A new government initiative is bringing free breakfast clubs to schools across England, ensuring children start their day with a nutritious meal. These 30-minute morning sessions will provide a healthy breakfast, helping pupils focus and learn better.
In the first phase, 180,000 pupils from disadvantaged communities will benefit. The first 750 schools have been selected and will start offering breakfast clubs from the summer term.
These schools, spread across nine regions, will receive funding to provide the service to all students.
This is just the beginning, with plans to expand free breakfast clubs to every primary school in England.
Research shows that a nutritious breakfast improves children’s academic performance, particularly in reading, writing, and maths. These clubs also:
Schools will serve healthy, varied breakfasts that meet School Food Standards, ensuring children receive a balanced meal to start the day right.
Schools will receive a setup grant, termly funding, and additional payments based on pupil attendance. A school with 50% participation could receive around £23,000 per year, significantly more than previous breakfast schemes.
If your child’s school is part of the first phase, they will contact you directly. Schools not yet included may join in future phases as the programme expands.
For questions, check with your child’s school once they confirm their participation.
This initiative ensures no child starts school hungry, giving them a strong foundation for learning while also easing financial pressures on families. More schools will join in the coming months—stay tuned for updates!
Ofsted has published a series of inspection toolkits designed to provide detailed guidance on various aspects of school inspections, including safeguarding. These toolkits cover early years, schools, independent schools, and further education and skills settings.
Safeguarding is a fundamental aspect of school inspections and is assessed based on six key areas:
For a school to be deemed as meeting Ofsted’s safeguarding criteria, the following standards must be met in each area:
For schools looking to review their safeguarding policies, Ofsted’s toolkits can provide valuable guidance. You can access them here: Ofsted Inspection Toolkits.
Additionally, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, Martyn Oliver, provides further insight into these changes in a recent video: Watch here.
To contribute your thoughts on the latest proposals, you can participate in Ofsted’s consultation: Consultation Document.
By staying informed and implementing robust safeguarding practices, schools can create a safe and secure environment for all pupils.
The UK is on the brink of an educational transformation, with the Department for Education leading the charge into a new digital era. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has unveiled ambitious plans to modernise the education system, empower teachers, and enhance learning opportunities for children through the power of technology.
Speaking at The Bett Show on 22 January 2025, Phillipson outlined how technology will be a game-changer in education, breaking down barriers to opportunity and ensuring that every student and teacher has access to the tools they need to succeed. From selecting the right tech to integrating it effectively in the classroom, these initiatives aim to cut through costly and time-consuming processes while driving higher standards across schools.
“The world of even five years ago is gone forever,” she stated. “Now we must seize the opportunities of the future. I will take up this great new technological era to modernise our education system, to back our teachers, and to deliver better life chances for our children across the country.”
Research backs up this vision. The Education Endowment Foundation found that when used effectively, digital technology can accelerate learning by two to three months. Additionally, the Department for Education’s Technology in Schools Survey revealed that over two-thirds of school leaders have observed improved pupil attainment due to technology use in education.
In alignment with the government’s broader tech-driven public service transformation, AI is set to play a significant role in education. By reducing teacher workload, AI will help tackle the recruitment and retention crisis, allowing educators to focus on what truly matters—teaching and inspiring the next generation.
Phillipson addressed concerns about AI, stating: “Each great moment of technological change throughout history came with fears for an unfamiliar future. But I know AI can be a radical, modernising force for change—a force for good in the lives of working people—and I am so excited for what it means for education.”
To ensure the safety of students, major tech companies—including Google, Microsoft, Adobe, and Amazon Web Services—have committed to making AI tools safer for classroom use. A new AI product safety framework establishes technical safeguards, prioritizing child-centred design and content filtering, making it the most comprehensive AI safety standard in education worldwide. Enhancing Learning for Vulnerable Students
One of the most exciting initiatives is the integration of assistive technology for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Starting in Spring 2025, all new teachers will receive training on using assistive tech to support SEND students. Studies have shown that tools like dictation software and text-to-speech programmes significantly improve engagement, confidence, and independence among these students.
