{"id":246390,"date":"2026-05-14T23:00:55","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T22:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/?p=246390"},"modified":"2026-05-14T23:31:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T22:31:39","slug":"childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-act-the-policies-signed-into-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-act-the-policies-signed-into-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Children’s wellbeing and schools act: The policies signed into law"},"content":{"rendered":"

The children\u2019s wellbeing and schools act is now law<\/a> after receiving royal assent last month following its long passage through Parliament.<\/p>\n

The legislation, first introduced in late 2024, has been amended multiple times in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.<\/p>\n

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, said the \u201clandmark legislation fixes the foundations in our schools, puts money back into parents\u2019 pockets, and provides critical new protections for our most vulnerable children.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese new laws are another major milestone in our mission to make sure every child \u2013 wherever they grow up and go to school \u2013 has the opportunity to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here, Schools Week<\/em> rounds up all the schools policies now signed into law, with details in bold provided by government on when they will officially come into effect<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

1. Academies must have qualified teachers<\/h2>\n

New teachers in academies must have or be working towards qualified teacher status, and have a statutory induction.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: 1 September 2027<\/strong><\/p>\n

2. National curriculum for all<\/h2>\n

Academies will have to follow the national curriculum, once the new curriculum currently under development is in place.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Implementation plans to come ‘in due course’<\/strong><\/p>\n

3. Academy trust direction powers<\/h2>\n

The education secretary has gained a power to issue directions to academy trusts if they are not meeting their duties.<\/p>\n

The government has said when trusts don\u2019t comply, they will consider issuing termination notices, the first stage in the process of ending trusts\u2019 funding agreements.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: 29 June 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

4. MAT inspections<\/h2>\n

The new law also creates a duty for Ofsted to inspect multi-academy trusts.<\/p>\n

The intervals for such inspections will be set out by government in secondary legislation.<\/p>\n

Ofsted will also get powers to enter \u201cany premises\u201d of a trust.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: 2027 at the earliest<\/strong><\/p>\n

5. No automatic academy orders<\/h2>\n

The signing of the bill into law has also scrapped a previous duty on the government to issue an academy order when a local authority maintained school is failing.<\/p>\n

Government will retain the power to issue such orders, but they won\u2019t be automatic anymore.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: 29 June 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

6. Teacher pay floor in academies<\/h2>\n

The education secretary now has the power to set a floor for academy teacher pay.<\/p>\n

This was watered-down from the original bill wording, which would have simply required academies to follow the same pay scales as maintained schools.<\/p>\n

Critics warned this would prevent trusts from paying their teachers more than the scales dictate.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: 1 September 2027<\/strong><\/p>\n

7. Admissions co-operation and council direction powers<\/h2>\n

Academies will now have to cooperate with councils over admissions.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: immediately<\/strong><\/p>\n

Councils also have the power to direct academies to admit certain pupils.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Alongside a ‘new school admissions code’ which will be consulted on, says DfE<\/strong><\/p>\n

8. Adjudicator can set PAN<\/h2>\n

The schools adjudicator will be able to set the published admission number (PAN) of a school, including academies, where an objection is upheld.<\/p>\n

However, the adjudicator must take into account the potential impact on the quality of education at the school in question and its neighbours, and its impact on parental choice.<\/p>\n

If setting a lower admission number than originally proposed, the adjudicator must consult the local council, the school (if it\u2019s an academy) and the education secretary.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Alongside a ‘new school admissions code’ which will be consulted on, says DfE.<\/strong><\/p>\n

9. Free school presumption ends<\/h2>\n

The new law has also scrapped the requirement that all new schools be free schools.<\/p>\n

Councils will still have to invite proposals from external parties, but they\u2019ll also be able to publish proposals of their own.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: 1 September 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

10. Breakfast clubs for all at primary\u2026<\/h2>\n

All primary schools are required to provide free breakfast club provision for at least 30 minutes each morning that is accessible to all pupils.<\/p>\n

The breakfasts must meet the school food standards. The government will have the power to exempt certain schools.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Roll-out is being ‘phased’<\/strong><\/p>\n

11. \u2026and all schools must follow food standards<\/h2>\n

All schools, including some types of academy previously exempt, must now follow the school food standards.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: 29 June 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

12. Free school meals extension<\/h2>\n

From September, all children from households in receipt of universal credit will be entitled to free school meals.<\/p>\n

At present this only applies to households whose pre-benefit income is below \u00a37,400 a year.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: 1 September 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

13. Allergy policy for all schools<\/h2>\n

Schools must have an allergy safety policy which they must review at least once a year.<\/p>\n

They must publish the policy on their websites and at least once a year \u201cbring it to the attention\u201d of all pupils and parents.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: 1 September 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

14. Powers to require medical devices<\/h2>\n

The government also now has the power to require schools to keep certain medicinal products and medical devices such as allergy pens on their premises and to give staff training.<\/p>\n

It set out guidance on this earlier this year.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: More info ‘in due course’, says DfE<\/strong><\/p>\n

