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The academy trust handbook lands on 1st October. Inclusion oversight is now a board job.
Education

The academy trust handbook lands on 1st October. Inclusion oversight is now a board job.

The 2026 Academy Trust Handbook was published on 15 July and comes into force on 1st October, a month later than usual. For the first time it sets out trusts responsibilities for inclusion, and tells boards they should designate a trustee or committee to oversee it. Here is what that means in practice, and what to do with the extra term.

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Latest Articles

Your inclusion strategy is due by 31 December. Who has your school asked?
Education

Your inclusion strategy is due by 31 December. Who has your school asked?

Every mainstream school receiving the inclusive mainstream fund must publish an inclusion strategy by 31 December 2026. Governors are expected to scrutinise it, and the DfE says schools should consult families and pupils. Here is what I would do before it reaches your board.

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The belonging framework is delayed. Your board does not need to wait for it.
Education

The belonging framework is delayed. Your board does not need to wait for it.

The DfE's pupil engagement framework has slipped to next summer. The 2029 expectation has not moved, and a board that starts asking pupils now will have a year of evidence when it lands.

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Your school communicates well. Only 40 per cent of parents say it acts on what they say.
Education

Your school communicates well. Only 40 per cent of parents say it acts on what they say.

Parentkind's National Parent Survey shows the share of parents who feel involved has fallen from 80 per cent to 59 per cent since 2023. The numbers underneath that headline point at a governance problem boards can fix this term.

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Volunteer checks changed on 1 September. Your governor election has a 21 day clock.
Education

Volunteer checks changed on 1 September. Your governor election has a 21 day clock.

KCSIE 2026 removed the volunteer supervision exemption on 1 September. Most schools handled the volunteer audit. Fewer noticed that a new governor's enhanced DBS check must be applied for within 21 days of the election being decided, and that an undocumented election gives you no defensible start date.

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The branded uniform limit is law from today. It is your board's decision.
Education

The branded uniform limit is law from today. It is your board's decision.

Section 35 of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 came into force on 1 September. Primary schools can require three branded items, secondaries three or four with a tie. The duty sits with the governing body or trust board, the definition of branded is wider than most lists assume, and the guidance still expects boards to consult parents before they change the policy.

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The new RSHE rules land on 1 September. Consulting parents is the part schools miss.
Education

The new RSHE rules land on 1 September. Consulting parents is the part schools miss.

The revised RSHE statutory guidance comes into force on 1 September. The curriculum changes have had the attention, but the duty to consult parents on the policy is the part most schools underestimate. Here is what lawful consultation actually requires, and the five questions your board should ask before approving the policy.

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Complaints reach your board at step five. The work that prevents them starts much earlier.
Education

Complaints reach your board at step five. The work that prevents them starts much earlier.

The NGA refreshed its complaints guidance on 12 August, and the DfE's joint guidance with Parentkind and Ofsted puts escalated complaints on the governing board at step five. Boards are ready for the panel. Far fewer are ready for the consultation work upstream that stops complaints reaching a panel at all.

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Safeguarding rules tighten on 1 September. Your governors are now on the record.
Education

Safeguarding rules tighten on 1 September. Your governors are now on the record.

KCSIE 2026 comes into force on 1 September, and buried in it is a change that matters for governance: the single central record now has to show safeguarding checks for governors too, dated and ready for inspection at any time. Here is what it means for how you appoint and elect governors this autumn.

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From September, Ofsted judges how your school treats staff. Can your board show it asks?
Education

From September, Ofsted judges how your school treats staff. Can your board show it asks?

From September 2026, how your school looks after its staff sits inside Ofsted's leadership and governance judgement. That is a question for governors, not just the head. Here is why a board needs to show how it hears from staff, and how to fix it before the autumn term.

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The governance guide changed for September. Use the summer to get your board ready.
Education

The governance guide changed for September. Use the summer to get your board ready.

The DfE updated the maintained schools governance guide on 15 July, with new duties in force from 1 September. The listening duties run right through it. Here is what to sort before term starts.

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Pupil voice becomes a legal duty on 26 July. Can your school show it listens?
Education

Pupil voice becomes a legal duty on 26 July. Can your school show it listens?

From 26 July, schools must seek pupils' views before an off-site direction or managed move. It is the latest sign that hearing from pupils, and being able to show you did, is now part of the job.

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Your parent governor election is a summer job, not a September one
Education

Your parent governor election is a summer job, not a September one

If a parent governor seat falls vacant this autumn, the work to fill it properly starts before the summer break, not in September. Here is a simple plan, what the rules actually require, and how to keep turnout up.

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Trust inspections are now law. Can every school in your trust prove it listens?
Education

Trust inspections are now law. Can every school in your trust prove it listens?

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act means multi-academy trusts will be inspected as a single organisation, with governance at the centre. The biggest risk is not any one school, it is the gap between them. Here is how to make participation consistent and provable across your trust before inspections begin.

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Your board must elect a chair this autumn. Here is how to do it properly.
Education

Your board must elect a chair this autumn. Here is how to do it properly.

The NGA refreshed its guidance on electing a chair and vice chair this week. It is the one election every board runs itself, and the way you run it sets the tone for every other vote you are responsible for.

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The NGA survey closes on 30 June. Can your board show it represents anyone?
Education

The NGA survey closes on 30 June. Can your board show it represents anyone?

The National Governance Association's Annual Governance Survey closes on 30 June, and one of its questions asks who really shapes governance in 2026. Reflecting on whether your board represents its community is the easy part. Being able to show it is harder.

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Ofsted now grades your governance. Can you prove you hear from parents?
Education

Ofsted now grades your governance. Can you prove you hear from parents?

The new Ofsted framework renames Leadership and Management as Leadership and Governance, graded on its own and printed on the report card for parents to read. Inspectors now want evidence that boards hear from their community. Here is what that means in practice, and where elections and ballots fit in.

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This is the summer term that counts for governing boards
Education

This is the summer term that counts for governing boards

September 2026 brings more governance changes than any term in recent memory. From new KCSIE guidance to the white paper's parental engagement requirements, here is what boards should be doing right now.

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The white paper says prove you listen. Here is what that actually means for schools.
Education

The white paper says prove you listen. Here is what that actually means for schools.

The Schools White Paper consultation has closed. By 2029, every school will need to evidence pupil engagement and parent voice. Here is what that looks like in practice, and why your current approach might not be enough.

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The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act is law. Here is what it means for governance.
Education

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act is law. Here is what it means for governance.

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 is now law, bringing trust inspections, tighter accountability, and a sharper focus on governance. Here is what it means for parent governor elections, documentation, and getting inspection-ready.

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Two-thirds of large trusts have a governance conflict of interest. Does yours?
Education

Two-thirds of large trusts have a governance conflict of interest. Does yours?

The NGA has called on academy trust chairs who also serve as members to give up one of their roles. Schools Week found 34 of the 52 largest trusts have this dual-role problem. Here is what it means for governance accountability.

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A trust just replaced 220 governors. What happens to parent voice?
Education

A trust just replaced 220 governors. What happens to parent voice?

A 38-school trust has scrapped all its local governing bodies. With trust inspections and public benefit reporting on the horizon, every trust needs to ask: does your governance restructure protect parent voice or quietly remove it?

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The UK Youth Parliament is running proper elections this month. Is your student council?
Education

The UK Youth Parliament is running proper elections this month. Is your student council?

Youth Parliament ballots are running across England right now. Under the new Ofsted framework, pupil voice sits inside leadership and governance, and student council elections need the same documentation as any other governance process. Here is what a proper one looks like.

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Most trusts say parent engagement matters. Half aren't doing it.
Education

Most trusts say parent engagement matters. Half aren't doing it.

The NGA's new parental engagement guide for MATs arrives at a telling moment. Three quarters of governors say engagement should be a priority, but fewer than half say it actually is. Here is what needs to change.

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Trust inspections are coming. Is your governance ready to be examined?
Education

Trust inspections are coming. Is your governance ready to be examined?

New research reveals a significant confidence gap between trust boards and school leaders. With Ofsted set to inspect governance directly, boards need to close that gap before someone else does.

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The white paper wants trusts to hold parental forums. Here is what that means for governance.
Education

The white paper wants trusts to hold parental forums. Here is what that means for governance.

The schools white paper proposes requiring trusts to hold annual parental forums and ensure boards hear directly from parents. Here is what that means for governance teams and why you should start preparing now.

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Ofsted just put governance in the title. Here's what that actually means for your school.
Education

Ofsted just put governance in the title. Here's what that actually means for your school.

Ofsted has renamed 'Leadership and Management' to 'Leadership and Governance' in its new inspection framework. For the first time, governance is explicitly in the title. Here's why that matters for governing bodies and how you run your elections.

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The line between academies and maintained schools is getting a lot blurrier. Here's why that matters for governance.
Education

The line between academies and maintained schools is getting a lot blurrier. Here's why that matters for governance.