A pilot program found remarkable benefits, with over 80% of teachers reporting increased student confidence and participation, and 60% seeing improved academic performance. For parents, this means greater assurance that their child’s unique learning needs will be met, ensuring a more inclusive and supportive educational experience.
To ensure that every school has access to the right technology, the Department for Education is launching a new service to simplify the often-confusing tech procurement process. Plan Technology for Your School will help school leaders make informed decisions, ensuring investments in digital tools translate into better learning experiences for students.
Additionally, the newly established EdTech Evidence Board, led by the Chartered College of Teaching, will help schools confidently select AI-driven educational tools that deliver real results.
The government is also developing DfE Connect, a digital platform designed to streamline administrative processes and free up time for educators. Currently supporting pre-16 academies with financial management and funding access, the platform will soon expand to cover additional services, helping schools optimize budgets and focus on quality education.
These transformative measures underscore the government’s commitment to using technology to enhance education, ensuring that every child—regardless of background—has the tools, support, and opportunities to thrive in an increasingly digital world. By embracing innovation, schools can unlock new possibilities, empower teachers, and create a more dynamic, inclusive, and effective learning environment for future generations.
A recent BBC investigation has revealed some worrying gaps in safeguarding within private tutoring. Their report found several cases where tutors were advertising their services despite having serious criminal charges or disciplinary issues in their background.
Unlike teaching in schools, private tutoring in the UK isn't regulated. This means anyone can offer tutoring services without having undergone any background checks. Even those who've been barred from classroom teaching can still work as private tutors – a loophole that puts children at risk.
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is your first line of defence. While there are three levels available, an enhanced DBS check is the most thorough. It reveals not just criminal records but also any relevant disciplinary actions.
The trouble is, tutors don't need a DBS check to advertise their services. That's why it's crucial to use tutoring platforms and agencies that make these checks mandatory for all their tutors.
A trustworthy tutor should be happy to:
If a tutor seems reluctant to provide this information or dismisses its importance, that's a red flag.
Marilyn Hawes from Freedom from Abuse suggests sitting in on tutoring sessions where possible. This applies to both in-person and online lessons. A professional tutor will welcome this involvement – be wary of anyone who objects.
Working with tutors who belong to recognised organisations can provide extra peace of mind. These associations typically require enhanced DBS checks and have clear safeguarding protocols in place.
If you're working with a tutor, ask about their background checks and safeguarding measures. Don't assume these are in place – it's better to ask than to wonder. If your tutor hasn't got the necessary checks, we can help get these sorted quickly and professionally. Feel free to point them to this article.
Having the right checks in place isn't just about compliance – it shows parents you take their children's safety seriously. We can help you get all the necessary checks, from enhanced DBS to teaching qualification verifications. Get in touch to learn how we can help protect both you and your students.
Your pupils' safety matters. Get in touch to learn more about our background checking services or to arrange your checks today.
The Big Listen was a comprehensive effort by Ofsted to gather input from a wide range of stakeholders, including school staff, education organisations, parents, and those involved with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The consultation received an overwhelming 16,033 responses, reflecting the education community's strong desire to contribute to Ofsted's reform.
This extensive feedback process was partly triggered by the tragic death of headteacher Ruth Perry in January 2023, which led to increased scrutiny of Ofsted's inspection practices and their impact on educators' wellbeing. The Big Listen aimed to address these concerns and explore ways to make Ofsted a more supportive and collaborative partner in improving educational standards.
As a result of this consultation, Ofsted has announced a range of reforms designed to transform its approach to school inspections, enhance transparency, and rebuild trust within the education community. These changes span from immediate adjustments to long-term strategic shifts, all aimed at creating a more responsive and effective inspectorate.
Key changes resulting from the Big Listen include:
Key points include:
Monday Notifications: From now on, Ofsted will notify leaders of all routine inspections on a Monday, with inspectors visiting schools on Tuesday and Wednesday. Reports will be drafted on Thursdays, followed by a rigorous review of findings on Fridays.
