Education Policy update
Schools will be aware of the rather late publication of KCSIE 2024 on 2 September 2024. Most of the changes are light touch, however Schools will still need to be mindful that some of the content remains under review.
Some of the changes coming with KCSIE 2024 include a broadening of the definition of safeguarding, a reminder for staff to be alert to the risk of child exploitation and also that children may suffer harm through witnessing domestic abuse.
Still under review, in particular, is content relating to how to support children who are questioning their gender. While the draft wording refers to the gender questioning guidance which was due to be published before the general election, the Labour government is yet to confirm whether they will proceed with the publication (or indeed adopt the Conservative government's approach).
On a day-to-day, most schools will be focusing on the changes to the law relating to pupil registration and attendance and getting to grips with recording attendance electronically and using the new national attendance codes. Senior Attendance Champions will have been appointed and given overall responsibility for championing and improving attendance and all schools will now have written school attendance policies based on the expectations set out in the guidance.
Many schools will also have new policies to prohibit/limit pupil access to mobile phones during the school day and will already be seeing the impact of this on pupil behaviour and concentration.