Need-to-knows

The Academy Trust Handbook has been updated, but won't take effect until 1 October 2026. Changes of note include an explicit focus on inclusion, new financial training expectations for trustees and tighter controls over executive pay.

New legislation has passed that aims to better protect children and raise standards in education. Get to grips with some of the new expectations coming up for schools.

School teachers and leaders will receive a 3.5% pay award.

The guidance, which includes a new legal duty to record and report incidents involving restrictive interventions to parents/carers, comes into effect on 1 April 2026.

Updated guidance includes new expectations for work experience activities for years 7 to 9 and more detailed definitions of 'meaningful' workplace experiences and employer encounters. It comes into force in September 2025.

The DfE has updated the governance guides for maintained schools and academy trusts. Here are the main changes you need to be aware of, which came into effect on 25 June 2025.

KCSIE 2026/27 has been published. Changes include the requirement for all staff to read part 1 of KCSIE in full, as well as enhanced guidance on pupils who are questioning their gender, and new sections covering single-sex sports exceptions based on biological sex, and mobile phones in schools.

Get your head around the key changes, which apply from 1 September 2026.

It sets out a 3.5% pay increase for leaders and teachers. Other changes include mandatory TLR pro-rating rules, an optional teacher reward recognition scheme for maintained schools, and more flexibility around INSET days.