Non-school attendance prosecutions
This online form is for schools to request legal proceedings for non-school attendance, under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996.
It should be completed when all reasonable school-based interventions have been tried but attendance has not improved.
Before you start
It’s recommended that schools create a login before starting the form. This allows you to save your progress and return to complete it later.
You’ll need to have the following information and evidence ready:
Pupil details
- Full name, date of birth, address, and school details
Parent/carer details
- Full names, addresses, and contact details
Attendance summary
- Attendance certificate showing attendance below 90% over a minimum 6-week period
- Evidence of unauthorised absences
Chronology and interventions
- Summary of the previous 6 months
- Details of any interventions (for example: letters sent, meetings held, parenting contracts, referrals to support services)
- Evidence that there has been no improvement despite interventions
- Number of recent penalty notices issued (if applicable)
Actions taken by the school
- Dates and details of contact with parents/carers (letters, phone calls, meetings)
- Support offered (for example: Early Help, Family Support, SEN involvement)
- Outcome of interventions
- Notice to improve issued, warning of potential legal action if attendance does not improve
Supporting documents
- Witness statement from school staff
- Record of interventions
You can upload attachments, but the total for all files must not exceed 20MB.