Removal from Roll

(See also DfE guidance ‘School Attendance - Guidance for maintained schools, academies, independent schools and local authorities  (August 2020) and ‘Children Missing Education – Statutory Guidance for local authorities (September 2016) and Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006

Schools must inform the LA within 5 days of any intended deletion from roll using the A/D 1 form. Pupils should only be removed from the school roll and class registers under the following circumstances:

1. 1. Where a parent informs the school that they are moving out of the area and gives a new home address and details of the school where they intend to register the child. Following the date given for the re-location the school will contact the new school/LA to ascertain that the child is, in fact, living in the area and has been registered at a school.  If confirmed, the Headteacher can remove the pupil from school roll and registers, retrospectively from the date given for the move and a CTF will be sent to the new school. If the pupil cannot be located in the area the parents has given the school should complete a CME/CNRE referral form and submit the form to the childrenmissingeducation@telford.gov.uk inbox.
   2. Where a parent informs the school that they will be pursuing a place at another school in the local area the parent should complete the online in-year transfer request section of their ‘My Telford’ account and the Admissions Team at Telford & Wrekin Council will process the application and inform both schools of the transfer.  The Admissions Team will inform the parent that a place is available to them at the new school.  Once admission is confirmed at the new school the original school can remove the child from roll and submit an A/D1 form (within 5 days) and a CTF will be sent to the new school.
   3. Where a parent informs the school that they wish their child’s name be removed from the school roll as they intend to teach the child otherwise than at school, the school must inform the LA by completing the ‘Pupil Passport’ and submitting it to the accessandinclusion@telford.gov.uk inbox. Once the child’s name is removed from the school roll the LA Advisory Teacher for Elective Home Education will write to the parent and monitor the educational provision from that point. 
   4. Where a pupil has been continuously absent for not less than 4 weeks and the school has made reasonable enquiries which have failed to locate the pupil. In such cases a school representative or, once a referral from the school has been received, an attendance & pupil tracking officer will make home visits and other enquiries to ascertain that the family are no longer living at their last known address. Removal of a pupil from the school roll should only be undertaken when authorised by the Headteacher after these enquiries have taken place.  The school must notify the LA in all cases of a pupil being removed from the school roll where a family has moved and cannot be traced in line with DfE guidance ‘Children Missing Education’ – September 2016’.  This information should be submitted via an A/D1 form. The school should also complete a CME/CNRE referral form and forward it to childrenmissingeducation@telford.gov.uk the Attendance & Pupil Tracking Officer will then ensure the pupil is tracked. Schools may be contacted and asked to keep the pupil on roll whilst further investigations are made. Schools can liaise directly with the Attendance & Pupil tracking officer.
   5. Where a pupil is registered in accordance with a school attendance order and the LA substitutes another school.
   6. Where a pupil has been granted leave of absence e.g. for the purpose of a holiday but has failed to attend school within the twenty school days immediately following the expiry of the leave (except by reason of sickness or other unavoidable cause). Reasonable enquires must be undertaken by the school in these circumstances to trace the pupil, prior to removal from the school roll. If the pupils’ whereabouts is known the school cannot remove the child from the school roll.   The school must liaise with the LA in all cases of a pupil being removed from the school roll in circumstances relating to non-return from leave of absence e.g. for a holiday.
   7. Where a pupil is certified by a medical professional as unlikely to be in a state of health to attend before ceasing to be of compulsory school age.
   8. Where the pupil has died.
   9. Where the pupil has been permanently excluded. The Pupil Discipline Committee must have met. 15 school days will then be allowed for a possible independent review panel before the pupil is removed from the school roll.

It is illegal for a school to remove a pupil from a school roll simply because the pupil has a poor behaviour or poor attendance record.