15. Branded uniform caps<\/h2>\n

Primary schools won\u2019t be allow to require pupils to have more than three different branded items of school uniform, including PE kit and other clothing for clubs or activities.<\/p>\n

For secondary schools, the same rule applies, but they will also be allowed to require a branded tie on top of the three items.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: 1 <\/strong>September 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

16. Council permission for home education…<\/h2>\n

Parents must get council approval to withdraw certain children from school for home education or other education \u201cotherwise than at school\u201d.<\/p>\n

This applies to pupils at special schools, those subject to child protection plans and child protection enquiries.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Following secondary legislation and guidance to come, says DfE<\/strong><\/p>\n

17. \u2026 and town halls must assess suitability<\/h2>\n

Councils must refuse permission if they consider \u201cthat it would be in the child\u2019s best interests to receive education by regular attendance at school, or that no suitable arrangements have been made for the education of the child otherwise than at school\u201d.<\/p>\n

But they must grant permission if those two situations do not apply. Parents aggrieved by a council decision can refer it to the government.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Following secondary legislation and guidance to come, says DfE<\/strong><\/p>\n

18. School notification rules<\/h2>\n

Schools will also have to notify their local authority and the council responsible for the child (if different) if a parent notifies them they intend to withdraw their child for education otherwise than at school.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Following secondary legislation and guidance to come, says DfE<\/strong><\/p>\n

19. Pilots of new meetings with parents<\/h2>\n

The act also requires the government to pilot meetings between councils, schools and parents who want to withdraw their children from school.<\/p>\n

The government has to create the pilot scheme within two years of the law coming into effect.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: The DfE has to launch the pilot by 2028<\/strong><\/p>\n

20. Registers of children not in school<\/h2>\n

Councils will now be required to keep registers of children in their areas who are not registered at a school, along with children who are registered but whose school has agreed they will receive education outside school.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Following secondary legislation and guidance to come, says DfE<\/strong><\/p>\n

21. Town halls can request to visit homes<\/h2>\n

Within 15 days of registering a child as not in school, a council must consider \u201cwhere the child lives\u201d and \u201cmay request the child\u2019s parent to allow the local authority to visit the child inside any of the homes in which the child lives\u201d.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Following secondary legislation and guidance to come, says DfE<\/strong><\/p>\n

22. Support for home education<\/h2>\n

If requested, councils will have to provide support to parents relating to the education of a child out of school.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Following secondary legislation and guidance to come, says DfE<\/strong><\/p>\n

23. DfE can define \u2018full-time\u2019 education<\/h2>\n

The act gives the government the power to define what it means by \u201cfull-time\u201d education, for the purposes of determining whether an education provider is an independent school and should therefore be subject to registration, inspection and a requirement to meet school standards.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Details to come, says DfE<\/strong><\/p>\n

24. Power to close private schools<\/h2>\n

The legislation also introduces a \u201cfit and proper\u201d person test for people wanting to open new private schools, and gives the education secretary the power to suspend a private school\u2019s registration \u2013 temporarily closing it \u2013 where students are at risk of harm.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Details to come, says DfE<\/strong><\/p>\n

25. Burden of proof on appealing private schools<\/h2>\n

Private schools appealing government-enforced closures due to serious and long-running failures will have to have the burden of proof to overturn the decision, rather than it sitting with government.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Details to come, says DfE<\/strong><\/p>\n

26. Ofsted can search suspected illegal schools<\/h2>\n

Ofsted also now has the power to enter and investigate premises where it believes an illegal school is being run.<\/p>\n

It can do so without a warrant, but can obtain one where entry has been refused. The powers would also allow inspectors to take evidence away, something they previously could not do.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Details to come, says DfE<\/strong><\/p>\n

27. Misconduct process extended<\/h2>\n

The legislation has extended the operations of the Teaching Regulation Agency to include those employed in further education, independent training providers, online schools and other independent educational institutions.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: 1 September 2027 (at the earliest)<\/strong><\/p>\n

28. Social media powers<\/h2>\n

The education secretary now has the power to require social media companies to set particular age limits on their services. This was added to the bill recently following pressure from MPs and peers.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: Unknown\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

29. Statutory phone guidance<\/h2>\n

Again, following political pressure, a last-minute amendment to the act means schools must \u201chave regard\u201d to guidance on restricting mobile phones. This places the guidance, previously non-statutory, on a statutory footing.<\/p>\n

When it comes into effect: 29 June 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

30. Social care policies<\/h2>\n

The new law also sets out a raft of social care policies that affect schools. They include plans for a single unique identifier for all children.<\/p>\n

Safeguarding partners such as councils, police and health services will also have to secure the participation of education settings in their safeguarding arrangements.<\/p>\n

However, as reported by Schools Week<\/em> last week, the government has resisted calls to make schools a fourth safeguarding partner.<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Labour’s landmark bill has got royal assent. Here are the policies school leaders need to know about, and when they’ll come into force<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":246355,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[54],"post-theme":[2396],"class_list":["post-246390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-politics","post-theme-politics"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t