Children of compulsory school age are classed as missing education if they are not going to school, and are neither learning at home nor attending a private school.
Why do children go missing from education?
The main reasons children miss out on school include:
School moves and changes
- Moving home often or moving to a new area without telling the school.
- Failing to start primary or secondary school on time.
Family or personal difficulties
- Family illness or housing problems.
- Experiencing domestic abuse or moving into a refuge.
Problems at school
- Falling behind due to long term illness or bullying.
- Unhandled behaviour issues or school suspensions.
Disagreements and home learning
- Parents taking a child out of school after an argument with staff.
- Parents teaching a child at home without telling the council.
Lack of local places
- Moving to a new town or borough where no school places are currently free.
Children missing education or at risk of missing education
All local authorities must find children who are missing from education by law. In Harrow, we worry about any child who misses out on learning.
Missing school harms a child's education and puts their safety at risk. Dangers include:
- Physical harm, crime, or anti social behaviour.
- Drug and alcohol abuse or illegal working.
- Mental health struggles and harm from bad people.
What you can do about a child missing education
If you think a child is missing from education, please tell us. This helps keep them safe and gets them back into a classroom.
You can complete a Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) referral. Send this form along with the reasonable enquiry form to duty.assess@harrow.gov.uk.
You can read more online:
- Guidance on how professionals can work together to improve school attendance
- Children Missing Education Policy 2025
Exclusion from school
Exclusion is when a child is removed from school for bad behaviour. A headteacher can choose to exclude a pupil if their behaviour is not acceptable.
There are two types of exclusion:
- Suspension: The child is removed for a set number of days, up to forty five days in one school year. This can also apply just to lunchtimes.
- Permanent exclusion: The headteacher decides that the pupil cannot return to the school ever again.
For more information see the exclusions statutory guidance.