The DfE have published the new Academy trusts: governance guide, effective from September 2026. It includes new trust standards, an energy procurement requirement, sustainability leadership and climate action plans in education and free school meal expansion grant and the inclusive mainstream fund. You can find the full guide on their website, here.
Tag: Guidance
Allergy safety in schools
Statutory guidance from DfE about the support that pupils with allergies must receive in schools. It includes information and examples that schools can use to: create and publish an allergy safety policy put allergy safety training in place for all staff identify the children and young people who require Individual Healthcare Plans (IHPs) to manage … Continue reading Allergy safety in schools
Meeting digital and technology standards in schools and colleges
Published in 2022, the DfE has issued an update to it's guidance "Meeting digital and technology standards in schools and colleges". Derbyshire County Council's schools Cyber Security team have posted a useful summary of the changes, highlighting what schools need to know and do. You can find it herehttps://services.derbyshire.gov.uk/Article/189895
Communicating with parents about school attendance
The DfE has published information and resources to help schools communicate well with parents and carers to support improved attendance. You can find it on their website, here.
Information sharing duty statutory guidance
The DfE is seeking views on draft statutory guidance on the information sharing duty introduced in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act. You can respond on their website, here.
Key changes introduced in Working together to safeguard children 2026
This Department for Education (DfE) Statutory guidance on multi-agency working to help, support and protect children. sets out what organisations and agencies who have functions relating to children must and should do to help, protect and promote the welfare of all children and young people under the age of 18, including unborn children, in England. … Continue reading Key changes introduced in Working together to safeguard children 2026
Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education
From September 2026 all schools have to implement the updated guidance from the DfE on the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum. This includes having an updated policy. There are various provisions at both primary and secondary level. For example there is stronger focus on physical and digital safety, the use of accurate anatomical … Continue reading Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education
Mobile phones in schools
New guidance from the Department for Education covers how to implement a policy that prohibits the use of mobile phones throughout the school day. The guidance can be downloaded from their website, here.
Parent guide to school complaints
In response to rising complaints by parents and carers, Parentkind has puiblished a guide that aims to help parents and carers deal with issues before they become complaints, and to understand the difference between rasing issues and making (formal) complaints. The guidance is available here, on their website,
Generative AI: product safety standards
The Department for Education has published updated guidelines for AI that developers and suppliers should incorporate for educational products. The guidelines are available on their website, here.
Use of reasonable force in schools
The government guidance about the use of physical restraint in schools has been updated and comes into force from April this year.You can download both the current and new guidance documents from the Department of Educatiobn website, here.
New statutory guidance on RHSE comes into force
From September this year a new set of statutory guidance for RHSE has been published by the DfE. In paragraph 61 it states: "As well as fulfilling their legal obligations, governing boards and proprietors of academy trusts should also make sure that: all pupils make progress in achieving the expected educational outcomes teaching is accessible … Continue reading New statutory guidance on RHSE comes into force
Ofsted confirms changes to education inspection
On 9th September Oftsed announced that the new report card based inspection regime will commence in November 2025. You can view videos of the report cards from their website here, this page also summarises the announcement. Here are the links to the full toolkits for each of the educational settings: Early years State-funded schools Non-association … Continue reading Ofsted confirms changes to education inspection
Statutory guidance on relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education
The DfE have issued updated Statutory guidance on relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education - you can download it here.
Updated DfE guidance on governance
The DfE have relased an update (25 June) to the Maintained schools governance guide 2025 which was initially released in October 2024. The June 25 update is summarised on their website here, and the full manual is available here. Similarly updated guidance for academies is available here, and the full manual here.