If a child doesn't turn up at the start of term, how long does a school have to keep their place open for?

[metranilvavin]

Um, that's it really. Does anyone know as I can't seem to find an answer online?

I'd rather not explain why as it's a very identifiable situation...

It's not quick. I think they (the council, it's not the school's problem) have to send an initial letter (or two), and then (I think) go round in person and check.

I know when it happened at our local school it was nearly half term before the council managed to arange for the next child on the waiting list.
The head was spitting feathers-there were over 30 in the waiting list, some of whom were phoning the school up daily to see if there was any hope of getting in.

Thank you, that's very helpful.

We had this last year when DD started yr 1, one of her classmates we knew had stayed in the US to be with a sick relative. Her place was filled on the second day back after half term. The person who took the place was called on the Monday when she stilled hadn't shown up for school and started on the Tuesday.

They certainly couldn't give the place away without contact so try not to worry.
Could you contact the school to put your mind at rest?

They are obliged to make reasonable efforts to contact the family - this could easily take a couple of weeks as they will want confirmation the place has been relinquished it in writing if at all possible (can be quicker in these days of email).

If they don't hear from the family and have made all reasonable efforts to contact them to find their intentions, then a place can be stripped after 6 weeks.

DDs primary say (maybe this is an empty threat, not sure) that 10 school days without contact and they will remove your child from their register

We have to give 4 weeks, week 1 we phone, leave messages etc and check with admissions they haven't started somewhere else! , week 2 we write email send ewo round, week 3 all of the previous and week 4 they are reported to Children missing in education team and removed from register.

again, thank you very much.

Thank you also mrspaddy for your concern, but we're not hoping to hold on to the place, fortunately.

If you google your council name plus children missing from education you will probably find out the local protocol. Most authorities will make contact and persist as children who are missing from education for more than four weeks with no attempt to contact the school, are not registered with any school or fail to registrar at a new school or officially defer a place will flag up concerns.

I would say as far as procedures go the school will probably contact you within or after the first week. If no response they will probably then look at contacting social services. If you contact the school and work with them they could be willing to keep the place open for what every reason. But you may need to come to an agreement as far as home educating for that period or duel registaring with an alternative provision.

It is very important to engage in education and with the education authority.

Is it a place for your own child? If you know that you're not going to be taking it and there's a waiting list I'd say it's only fair to let the school know you don't need the place so they can reallocate it. Or have I misunderstood?

I think the OP intends to take the school place but for what every reason she needs time off.

is this a reception child? if so, and if they haven't turned 5, you can tell the school you won't be sending them until they are 5 and they ahve to keep the place open for you I believe.

not sure if it's other ages tho. is it not an option to speak to the school?>

I think the deferring is difficult as far as I know to defere the place you must put it in writing when you accept the school place or with in a set time before the start of term. I'm not sure they are obliged to negotiate this one term has started. I may be wrong. That's why it's important to contact them to find out exactly what needs to be done.

I just looked at the guidance of my local authority and it says they won't take a child off roll unless they have had unauthorised absence for more than 4 weeks and no contact has been made with the family.

If that's standard you have quite a while yet.

10 days of unauthorised absence and they can deregister you.

And they do round here.

Thanks for the google tip, listentomum, that's given me exactly the answer.

Not my child, really, nor are we waiting for a place. And it's not a reception entry thing either. I wanted to know how our school would deal with a particular situation, and as it's quite an unusual one I don't really want to say more than that as it will identify me massively.

Can I ask rather worry ? regarding this.

say child a has no showed

school /council draggng their feet contacted parents of child a and they cant get hold of parents of child a to confirm they still wnt their school place.

Child b is no 1 on waitlist for same school as child a.

They may have no school place at all or school not of their chosing so hoping a does not turn up and they get their place yet frustrated as council tell them they have to wait for child a parents to respond.

This goes on all way through to early october or end of set.

then child c moves to area in same rd as school.

Council then finally get response from a parents they moved no school place needed.

who gets the place.

child b who was no 1 o9r will they now be bumped by child c late applicant as they live nearer but if council had sorted it out sooner then child b would have go place.

if so that seems really unfair to those on waitlists.

their should be short and fixed window for no shows surly?

If child b is out of catchment then I assume it goes to child c, if both in catchment then surely it goes to child b.

The place would go to whichever child was at the top of the waiting list when the vacancy was confirmed. If child B's parents took B off the waiting list, then they don't get the place. If child C fits the criteria better than child B, and is at the top of the list, then C gets the place.

It doesn't matter when the place could have become vacant, it's all about when it actually did

If a child is without a school place offer at all, then they might sidestep this completely if the Fair Access Protocol is activated for them to force a school to go over numbers and admit.

They have to establish the reason for a no show is to establish if the place should be held. If there is illness, a properly requested deferral that was not correctly administered, or an other exceptional reason, the place should not be removed.

I think then rule is 4 weeks

thanks just wondered if unncessary delay in releasing place would mean if they been faster then child b would have got place parents of b could appeal that their slowness disadvantaged them hence why think every la should have set amount of time so bot side

parents of a and b know where they stand

Here is the relevant law: www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/1751/regulation/8/made

From what other posters above have said, Cheryzan for instance, it appears that a number of LAs are advising schools to delete pupils' names from the register with illegal haste. If a child has disappeared, they must make attempts to contact the family and wait a decent period before removing the child's name from the register.

Obviously if the family responds promptly then it's more straightforward.