Attendance, exclusion and missing from education

Attendance and exclusions in schools 

We publish guides to support schools with attendance and behaviour. 

Guidance for schools:

For parents:

All these guides work together to support a positive school environment where all pupils can learn effectively. We have set up a working group to review the guidance on school attendance

Children missing from education 

Children missing from education are those of compulsory school age who are not on a school roll or receiving alternative education (home, private, or alternative provision).  

A child who is enrolled but hasn't attended school for up to four weeks (or less if there are welfare concerns) may also be considered missing from education. 

The child's safety is paramount. When there is concern a child might be at risk, following local child protection procedures is essential. 

Children Missing from Education (Scotland) Service 

This service functions solely as an intermediary between local authorities and SEEMiS for conducting national pupil searches in Scotland when necessary. This limited role reflects both the sensitive nature of missing children cases and data protection requirements. 

Read more: Guidance for local authorities on the Children Missing From Education (Scotland) service 

For advice or queries about the service, contact: CMEScotland@gov.scot 

 

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