Missing Child Policy Seniors

Overview

Pupils up to Year 11 are not allowed to leave the premises during the school day without the permission of a member of the Senior Leadership Team or Head of Year. Y11 are allowed off site at lunchtimes on the occasional non-uniform days and they will sign in and out in the log. If the school becomes aware that a pupil is missing from a lesson or has left the premises without the knowledge or permission of a member of staff, every action possible is taken to ensure the swift and safe return to lessons/school of that pupil.

Strategies

1. Registers must be taken at the beginning of every lesson. If the register cannot be taken electronically, a paper copy should be taken and sent via a pupil to reception
2. If a pupil is not present and cannot be found by the Class Teacher the following action should be taken:
   1. Email the Urgent Concern (SHE) address and Miss Marsh/Mrs Morley/HOY/Nurse will check whether they have signed out or have any internal appointments or lessons or if they are in the library or toilet.
   2. The attendance officer will check Evolve to establish if the pupil is on a trip that HOY is not aware of and they will then coordinate further actions.
   3. The Head teacher or a member of the Senior Leadership Team will be informed.
   4. SLT will deploy support staff and other members of staff where available, to conduct a thorough search of the school including storage areas and school grounds and if required search of the immediate local area. CCTV footage will be viewed if the pupil is known to have come in to school.
   5. If appropriate to do so, friends of the pupil may be spoken with to ascertain whether they have any information which might help to locate the missing pupil. Appropriate support will be given to these pupils.
   6. If the pupil is not located at this point, school will notify the child’s parents and social worker (where appropriate). Staff need to ascertain with parents whether there is anything happening in the child’s life at the present time which may have an impact on them going missing.
   7. Once all checks have been completed and initial enquiries have proved negative the Police should be called by either the Headteacher, DSL or other member of the Senior Leadership Team. When calling police, you need to ensure that you have a full description of the child including any belongings they have in their possession and also details of any medical/pastoral issues that may increase the risk of them going missing.
   8. If applicable the LADO will be notified by the Headteacher that a child has gone missing.
   9. If the child has been located the Head teacher, parents police, social care and if applicable, the LADO will be notified immediately.
   10. After the event the Headteacher or nominated member of the senior leadership team will investigate how the incident occurred and will take the appropriate action to ensure that similar events do not happen again.
   11. A return interview should be conducted to ascertain the facts about why the child left school, where she has been and who she has been with to collate information should it occur again.