Curriculum Focus Maintained: Despite these changes, Ofsted will retain its emphasis on the curriculum and early reading, with consultations on report cards beginning immediately.
Inclusion Criterion: Ofsted will introduce a new inclusion criterion, assessing whether schools provide high-quality support for disadvantaged and vulnerable students. The details of how inclusivity will be measured will be subject to consultation.
Safeguarding Grace Period: Ofsted will pilot a new approach to safeguarding. Schools that meet all other criteria but fall short on safeguarding will have up to three months to rectify issues without reopening judgments on other areas.
Ofsted Academy: This new initiative, launching this autumn, will centralise all Ofsted training and development activities.
National Hubs and Reference Groups: Ofsted will establish six national hubs, each specialising in a specific area of its work, and seven external reference groups to provide independent advice and feedback.
Increased Transparency: Ofsted aims to increase transparency by sharing the evidence behind its reports and potentially recording and transcribing final feedback meetings.
Permanent Complaint Reforms: Ofsted will make permanent its pilot complaints panels, which include external representatives to review complaints processes.
MAT and LA Inspections: While working with ministers on future legislation to inspect multi-academy trusts (MATs), Ofsted has not set a timeline for this reform but considers it a medium- to long-term project.
Cultural Change: Feedback from the Big Listen highlighted concerns about Ofsted's culture, with a significant portion of parents and schools expressing distrust in the inspectorate. Addressing this will be a priority moving forward.
Reformed Inspection Frameworks: Ofsted will consult later this academic year on creating a revised education inspection framework for schools, early years, and further education. This framework will incorporate lessons from the Big Listen and support the introduction of report cards in September 2025. The new framework aims to make inspections more collaborative and supportive, with a focus on clear criteria and school context.
New Report Card Features: The report cards will feature "area insights," visualising local data to provide more information to parents and help inspectors understand local contexts.
In a speech made by Sir Martyn Oliver in May, the significance of professional dialogue between the inspection team and school leadership during inspections was greatly emphasised. Ungraded inspections will shift towards providing school leaders with opportunities to showcase their improvements and discuss areas needing further development. As a result of this, deep dives will no longer be conducted during ungraded inspections, beginning at the start of the autumn term.
Since this announcement, efforts have been made to define the practical aspects of ungraded inspections.
Initially, discussions were held with school leaders in regards to these planned changes, and parts of the inspection process were tested in various schools. The feedback from these has been integral to shaping to the new ungraded inspection process.
The ungraded inspection process will commence with an extended phone call conversation the day prior to the on-site visit. This call aims to determine the necessary actions during the inspection to gather essential evidence.
During this call, headteachers will discuss key aspects of their school with the lead inspector, including the school’s context, strengths, and improvements since the last inspection. There will also be opportunities to address ongoing challenges, in which headteachers are encouraged to involve other senior team members.
The lead inspector will be prepared with questions based on data from the school’s website, as well as previous inspection reports. This discussion will help identify several focus areas for the inspection, combining inspector interests and school priorities.
The identified focus areas will guide inspectors' activities during their visit. At least a couple of these areas will relate to the quality of education, assessed across groups of subjects rather than through deep dives into single subjects. Inspectors may also explore specific aspects, such as improvements in assessment, by visiting lessons and discussing their impact with school leaders.
Additionally, one or two focus areas might cover aspects like personal development, behaviour, or attendance, tailored to each school based on the initial phone conversation.
Ofsted have outlined clearly that these changes aim to foster meaningful professional dialogue about the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. A key objective is to reduce the burden on subject leaders themselves, shifting the dialogue so that headteachers and the senior team are more central to the inspection process.
The new inspection handbooks will be published in September, and Ofsted will publish informative videos and webinars to aid schools and provide further details.
The Single Central Record (SCR) is a vital document in educational settings, serving as a comprehensive register of all staff working with children. Its importance cannot be overstated, as it not only ensures compliance with legal requirements but also safeguards the welfare of children and helps maintain high standards of education and care. Especially during Ofsted/ISI visits, the SCR plays a crucial role in demonstrating a school or institution's commitment to safeguarding and effective governance.
