Legislation, guidance, recommendations

UK legislation, regulations and amendments are accessible from:

legislation.gov.uk

• Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003
• Childcare Act 2006
• Children Act 1989 / 2019
• Children and Families Act 2014
• Children and Social Work Act 2017
• Children and Young Persons Acts 1933 and 1963
• Computer Misuse Act 1990
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
• Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015
• Crime and Disorder Act 1998
• Criminal Justice Act 2003
• Data Protection Act 2018
• Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006
• Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014
• Education and Inspections Act 2006
• Education Act 1996 / 2002
• Education and Skills Act 2008
• Equality Act 2010
• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981
• Human Rights Act 1988
• Independent Educational Provision in England (Inspection Fees and Savings Provisions) Regulations 2019
• Independent Educational Provision in England (Prohibition on Participation in Management) Regulations 2014
• Malicious Communications Act 1988
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992
• Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
• Online Safety Act 2023
• Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 / 2019 (PACE) Code C
• Protection from Harassment Act 1997
• Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023
• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
• Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
• School Attendance (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2024
• Sentencing Act 2020
• Sexual Offences Act 2003
• Teachers’ Disciplinary (England) Regulations 2012

• European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) – The UK’s international human rights obligations

Department for Education statutory guidance

Antibullying

Antibullying DfE guidance includes:

• Preventing and tackling bullying
• Cyber bullying: advice for headteachers and school staff

Attendance and absence

Attendance and absence DfE guidance, includes:

• Arranging education for children who cannot attend school because of health needs
• Children missing education (pdf)
• Mental health issues affecting a pupil’s attendance: guidance for schools
• Providing remote education
• Working together to improve school attendance

Behaviour and exclusions

Behaviour and exclusions DfE guidance, includes:

• Behaviour in schools
• Behaviour and discipline
• Drugs: advice for schools
• Mental health and behaviour
• Searching, screening and confiscation
• School suspensions and permanent exclusions
• Use of reasonable force
• Mobile phones

Curriculum

• Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education, DfE
• Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, DfE

Data Protection and Cybersecurity

• Data Protection guidance for schools, UK Gov
• ICO – UK GDPR guidance and resources
• Meeting Digital and Technology Standards in Schools and Colleges, DfE
• NCSC Cyber security training for school staff
• UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)

Examinations

Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) regulations, includes:

• Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration
• Appeals
• Coursework
• General Regulations
• Instructions for Conducting Examinations (ICE)
• Key Dates and Timetables
• Non-examination assessments (NEA)
• Malpractice
• Post-result services

Health & Safety, risk management and security

• Health and safety: responsibilities and duties for schools, UK Gov
• Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance and publications
• Health & Safety Executive, Five steps to risk assessment
• Health and Safety Advice on Legal Duties and Powers for Local Authorities

Inspection

• Independent school standards guidance, DfE (pdf)
• Non-association independent schools inspection handbook
• Ofsted inspection handbooks and frameworks

Mental Health

• Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges guidance, UK Gov
• Promoting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing, UK Gov

Prevent

• Prevent duty guidance: England and Wales, UK Gov
• The use of social media for on-line radicalisation, UK Gov
• Prevent referral
• Channel and Prevent Multi-Agency Panel (PMAP) guidance
• Prevent duty: risk assessment templates
• The Prevent duty: safeguarding learners vulnerable to radicalisation

Safeguarding, including online

• Safeguarding guidance, UK Gov
• Keeping children safe in education, DfE
• Working together to safeguard children, DfE
• Information share advice for safeguarding practitioners, DfE
• London Safeguarding Children Procedures and Practice Guidance
• What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused, UK Gov
• NPCC When to call the Police guidance for schools and colleges
• Safeguarding children from forced marriages, UK Gov
• Children’s Social Care National Framework
• Forced marriage and the law, UK Gov
• Sharing nudes and semi-nudes: advice for education settings working with children and young people, UK Gov
• UK Safer Internet Centre guidance
• South West Grid for Learning online safety self-review tool

Safer recruitment

• Regulated activity in relation to children, UK Gov
• Criminal record disclosure, UK Gov
• DBS checks guidance for employers, UK Gov
• Barring unsuitable individuals from managing independent schools guidance, UK Gov
• Code of Practice on preventing illegal working: Civil penalty scheme for employers, UK Gov
• NSPCC Safer recruitment guidance and recommendations
• DBS list of offences that will never be filtered from a criminal record check
• Application process for criminal records checks overseas guidance
• DBS filtering guidance
• Recruiting non-UK teachers DfE guidance

SEND

• Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years (part of the Children and Families Act 2014)

Staff

• Teachers’ Standards (pdf)

Agencies and services

• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
• Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
• Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (RBKC)
• Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ)
• London Grid for Learning Trust
• NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre)
• NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)
• Prevent duty training (UK Gov)
• Prevent Team – RBKC
• Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA)