Key education guidance updates you need to know now
There have been some important developments to DfE guidance over the summer.
Jill Donabie, partner, and Ryan Douglas, paralegal, both in our education team, summarise some of the key recent education guidance updates you should know for the beginning of a new term.
1. Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025
DfE has updated its safeguarding guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education.
The updated guidance is effective from 1 September 2025 and can be found on the Government’s website.
A list of changes from the previous September 2024 version can be found in Annex F.
2. Academy Trust Handbook 2025
The new academy trust handbook became effective from 1 September 2025.
The handbook must be complied with as a requirement of an academy trust’s funding agreement with the Secretary of State for Education.
Academy trusts should keep up-to-date with the requirements and content of the handbook.
Read the latest version of the handbook.
3. Novel, contentious and repercussive transactions
In March 2025, DfE published guidance for academy trusts and colleges for good practice on navigating novel, contentious and repercussive transactions.
In August, the guidance was updated. Read the most recent guidance.
4. Martyn’s Law
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, commonly known as “Martyn’s Law”, became law on 3 April 2025. The Act requires individuals working at premises and events to be responsible for minimising the impact of a terrorist attack. This could include education settings.
The Government intends to establish an implementation period of at least 24 months before the Act comes into force.
However, DfE has published guidance on how the Act will affect education settings.
Find out more by downloading our FAQs in PDF format.
5. Medical interventions by school staff
In July, Schools Week reported that DfE was currently preparing non-statutory guidance on medical interventions by school staff.
The guidance has yet to be published, but it is intended that it will clarify the roles and responsibilities of school staff regarding the medical care of vulnerable pupils in school.
Visit Schools Week’s website to read the article.
For more information on anything discussed in this article, contact Jill Donabie using [email protected] or 0191 211 7933.