From September 2026, academies must follow the National Curriculum and align to national pay and conditions. The operational divide is narrowing, but the governance angle is being largely overlooked. Here's what that means for governor elections.

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Streamlining UK School Elections in 2025 with Choice Voting: A Comprehensive Guide
Education

Streamlining UK School Elections in 2025 with Choice Voting: A Comprehensive Guide

Parent governor elections play a critical role in shaping the leadership and direction of UK schools. These elections give parents and guardians a voice in school governance, ensuring the broader school community has a say in key decisions.

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Choice Voting: Transforming Educational Decision-Making

Choice Voting: Transforming Educational Decision-Making

The education landscape is constantly evolving. Schools face increasing demands for inclusivity, transparency, and efficiency in their decision-making processes. From electing parent governors to gathering feedback on key policies, decision-making often shapes the future of educational institutions.

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Why running your Parent Governor Elections manually is holding you back.
Education

Why running your Parent Governor Elections manually is holding you back.

Written for school clerks and administrators across the UK this article explores why the traditional manual process of running parent-governor elections is costly, inefficient, and increasingly outdated.

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Empowering Every Voice: How Online Voting Aids Accessibility

Empowering Every Voice: How Online Voting Aids Accessibility

In our digitally driven world, accessibility is no longer a luxury but a necessity. This principle applies across various domains, including education, where decision-making often hinges on the voices of parents, staff, and the school community.

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The Importance and Benefits of Engaging Parents and Students in Parent-Governor Elections
Education

The Importance and Benefits of Engaging Parents and Students in Parent-Governor Elections

Parent-governor elections play a critical role in shaping the future of educational institutions. These elections empower parents to participate in school governance, ensuring that their voices are heard and their perspectives considered in decision-making processes.

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Online Voting: A Modern Solution to Age-Old Voting Woes
Education

Online Voting: A Modern Solution to Age-Old Voting Woes

In an age where technology is seamlessly integrated into our daily lives, traditional voting methods—often paper-based, time-consuming, and prone to inefficiencies—are increasingly out of step with modern expectations. For UK schools, where parental involvement and student representation are critical, online voting offers an innovative and effective solution to longstanding challenges.

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Democracy and Technology: A Match Made in Heaven

Democracy and Technology: A Match Made in Heaven

Technology has revolutionised nearly every aspect of our lives—from how we communicate to how we learn. However, perhaps one of the most profound impacts of technology lies in how it shapes democracy. By removing barriers, enhancing participation, and fostering transparency, technology has the potential to make democracy more accessible and inclusive than ever before. This blog explores the synergy between democracy and technology, showcasing how platforms like Choice Voting are driving this transformation. Together, they prove that democracy and technology are, indeed, a match made in heaven.

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Embracing Choice: The Power of Hybrid Voting with Choice Voting
Education

Embracing Choice: The Power of Hybrid Voting with Choice Voting

Technology has revolutionised nearly every aspect of our lives—from how we communicate to how we learn. However, perhaps one of the most profound impacts of technology lies in how it shapes democracy. By removing barriers, enhancing participation, and fostering transparency, technology has the potential to make democracy more accessible and inclusive than ever before. This blog explores the synergy between democracy and technology, showcasing how platforms like Choice Voting are driving this transformation. Together, they prove that democracy and technology are, indeed, a match made in heaven.

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The Importance of Voter Participation: A Comprehensive Exploration
Education

The Importance of Voter Participation: A Comprehensive Exploration

In any democratic system, voter participation is the cornerstone of effective representation and governance. In the context of UK schools, fostering a culture of active participation in elections—be it for student councils, parent governors, or school boards—helps cultivate a deeper sense of community, responsibility, and engagement. However, achieving high voter turnout can be challenging, particularly when relying on traditional election methods.

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Introducing Choice Voting 2.0: The Future of Digital Democracy
Product Updates

Introducing Choice Voting 2.0: The Future of Digital Democracy

Discover the next generation of online voting with our biggest platform update yet, featuring enhanced security, improved user experience, and powerful new tools for election management.

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New Feature: Live Polling and Real-Time Analytics
Product Updates

New Feature: Live Polling and Real-Time Analytics

Discover our new live polling feature with real-time analytics, designed to help organizations make better decisions through instant feedback and data visualization.

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How Choice Voting Supports Grassroots Democracy
Education

How Choice Voting Supports Grassroots Democracy

Choice Voting is designed to make grassroots democracy seamless and effective by simplifying and enhancing election processes. Here’s how it transforms democratic engagement in schools:

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