Statutory guidance

Children missing education

Statutory guidance for local authorities and advice for other groups on helping children who are missing education get back into it.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

This statutory guidance is for local authorities. Statutory guidance is issued by law; you must follow it unless you have a good reason not to.

It applies to:

  • local-authority-maintained schools
  • academies and free schools
  • independent schools

This guidance will help local authorities comply with their legal responsibilities to:

  • identify children missing education
  • get these children back into education

Other organisations or people helping children who are missing education will also find this guidance useful, including:

  • school leaders
  • school staff
  • governing bodies
  • youth offending teams
  • health professionals
  • the police

Updates to this page

Published 26 November 2013
Last updated 19 August 2024 + show all updates
  1. Updated to bring the guidance in line with the Working together to improve attendance statutory guidance and the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024.

  2. We've updated the guidance to help local authorities and schools meet the recent changes to the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006.

  3. First published.

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