Children missing education
Introduction
The Children Missing Education (CME) Team is responsible for ensuring that Norfolk County Council fulfils its statutory responsibilities for identifying children missing education and responds accordingly.
This section aims to provide school staff and governors with advice about the procedures for removing a pupil from the school roll and notifying the CME Team in line with schools' statutory responsibilities for children missing education.
We've provided links to relevant national guidance and local procedures as well as tools to support you to fulfil statutory responsibilities.
If you cannot find what you are looking for, contact the CME Team on 01603 307716 or email cme@norfolk.gov.uk.
Children missing education policy
The local policy and procedure for Norfolk County Council and all Norfolk schools is the Norfolk Children Missing Education policy (PDF, 715 KB).
Statutory guidance
All schools, independent and state funded, are required to have regard to the following statutory guidance:
- Children missing education: statutory guidance for local authorities (opens new window)
- Keeping Children Safe in Education (opens new window)
- Working Together to Safeguard Children (opens new window)
Statutory regulations
All schools, independent and state funded, are required to have regard to the following statutory regulations:
The School Attendance (Pupil Registration)
In addition, schools may wish to refer to the following guidance:
- Professionals Briefing Sheet - A Quick Guide to Children Missing Education (Word doc, 632 KB)
- Working together to improve school attendance
- Children who go missing during the school day: Norfolk Constabulary guidance and checklist (Word doc, 77 KB)
- Children Missing Education Briefing Note (July 2020) (PDF, 102 KB)
Norfolk Safeguarding Children Board
Children missing education forms and templates
The following forms and templates have been created for schools to use.
Notifying the Local Authority when a pupil is removed from the school roll
Schools should complete and submit a notification form every time a pupil has been removed from admissions register (school roll). They should complete and submit it no later than the date of removal.
If the removal from roll date was prior to and including 18 August 2024, please continue to use the Off roll notification online form (opens new window).
Demonstration of the off-roll notification online form (opens new window) (vimeo.com) - Note accessible on or after 20 April 2022
If the removal from roll date was from 19 August 2024 onwards, please complete and submit the Deletion Return form.
New Pupil Return
Schools should complete and submit this form every time a pupil has been added to admissions register (school roll). It should be completed and submitted within five school days of enrolment.
New Pupil Return (Excel doc, 31 KB)
Email cme@norfolk.gov.uk and submit forms securely via AnyComms (opens new window)
Pupil moving away and leaving school
This template is for schools' internal use.
Pupil moving away and leaving school form (Word doc, 63 KB)
School risk assessment for possible pupil missing education
This template is for schools' internal use.
School risk assessment for possible pupil missing education form (Word doc, 72 KB)
Possible Pupil Missing from Education (PPME)
Possible Pupil Missing from Education referral form (Word doc, 56 KB)
Contact the CME Team
The Children Missing Education Team are based at the County Hall, Norwich.
- Phone: 01603 307716
- Email: cme@norfolk.gov.uk
- Postal address: County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 2DH
- AnyComms is available for schools to securely share documents with the team.
Please contact this telephone number and mailbox for all possible pupil missing education consultations, referrals, enquires and submission of on roll notifications.
The CME line operates during term time Monday-Thursday 9am - 5pm and Friday 9am - 4pm.
CME Team member contacts
Shelley Horne - Senior Children Missing Education, Education Quality Assurance and Intervention Service
- Phone: 01603 307757
- Email: shelley.horne@norfolk.gov.uk
Shelley manages the Children Missing Education team and is responsible for CME data, awareness raising and ensuring that Norfolk County Council discharges its duties in relation to children missing from education.
Alison Higgins - Children Missing Education Officer, Education Quality Assurance and Intervention Service
- Phone: 01603 638433
- Email: alison.higgins@norfolk.gov.uk
Alison offers advice and guidance to schools on pupil registration regulations and undertakes possible pupil missing education referrals and casework to locate missing children referred to the team.
Dawn Craddock - Children Missing Education Officer, Education Quality Assurance and Intervention Service
- Phone: 01603 307770
- Email: dawn.craddock@norfolk.gov.uk
Dawn offers advice and guidance to schools on pupil registration regulations and undertakes possible pupil missing education referrals and casework to locate missing children referred to the team.
Amanda Jackson - Children Missing Education Officer, Education Quality Assurance and Intervention Service
- Phone: 01603 217792
- Email: amanda.jackson2@norfolk.gov.uk
Amanda offers advice and guidance to schools on pupil registration regulations and undertakes possible pupil missing education referrals and casework to locate missing children referred to the team.
David Cuffley - Children Missing Education Support Assistant, Education Quality Assurance and Intervention Service
- Phone: 01603 307716
- Email: cme@norfolk.gov.uk
David manages the team mailbox and processes all team emails.