The government\u2019s new schools bill will dominate education policymaking for the next few years, before changes start to feed into classrooms across the country from 2026 onwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Schools Week has picked out every new proposed policy and included any details on the proposed implementation date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While we wouldn\u2019t normally cover social care only policies, we have included them anyway just so it\u2019s a complete list. The first half are the school measures, and the second half the social care measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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1. New teachers in academies must have or be working towards qualified teacher status<\/strong>, and have a statutory induction. Induction requirements will only apply to teachers recruited *after* the new law comes into effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will start in September 2026 and guidance will be published.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Academies will be legally required to follow the national curriculum<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This will start after the curriculum review has concluded and its recommendations consulted on (likely to be in \u201cseveral years<\/a>\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Regional directors will be able to issue compliance orders<\/strong> where academies are not meeting or \u201cacting unreasonably\u201d in relation to their legal duties. Examples include over new rules such as admissions or uniform, or other things like breaching rules around parental complaints. They will be used in cases not serious enough to warrant termination warning notices, and will be published<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Academy orders for \u2018inadequate\u2019 maintained schools will become \u2018discretionary\u2019<\/strong>. Where academisation \u201cisn\u2019t necessary\u201d and schools are deemed to \u201chave the capacity to improve\u201d under their current leadership, support will be offered through new regional improvement for standards and excellence teams<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Academies must follow the national teacher pay and conditions framework<\/strong>. Academy trust representatives will be made statutory consultees of the school teachers\u2019 review body (STRB), which will also be asked to consider \u201cadditional flexibilities\u201d to the framework before academies comply. Government said this will not apply to staff where their pay is \u201cdetermined through other processes\u201d, such as those in trust central teams like CEOs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. New duty for schools and councils to co-operate on admissions<\/strong>. Includes over place planning and fair access protocols. Education secretary \u201cwill be able to intervene\u201d where \u201cco-operating breaks down\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. Councils will be able to direct academies to admit a child<\/strong> to provide a \u201csafety net\u201d to ensure unplaced and vulnerable children get a school place quickly. This power already covers maintained schools. Academies would also be able to appeal to the school adjudicator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. The schools adjudicator will be able to set the published admission number (PAN) of a school<\/strong>, including academies, where an objection is upheld. This will give councils \u201cgreater influence\u201d over PANs to assist with their place planning duties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 9. The presumption that new schools must be academies will be ended<\/strong>. Councils looking to open new schools will be able to invite applications from voluntary and foundation schools, as well as put forward their own plans for new community schools. Where councils want to open their own school, regional directors (government civil servants) will decide on the proposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 10. All councils must have \u2018children not in school\u2019 registers<\/strong>, with a duty to support parents on their registers. Children in scope are those not registered at a school or receiving some of their education outside of school (ie flexi-schooling and unregistered alternative provision). Schools will have to check with councils if children being withdrawn are in these categories. Out-of-school education providers must also provide details, and can be fined if not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 11. Some parents will need council consent to home education their child<\/strong>. It will apply to those with children subject to protection orders, on a protection plan or at a special school under arrangements made by the local authority. LAs can also compel home educated children on protection orders to attend school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 12. School attendance orders will be standardised nationally, with councils compelled to check whether the home learning environment for a child is suitable <\/strong>when making such orders. Parents would also face prosecution if they don\u2019t comply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 13. The definition of a private school will be expanded<\/strong> so any operating on a full-time basis must now get government approval and be subject to regular inspections against school standards. Full-time education is where a child \u201ccould be expected to receive all or a majority of their education at the setting\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 14. \u2018Fit and proper\u2019 person test for people wanting to open new private schools<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 15. Education secretary will get the power to suspend a private school\u2019s registration <\/strong>\u2013 temporarily close it \u2013 where students are at risk of harm, rather than apply to the courts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 16. Private schools appealing government-enforced closures due to serious and long-running failures would have to have the burden of proof<\/strong> to overturn the decision, rather than it sitting with government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 17. What constitutes a \u201cmaterial change\u201d for private schools and needs government approval would be updated<\/strong> to stop \u201cunauthorised\u201d changes and make the system more enforceable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 18. New powers for Ofsted to enter suspected illegal schools<\/strong> and \u201csearch\u201d rather than just inspect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 19. A requirement on Ofsted to report once a year on its other independent inspectorate work