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Guidance

Statutory policies for schools and academy trusts

Guidance on the policies and documents that governing bodies and proprietors of schools must have.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Education
Published:
17 September 2019
Last updated:
15 March 2022
Show all updates

  1. Removed the section on designated teacher for looked-after and previously looked-after children as this is not required.

  2. Updated section 8 (relationships education (primary) and relationships and sex education (secondary)) to remove out of date content and links.

  3. Updated to reflect the changes in terminology from newly qualified teacher to early career teacher based on the early career framework reforms. Added a link to the Induction for early career teachers (England) guidance 2021.

  4. Add link in section 8 'Relationship and sex education' to statutory guidance published in June which schools must follow from September 2020. Added references to specify if policies also apply to maintained or non-maintained nursery schools. Updated 'Register of business interests of headteachers and governors' section to reference that it is a live document. Updated 'Capability of staff' section to reflect that academies can set their own terms for approval.

  5. Updated the '5.6 School complaints' section to specify that academies must have a written complaints procedure, and that we recommend that academies publish this online and make it available to anyone who requests it.

  6. Updated document to reflect that the 'Designated teacher for looked-after and previously looked-after children' section also applies to academies, and that the data protection review every 2 years is a recommendation.

  7. Added a link to the statutory guidance for schools on providing careers guidance.

  8. Added sentence to specify that all changes made to the page reflect previously announced requirements on schools, there are no new requirements or policies announced in this update.

  9. First published.

This publication was withdrawn on

Information relating to governance is available in the maintained school governance guide or academy trust governance guide.

Applies to England

Documents

Statutory policies for schools and academy trusts

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All changes made to the page reflect previously announced requirements on schools, there are no new requirements or policies announced in this update.

This is for:

  • school leaders
  • governing bodies
  • proprietors of independent schools
  • local authorities

It applies to all schools.

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