1. Forest Gate Community School Charlotte Whelan
CME- secondary school
Forest Gate Community School
Charlotte Whelan

2. What reasons are children CME in a secondary school ?
Not started the school at all- year 7 – sometimes MPAs
Moved house – not notified the school
Extended holiday
Parents keep them off school ( including opting to homeschool )
Children from travelling communities
Truancy
Safeguarding concerns (moved due to DV, run away from home, not contactable)

3. Checklist
❹ CME - When a child does not take up school place or has unexplained absence for 3 or more days (Child Missing Education)
On each day of absence, home contacted by telephone by Attendance Officer
If no contact made, all numbers on the system should be tried
On 3rd day of absence, home visit to be made by student manager and or family support worker if appropriate
If contact is made, arrangements to attend school put in place by student manager and family support worker
If no contact is made, student manager and family support worker make all reasonable efforts to establish whereabouts including making contact with neighbours and students' friends in school
If no contact is made, student manager to notify Attendance Officer and family support worker/designated safeguarding lead
Family support worker/designated safeguarding lead asses harm. If harm or risk established family support worker to contact children's services
If no immediate risk established, student manager to call home daily and carry out daily home visits with family support worker if appropriate
If student is missing for 10 days, Attendance Officer completes CME form and sends to LA. Copy kept on file

4. ❶ When the school is notified a child is leaving to go overseas
Letter requested including name, contact details and start date at new school by Attendance Officer
Letter received from parent
Letter is placed on file by Attendance Officer
Head of Learning, Student Manager and family support worker notified by Attendance Officer
If overseas, immigration papers and plane tickets requested and placed on file by Attendance Officer
If CP concerns, family support worker notifies children's services
If evidence above is not  received, Attendance Officer follow CME checklist
If evidence above  is  received, sent to new school to arrange transfer of files by Attendance Officer
Transfer of files arranged within 10 working days
Student added to weekly off role list

5. ❷ When the school is notified that a child is leaving to attend another school in the UK
Letter requested including name, contact details and start date at new school by Attendance Officer
Letter received from parent
Letter is placed on file by Attendance Officer
Head of Learning, student manager and family support worker notified by Attendance Officer
If letter and new school details not forthcoming, Attendance Officer follow CME checklist
If CP concerns, family support worker to notify children's services
The LA of the receiving school should make contact within 5 days of transfer, if not forthcoming within 5 days, AK should follow CME checklist
Details put on students' file
Upon request from new school, Attendance Officer fills in file transfer form
Family support worker calls new school and arranges for CP information to be transferred securely
Student added to weekly off role list

6. When the school is notified that a child is leaving to be home-schooled
Letter requested including name, contact details and start date at new school by Attendance Officer
Letter received from parent
Letter is placed on file by Attendance Officer
Head of Learning, student manager and family support worker notified by Attendance Officer
LA notified in writing that the parents have elected for home schooling
If CP concerns, family support worker to notify children's services
When LA send notice of authorisation , Attendance Officer to take student off role
Until receive notification from LA, Attendance Officer to chase weekly
Student added to weekly off role list

7. ❺ When a child takes holiday during term time
If holiday during term time is requested, Attendance Officer to send home standard letter refusing to permit
If holiday during term time is taken, Attendance Officer to send home standard letter refusing to authorise
Attendance Officer to notify LA to request penalty notice within 1 week
Student attendance to be monitored using school absence procedures

8. ❻ When a child has explained but unauthorised persistent absence
After 3 unauthorised absences in any school year Attendance Officer notifies student manager / HOL and AHT for attendance
Meeting called by HOL/student manager with parents to establish expectations of absence
If appropriate, student added by AHT for attendance to 5 Stage absence programme for intervention
If parent does not engage or student harm or risk identifued by student manager / HOL they should notify designated safeguarding lead / family support worker
Home visit to be completed by family support worker
If there are safeguarding concerns, family support worker/designated safeguarding lead to notify children's services
If attendance does not improve, persistent attendance procedures should be activated by AHT for attendance

9. Case study 1 = W and M W and M are twins from a traveller community
Mum would keep one off if the other was sick
Mum’s relationship with school was hot and cold
There were a couple of members of staff mum had good relationship with
W and M needed pastoral support for behaviour
After an incident in year 9 mum decided to home school

10. W and M continued
Student Manager and Family support worker visited mum to get her to change her mind
Reported as CME / homeschooling
After a period of time Mum changed her mind. Students readmitted
Family rehoused. Mum worked with the school to find new school place in West London.

11. Case study 2 - S
S was missing lots of school from year 8 . Mum unable to get her in
Safeguarding concerns as staying out late and SS and police involved
From year 9/10 expected CSE. Involved multiagency
Missing from school constantly. Mum threatened to send her abroad. Booked a holiday.
Constant work with student. Never giving up. Home visits every day.
Gave her an academic mentor and pastoral support
Things changed, left with GCSE in English and Maths