Latest Safeguarding Updates
Latest Safeguarding Updates
The Department for Education (DfE) has published an updated version of the statutory safeguarding and child protection guidance for schools in England, Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE). This guidance replaced KCSIE 2025 when it came into force on 1 September 2026.
The guidance sets out what schools and colleges in England must do to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18.
We regularly review and update our safeguarding policy to make sure it reflects the latest national guidance and continues to keep our children safe.
The 2026 updates include:
- New and updated guidance on regulations and safeguarding requirements on school premises.
- A stronger focus on identifying and supporting children who require mental health support, including clearer guidance on warning signs and when staff should seek emergency help.
- New guidance on supporting young carers.
- Updated guidance for schools on supporting children who are questioning their gender.
- Revisions to safer recruitment practice and regulated activity.
- A continued and enhanced focus on online safety, including new references to generative AI in education and a requirement for schools to review the effectiveness of their filtering and monitoring systems at least once every academic year.
- An enhanced focus on preventing and responding to child-on-child abuse, including harmful sexual behaviour and serious violence, to ensure a safe and respectful school environment for everyone.
These updates help us maintain the highest standards of safeguarding across our school community and ensure that our staff, parents and pupils all understand how we work together to keep children safe.
What this means for parents
You don’t need to do anything differently as a result of this update – our day-to-day safeguarding practices remain the same, and your child’s safety continues to be our top priority. However, you may notice or want to know about the following:
- More conversations about online safety. With the growing use of AI and other new technologies, staff will be talking to pupils more often about staying safe online, we’ll be reviewing our internet filtering and monitoring termly to make sure it’s working properly. We are also including a unit in our Lifeskills program on online safety.
- Extra support for wellbeing. Staff have clearer guidance on spotting early signs that a child may be struggling with their mental health, and on getting help quickly.
- Recognition of young carers. If your child helps care for a family member, there’s now clearer guidance for staff on identifying and supporting young carers, so please do let us know if this applies to your family.
- Support for children questioning their gender. Staff have updated guidance on how to support these pupils sensitively and appropriately.
- Continued vigilance around child-on-child abuse and serious violence. We take a proactive approach to preventing and responding to bullying, harassment and any form of abuse between pupils, and we keep clear records where concerns are raised.
- Safer recruitment. We follow updated guidance when recruiting and checking staff and volunteers, so you can be confident that everyone working with your child has been through the appropriate checks.
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s safety and wellbeing at any time, please speak to their class teacher or contact Mrs Wake, our Designated Safeguarding Lead, directly. A copy of our full safeguarding policy is available here, and the DfE’s Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance can be found here.
