Articles
KCSIE 2026: The 'for information' version has been published - what schools need to know before September
06 Aug 2026The Department for Education has now published the 'for information' version of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026, ahead of it coming into force on 1 September 2026.
Academy Trust Handbook 2026: what Academy Trusts need to know now
29 Jul 2026The DfE has issued its updated Academy Trust Handbook 2026 [Academy trust handbook 2026: effective from 1 October 2026 - GOV.UK] which takes effect from 1 October 2026. The new version tightens control over pay, buying, technology contracts, pensions, severance payments, and financial transparency. The overall trend is that trusts are being asked to show, in writing, that public money is being spent carefully and openly.
The changes are set out in the updated version under the heading 'What has changed,' and we provide our initial comments on these below:
Upcoming school uniform changes
10 Jul 2026Having been on the horizon since September 2023, when Labour announced their plan to reduce the cost of buying school uniforms, the new rules on limiting the number of compulsory items of branded school uniform come into force on 1 September 2026.
Allergy safety in schools: speed read on what schools need to know about the new DfE guidance
10 Jul 2026The Department for Education (DfE) has published new guidance in relation to allergy safety in schools.
Managing data protection complaints in academies: navigating Section 164A and the three-stage complaints procedure
09 Jul 2026On 19 June 2026, Section 164A of the Data Protection Act 2018 introduced a formalised framework for how organisations, including schools, must handle data protection complaints. While the statutory requirements themselves are relatively procedural in nature, their interaction with existing school complaints frameworks, particularly the ISSR Part 7 parental complaints procedure, raises important practical questions.
In this article, we set out our view on how academies can most effectively manage these overlapping regimes, ensuring compliance while preserving fairness and operational efficiency.
DfE publishes revised guidance on suspensions and permanent exclusions
09 Jul 2026The Department for Education (DfE) has published a revised version of its statutory guidance Suspension and Permanent Exclusion from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England, including pupil movement, which comes into force on 26 July 2026.