will be replaced with more \u201cflexible\u201d obligation<\/strong> to do so whenever the education secretary requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 20. Clarification that Ofsted and the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) can freely share information<\/strong> \u2013 such as on historic safeguarding risks \u2013 rather than the DfE having to as a conduit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 21. State-funded schools to ensure all children on roll in reception to year 6 have access to a free, at least 30-minute-long breakfast club<\/strong> before school. School food standards will apply, and schools can be exempt in \u201cexceptional circumstances\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trial to start in April 2025, date for full rollout to be announced next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 22. A limit of three branded items of school uniform<\/strong> required by primary schools, and four items at secondary if a tie is branded. This includes PE kit and applies to after-school activities. Schools can still offer \u201coptional\u201d branded uniform items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Introduced in September 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 23. Broadening the teacher misconduct regime<\/strong> to include those employed in further education, independent training providers, online schools and \u201cindependent educational institutions\u201d that aren\u2019t schools. DfE will also be able to make referrals to the Teacher Regulation Agency if \u201crelevant information\u201d is brought to their attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 24. Legislation allowing maintained schools to temporarily direct pupils to another education setting to improve behaviour (known as off-site directions) will be extended to include academies<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 25. Safeguarding partners such as councils, police and health to secure participation of education settings as relevant agencies in multi-safeguarding arrangements<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 26. Duty for safeguarding partners to set up multi-agency child protection teams<\/strong>. Will include a person \u201cwith education experience\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To start in 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 27. A single unique identifier to be introduced<\/strong> for each child across multiple data sets, with a new duty to share information for welfare and safeguarding purposes. DfE to run regional pilot to test feasibility of using NHS number as the consistent identifier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 28. The strategic role of virtual school heads to promote educational achievement of children with a social worker and in kinship care to be made statutory<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 29. Councils required to assess whether they should provide \u2018staying close\u2019 support to care leavers,<\/strong> and publish arrangements they have in place for such children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 30. The education secretary would be able to direct councils to \u201cregionalise\u201d <\/strong>and \u201charness collective buying power\u201d in relation to social care services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pathfinders in South East and Greater Manchester testing approach in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 31. A statutory framework for deprivation of liberty in accommodation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 32. Regulations to reduce councils\u2019 spend on social care agency workers<\/strong>. Includes a commitment to consider how to \u201cbuild a sustainable SEND workforce\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 33. New law to ensure those involved in \u201clow-level abuse\u201d of 16 and 17-year-olds in children\u2019s homes can be prosecuted<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 34. Legal duty for councils to publish a kinship local offer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 35. Mandate councils to offer \u2018family group decision-making\u2019 meeting <\/strong>when considering care order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 36. Powers for Ofsted to take enforcement action at provider level where there are quality issues across multiple social care settings<\/strong>, and fine people for not registering care homes or foster agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 37. A financial oversight scheme enabling government to better scrutinise the financial health of large children\u2019s social care providers<\/strong>, those deemed \u201cdifficult to replace\u201d. This would include large providers with dual-registered special schools<\/p>\n\n\n\n 38. A \u201clast resort\u201d profit cap to \u201ccurb profiteering\u201d in non-local authority children\u2019s home and fostering agency providers<\/strong>. Will later also apply to supported accommodation providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 39. Allowing children (those aged under 16) to work more than two hours on Sundays <\/strong>to give more flexibility for employers, but all children will be required to have a work permit. Powers to change these rules will pass to the education secretary, rather than councils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n As a treat, here’s links to the rest of our comprehensive coverage: <\/p>\n\n\n\n The headlines<\/strong>: Bill to enact sweeping academies reform<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The round-up<\/strong>: The 15 key schools bill policies<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The fall-out<\/strong>: Academy freedoms axed could harm school improvement<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u2026 hello again local authorities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The home education crackdown<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The shady private school crackdown<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ofsted: illegal schools and info sharing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Other schools stuff<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Schools-related children\u2019s social care policies<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Other children\u2019s social care measures<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Stopping the profiteers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
And last but not least, letting kids work longer hours!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
P.S. if you’ve made it this far – well done! You must really love the schools bill<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSchools Bill: we\u2019ve got you covered<\/h3>\n\n\n\n