Key proposals in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: What schools and teachers need to know
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill introduced on 17th December 2024 proposes a wide range of amendments to the education system, significantly affecting and expanding the responsibilities of local authorities, schools, Ofsted and other professionals involved in the safeguarding of children.
This blog will explore the proposals that could significantly impact schools.
The statutory pay and conditions framework will apply to all teachers in academy schools and alternative provision academies, creating a unified approach across all state funded schools.
It is recognised that academy trusts have developed effective practices over the years, and the implementation will be delayed until the School Teachers’ Review Body, reviews this and explores flexibilities to ensure the statutory framework is as effective as possible for all schools.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has confirmed that teachers’ pay will not be reduced under these changes.
For the first time, academies will be required to teach the national curriculum for England. This requirement will take effect only after the curriculum and assessment review and the introduction of a revised national curriculum. The aim is to remove inconsistencies in educational standards and outcomes across different school types while allowing teachers flexibility to innovate and cater to students' needs.
We will see many welcomed changes to strengthen the role of education in safeguarding, these include:
Local Authorities (LAs), Integrated Care Boards and the police must include education and childcare providers as mandatory participants in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements
Multi-agency child protection teams will be required to incorporate members with expertise in education
A duty will be imposed on practitioners to disclose information relevant to safeguarding or promoting a child's welfare to other appropriate parties. This will provide practitioners a clear legal basis to both disclose and request information
A Single Unique Identifier (SUI) will be introduced and must be used when processing information for safeguarding or welfare purposes
Schools, academies, and LAs will have a duty to cooperate on school admissions. These measures aim to improve coordination in managing school admissions and planning places effectively.
The government is also extending LA powers over school admissions. LAs will be able to influence published admission numbers (PAN) for both maintained schools and academies, with the ability to object when academies change or maintain PAN levels. Additionally, LAs will be able to direct academies to admit students under the Fair Access Protocol. These changes will see amendments to the existing legislation and the School Admissions Code.
Free breakfast clubs will apply to qualifying primary pupils. The clubs must include at least 30 minutes of childcare and breakfast before the school day begins. However, schools are not obligated to run the clubs themselves and can outsource the service.
Schools may apply to the Secretary of State for an exemption from this duty in exceptional circumstances, following consultation with parents and the local authority. The funding for this initiative will be provided directly to schools. Additionally, a pilot program involving 750 early adopter schools will begin in April 2025 to refine implementation, though the national rollout timeline remains unclear.
The government is extending the requirement for QTS and statutory induction to new teachers in academies. This measure ensures that all newly employed teachers in specified academies meet the same QTS standards as those in maintained and special schools.
Newly qualified teachers in academies will also be required to undergo statutory induction as early career teachers, offering structured support and professional development. These changes will apply only to teachers employed after the implementation date, ensuring that children in academies benefit from well trained, qualified educators while supporting new teachers in building successful careers.
The Bill is still in its early stages in parliament, and many of its provisions are likely to be amended and scrutinised. Schools should monitor developments closely to see how many of these provisions will change as the process moves forward.
Contact Nick to discuss this further.