During an Ofsted inspection, the SCR is closely scrutinised to ensure that all necessary checks and procedures have been carried out thoroughly and regularly. Ofsted inspectors assess whether the SCR is accurate, up-to-date, and compliant with legal requirements. Any discrepancies or shortcomings in the SCR can raise concerns about the institution's safeguarding practices and overall effectiveness.
To maintain an accurate and up-to-date Single Central Record, educational institutions should adhere to several best practices:
Regular Review: Schedule regular reviews of the SCR to ensure that all information is accurate and current.
Timely Updates: Any changes in staff roles, qualifications, or safeguarding status should be promptly recorded in the SCR to maintain accuracy and ensure the document is up to date.
Training and Awareness: Provide training to relevant staff members responsible for maintaining the SCR to ensure they understand their responsibilities and the importance of accurate record-keeping.
Compliance Checks: Regularly review the SCR to ensure compliance with statutory requirements and guidelines set forth by regulatory bodies such as Ofsted and the Department for Education.
Data Security: Implement robust security measures to safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of the information stored in the SCR, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.
Collaboration with Governors: Engage school/college governors in reviewing the SCR periodically to provide an additional layer of oversight and ensure accountability.
Documentation: Maintain clear documentation of all checks and updates made to the SCR to demonstrate compliance during inspections. External Audits: Consider engaging external auditors periodically to conduct independent reviews of the SCR, providing valuable insights and validation of compliance efforts.
Continuous Improvement: Use feedback from inspections and audits to identify areas for improvement in SCR processes and implement corrective actions as necessary.
Culture of Safeguarding: Foster a culture of safeguarding within the institution, where all staff members are vigilant and proactive in their commitment to protecting the welfare of children.
By following these top ten tips and maintaining an accurate and up-to-date Single Central Record, educational institutions can demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding, enhance accountability, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements,
This document serves as a robust reference point for practitioners across various sectors including social care, education, health, justice, and the voluntary sector, offering clarity on the legal frameworks that support the sharing of information necessary to protect children from abuse and neglect.
The document details the legal and practical aspects of sharing information to safeguard children. It emphasizes that while data protection laws are often perceived as a barrier, they actually provide a structured framework to enable necessary information sharing. Practitioners are guided on how to navigate these laws effectively, ensuring that children's safety and welfare are prioritized at all times. The advice is contextualized within broader statutory guidelines and tailored to the specific needs of different practitioners, making it a crucial tool for those involved in child protection.
Children's safety must take precedence over privacy concerns. Information should be shared legally and responsibly when it is necessary to protect a child from harm.
Whenever possible and safe, practitioners should engage with the child and/or their carers to explain the intentions and necessity of sharing their information.
Consent is not needed for sharing personal information in situations where a child's safety is at risk. Practitioners should have a lawful basis for information sharing under data protection laws.
Practitioners should promptly seek advice when uncertain about the legalities of sharing information, ensuring that concerns about possible criticism do not hinder the safeguarding of a child.
When sharing information, care must be taken to protect the identities of those involved to prevent further harm.
Information shared should be relevant, necessary, and limited to what is needed for the recipient to perform their safeguarding duties effectively.
All decisions about sharing information should be well-documented and justified, whether information is shared or not. This is crucial for accountability and transparency.
This guidance from the Department for Education is a significant resource for ensuring the safety and well-being of children across the UK, providing clear directives to overcome the challenges posed by data protection concerns in safeguarding contexts.
OnlineSCR is a straightforward yet powerful tool designed to help schools keep track of all necessary background checks, from DBS verifications to professional qualifications. By moving away from traditional spreadsheets and manual processes, OnlineSCR offers a streamlined approach to safeguarding, making it easier for schools to maintain compliance and focus on what really matters - providing a safe learning environment for students.
