Children missing in education – a school's duties

New regulations – Children Missing Education: Statutory guidance for local authorities – which have been in force since September, are intended to ensure all children receive a suitable education and are protected from risk of harm, exploitation, radicalisation, underachieving or not being in education, employment or training later in life.

Schools must now keep more detailed records of pupils who join and leave, and pass this information to their local authority. This way, local authorities become more quickly aware of children who might be at risk.

We know this issue is increasingly at the forefront of school leaders’ minds. Our latest survey found that around a third of secondary school leaders (32 per cent) are worried about children missing from education (CME), and issues that can be related – including domestic violence and child sexual exploitation – are also causing concern.