Compliance

Find the latest statutory guidance and understand how it affects your school, from updates to key DfE documents to brand-new legislation

Wednesday

22nd Apr 2026

Ofqual issues first rebuke to exam board over ‘serious failures’
Exams watchdog highlights ‘systemic failures’ by WJEC over a six-year period, but stops short of issuing a fine after the board takes ‘urgent steps’ to prevent recurrence
Ofqual hands first ‘rebuke’ for rule breaches by an exam board

Monday

20th Apr 2026

Government to introduce statutory ‘ban’ on phones in schools
Announcement comes just days after education minister Olivia Bailey told MPs that the problem of phones in schools was ‘already solved’
Phone ban

Thursday

16th Apr 2026

Banning phones in schools ‘already solved’, claims minister
Education minister Olivia Bailey comes under fire as MPs reject Lords’ proposal for a statutory ban on phones in schools
Phone ban in schools
Exam board fined for ‘serious errors’ on A-level exams
Cambridge OCR was charged £270,000 for mistakes on its 2025 AS and A-level physics papers and mark schemes, which led to incorrect grades for students
Errors on exam papers

Wednesday

8th Apr 2026

Pressure for GCSE maths re-mark after Ofqual upholds complaint
Exam board OCR apologises for ‘inconsistencies in our past materials’ but insists there were ‘no errors’ in maths question – prompting a petition for papers to be re-marked
Exam board resists remark after Ofqual upholds GCSE maths complaint

Friday

27th Mar 2026

Ofsted to inspect early years providers more often
Early education minister’s letter to chief inspector outlines new requirements for Ofsted, including the need to inspect every four years
Early years providers

Tuesday

10th Mar 2026

Allegations of cheating in primary tests up by a fifth in 2 years
Number of investigations into ‘maladministration’ reaches highest level since Covid, despite the Reception baseline assessment no longer being monitored
End of KS2 exams

Friday

30th Jan 2026

McVittie appointed to lead review into Cabot Learning Federation
Multi-academy trust is the subject of a review following controversy over a decision to postpone a school visit by a Jewish MP
DfE appoints chair to lead review
Exclusive

Monday

12th Jan 2026

Warning over students ingesting copper sulphate
DfE issues health alert after a helpline supporting safe science practical work warns of students ‘deliberately’ consuming the chemical compound
Copper sulphate

Thursday

18th Dec 2025

DfE issues guidance on use of restraint in schools
School staff have a ‘legal power’ to use ‘reasonable force’ to prevent students from causing injury, damage or disorder, or committing a crime, the updated DfE guidance says
Restraint in schools

Monday

15th Dec 2025

Exam board fined a record £2m for ‘serious breaches’
Ofqual says the size of Pearson’s fine for three separate cases reflects the ‘serious nature’ of its failures, which affected ‘tens of thousands’ of students
Fines

Friday

28th Nov 2025

Warning over ‘unchecked’ safeguarding audits
Trust leaders tell ÌÇÐÄVlog that the process of submitting safeguarding audits to councils is ‘like marking your own homework’, and putting unnecessary pressure on school staff
Safeguarding audits
Exclusive