The Single Central Record isn't just a regulatory requirement; it's an important part of school safeguarding practices, particularly when it comes to managing substitute teachers and temporary staff. These individuals play a vital role in the educational ecosystem, stepping in to ensure that learning continues uninterrupted, regardless of staff absences or shortages. However, their transient nature poses unique challenges in maintaining the same rigorous vetting standards applied to permanent staff. We addresses this challenge head-on, providing a comprehensive and accessible record of all necessary checks and qualifications for everyone working within the school.
OnlineSCR simplifies the verification process. It consolidates various educational checks—DBS checks, prohibition orders and qualifications — into a single, easily accessible platform. This streamlines the administration process but also significantly reduces the margin for error. This ensures that each staff member, whether temporary or permanent, meets the required standards becomes a more manageable task. Schools can quickly identify any gaps in compliance, allowing for swift action to rectify issues, upholding the highest safeguarding standards.
The OnlineSCR acts as a live document that can be updated in real-time as new checks are completed or as existing staff acquire new qualifications. This means that OnlineSCR provides an ongoing assurance that all staff members, irrespective of their contract length, are suitably vetted to work with children.
OnlineSCR's technology revolutionises how schools manage their safeguarding processes. By moving away from paper-based systems and cumbersome spreadsheets, it introduces a level of efficiency and reliability that was previously very difficult to achieve. Our digitised approach not only streamlines the management of the Single Central Record but also enhances the accuracy of the data it contains. With features designed to automate routine tasks, schools can now ensure that their compliance with safeguarding regulations is both thorough and up-to-date without dedicating excessive administrative resources to the task.
One of the main benefits of adopting OnlineSCR's system is the automation of verification checks. The platform directly interface with DBS services and other necessary verification databases, reducing the time it takes to confirm QTS, sanctions and clearances. This means that schools can quickly onboard new staff, confident in the knowledge that all safeguarding criteria are met. Our system's real-time updating feature ensures that any changes in staff status or new information are reflected immediately, keeping the SCR current without manual intervention.
OnlineSCR provides comprehensive reporting tools, making it easier for schools to identify any areas of non-compliance and address them promptly. This proactive approach to safeguarding compliance not only supports schools in maintaining a safe environment for students and staff but also prepares them for inspections, with clear, concise records that can be accessed and reviewed at any time. By leveraging OnlineSCR's technology, schools can achieve a higher standard of safeguarding efficiency, ensuring that compliance is seamlessly integrated into their daily operations.
Bringing in supply teachers and temporary staff is essential for maintaining the continuity of education. While the introduction of temporary staff comes with its challenges, the risks associated with safeguarding compliance can be substantially reduced. With OnlineSCR, schools have a powerful tool at their disposal, one that ensures compliance is continuously maintained, safeguarding standards are upheld, and the educational journey for students remains uninterrupted and secure.
Want to find out more? Schedule a free demo today at a time that suits you.
The Single Central Record acts as a centralised repository that collates and verifies essential information about staff, ensuring that all personnel meet the necessary safeguarding requirements. This includes verifying staff identity, qualifications, references, and background checks. By having a single point of reference for this information, schools can efficiently monitor and track compliance, ensuring that everyone working with children is suitable and safe.
Implementing a Single Central Record offers numerous benefits. Firstly, it promotes student safety by creating a comprehensive overview of all staff, allowing schools to identify any safeguarding concerns promptly. Additionally, it simplifies the recruitment process, making it easier to assess candidates and streamline employment checks. Moreover, having a centralised system reduces administrative burdens by eliminating duplicated efforts and maintaining accurate records, saving time and resources.
Regularly updating and auditing the Single Central Record is crucial to maintaining compliance with regulatory standards. Schools should establish clear processes and designate responsible individuals to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the record. This proactive approach ensures that the institution is well-prepared for inspections and demonstrates its commitment to safeguarding and regulatory compliance.
In today's ever-evolving educational landscape, a school's Single Central Record is a cornerstone of effective safeguarding and operational efficiency. By implementing and maintaining this centralised repository, schools can provide a safe environment for students, streamline recruitment procedures, and demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding, ultimately enhancing the overall well-being and success of their educational community.
