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Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill: a summary

Get to grips with the key headlines in the government's proposed legislation, which aims to better protect children and raise standards in education.

Updated
on 7 February 2025See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 50507
Contents
  1. Where are we now?
  2. A number of amendments have been proposed
  3. What are the proposed changes?
  4. Reform of safeguarding arrangements
  5. Wider measures for all schools
  6. Greater flexibility over pay
  7. New duties and expectations for academies
  8. Tighter regulations for independent schools
  9. Changes to definitions
  10. Checks on prospective proprietors
  11. Change to appeals against private school closures
  12. Material changes

Where are we now?

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill had its first reading in parliament on 17 December 2024. It reached its second reading on 8 January 2025, when ministers debated the bill and approved progress to the next stage.

A number of amendments have been proposed Many amendments to the bill have been put forward, most of which involve minor wording changes. More significant proposed amendments include: The introduction of a 'floor with no ceiling' to the requirements for teachers' pay in all state-funded schools You can read more about this tabled amendment later in this article (scroll down to 'Teachers' pay and conditions' within the 'New duties and expectations for academies' section) This amendment was proposed but didn't obtain enough votes and won't be part of the final bill: A continuation of the 50% cap on faith-based admissions for new schools The bill proposes removing the requirement for all new, state-funded schools to be academies,