Marc White

As technological advances continue to alter the way that people communicate, it is now more important than ever for academies to consider their approach to the effective management of parental complaints, particularly the growing number of complaints drafted using Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT.

Academies and maintained schools increasingly rely on contractors and self-employed individuals to provide services - ranging from catering and specialist teaching to counselling, SEN support and site maintenance. This raises an important question: how far do a school’s allergy safety arrangements extend to people who are not directly employed by the trust?

The answer depends principally on the person’s role and contact with pupils. Their contractual or employment status is not, by itself, decisive.

The DfE has published new non-statutory guidance to assist academies and maintained schools to manage their use of the Government's new Inclusive Mainstream Fund (IMF).

Mandatory conditions of the IMF grant include:

• Investing the school's IMF allocation in accordance with the 7 principles of inclusion

• Publishing on the school's website an inclusion strategy setting out how the school is identifying and meeting commonly occurring and predictable needs within their pupil cohort and embedding inclusive practice

The first strategy must be published on each school's website by 31 December 2026.

MAT mergers are increasingly forming part of the strategic conversation for trusts considering how best to build resilience, strengthen school improvement capacity and create sustainable organisations for the future. We are seeing more trusts explore whether combining their resources, expertise and infrastructure could deliver greater benefits for the schools they serve.

The Department for Education has just updated its guidance on school land transactions. We've summarised what has changed and why it matters.

The rollout of free breakfast clubs is creating a new practical challenge for some schools: what happens when a pupil wants to attend, but needs significant additional support to do so safely?

This is an issue we are increasingly seeing schools grapple with, particularly where pupils require 1:1 supervision or support with complex medical needs. Schools may already be struggling to staff their existing wraparound provision and may find that support funded during the school day does not extend to breakfast club.

Can a school simply say that it cannot accommodate the pupil? The answer requires careful consideration.

Making a personal injury claim can be stressful and confusing. One of the most common questions we are asked is, "What is my claim worth?"

While no two cases are the same, the courts follow a structured process to ensure claims are valued fairly. Here’s a simple overview of how compensation is assessed.