuse, neglect, domestic violence, FGM or Forced Marriage and the LBE guidance includes a table relating to vulnerability. Where there is doubt and factors indicate safeguarding concerns, absent pupils must be discussed at an early stage with the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead. Cases can be discussed with Tom Galvin, Head of Pupil Access and Welfare, the Child Protection Advisers, or referral made to Childrens Social Care or the Police.
where absence does not fall into the above categories then Reasonable Enquiry must be undertaken and referral to the LA made within 10 days (to the link School Attendance Service Worker for Primary Schools and the School Attendance Service Manager for High Schools.) Reasonable enquiry includes phone calls, letters and a home visit, and contact with Children’s Social Care where their involvement is known. Where a pupil’s whereabouts remain unknown, the Reasonable Enquiry form should be passed to the CME Lead in the LA and further enquiries will be undertaken to establish the whereabouts of the family and child. Best practice is for contemporaneous notes to be made of the RE which would provide valuable evidence if any formal investigation is later required.
where there have been 20 days of continuous unauthorized absence, Reasonable Enquiry has been completed, and the LA and the school are satisfied that the child no longer resides at the address on the school register, then the name of the child can be deleted from the school roll. A letter to this effect should be sent to the home advising family to contact the school and LA if they return with a copy kept on the pupil file and one sent to the CME Lead. Where the child still resides at the address then deletion from roll is inappropriate and illegal, and legal procedures for school non-attendance should be undertaken
similar procedures must be followed where a pupil does not return from holiday, or does not start on the agreed admission date (for YR, Y7 and in-year admissions).
all Leavers with unknown destination must therefore be referred to the School Attendance Service and the CME Team, and should be uploaded on S2S Lost Pupil Database, and appear on the school’s Leavers List (confirming referral to CME team and date done).