This is a consultation. A lot can and almost certainly will change between now and September, so there is no need for school staff to panic and rush into making changes. However, this document does give an indication of the direction of travel for what safeguarding in schools will look like from September 2026 and beyond. More importantly, taking part in the consultation  allows school staff (and others) to express their views and we need the voices of those active in schools

The long awaited new guidance on restrictive interventions and the use of reasonable force was issued just before Christmas. However it does not come into force until April 2026, so schools have time to get their minds round it. This new guidance packs a lot into 21 pages. In many ways, it is two pieces of guidance in one. Page 14 onwards is statutory guidance focusing on the recording and reporting of the use of restrictive practices, including reasonable force and seclusion

Reading both the Child Safeguarding Practice Review  into the death of Sara Sharif and a week earlier the Child Practice Review: Our Bravery Brought Justice   into the abuse carried out by the Welsh headteacher, Neil Foden, there is a strong sense of déjà vu and anger. How many times have we seen and heard this and yet it happens again? Why are we not making changes and learning? In both cases, there are horrendous and numbing lists of systematic failures and missed opportuni

This is an incredibly difficult time for the Jewish community. We are still reeling from the attack on Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur (2 nd  October) which was both dreadful in itself and brought up memories and fears from previous attacks in other places. We are also trying to process the emotions and implications of the hostage release on October 13 th and the ongoing impacts of Israeli actions in Gaza. There is no homogenous Jewish community in the UK. T