What Maintained Schools Must or Should Publish Online
All maintained schools are required to publish specific information on their website to comply with the following:
The School Information (England) Regulations 2008 (as amended in 2012 and 2016)
Other relevant laws, such as:
The Equality Act 2010
The Children and Families Act 2014
Schools that don’t have their own website must make this information available on an alternative site and provide a link to it for parents and carers. Additionally, schools must offer a paper copy of this information free of charge upon request from a parent or carer.
There is separate guidance on what academies and further education colleges must publish online.
Why Schools Must Publish Information
Admission Arrangements
Foundation and Voluntary-Aided Schools
These schools must publish their admission arrangements in line with the following:
School Admissions Code
School Admission Appeals Code
By March 15 each year, schools must publish on their website the admission arrangements for students starting in September the following year. These arrangements must remain on the website for the entire academic year when offers are made.
The admission arrangements should explain:
How the school processes applications for each relevant age group.
The number of children the school intends to admit (Published Admission Number, or PAN).
What parents or carers must do to apply for a place.
How places will be allocated if there are more applications than available spaces.
If applicable, schools must also provide information on:
Selection criteria for selective schools.
How parents of primary-aged children can request delayed or deferred entry to reception.
The process for admitting children outside the usual age group.
How many external applicants will be admitted to the sixth form.
In-Year Admissions
By August 31, schools must publish details of how they will manage applications for in-year admissions (mid-year transfers or September entries not at the standard intake point).
If the school’s governing body manages in-year applications, it must provide:
An application form.
Any necessary supplementary information.
If managed by the local authority, the school must publish a link to the relevant in-year co-ordination scheme.
Admission Appeals
By February 28, schools must publish a timetable outlining how admission appeals will be handled. The timetable must include:
• A minimum of 20 school days for parents or carers to prepare and submit a written appeal after being notified that their application was unsuccessful.
• Reasonable deadlines for:
Submission of additional evidence.
Submission of evidence by the admission authority.
Distribution of appeal papers to the panel and all parties involved.
• A minimum of 10 school days’ notice for the appeal hearing.
• A goal to issue decision letters within five school days after the hearing.
Further guidance is available in the School Admission Appeals Code.
Information for Community and Voluntary-Controlled Schools
These schools must link to the local authority’s website for information on their admission and appeals processes, as the local authority manages these procedures.
Behaviour Policy
All schools must publish their behaviour policy in compliance with Section 89 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Guidance on developing and publishing a behaviour policy is available.
Careers Programme Information (Secondary Schools)
Secondary schools must provide information about their careers guidance programme for students in Years 7 to 13. This includes:
• The name and contact details of the careers lead.
• A summary of the careers programme, including how students, parents, carers, teachers, and employers can access this information.
• How the programme's impact is measured.
• The review date for the information.
Schools must also publish a policy statement in line with Section 42B of the Education Act 1997, detailing when and how they provide access to technical education and apprenticeship providers for students in Years 8 to 13.
Charging and Remissions Policies
Schools are required to publish:
A charging policy, detailing the activities for which they charge parents and carers.
A remissions policy, outlining circumstances in which fees will be waived or reduced.
Further guidance on school activity charges can be found in Sections 449-462 of the Education Act 1996.
Complaints Policy
Schools must publish their complaints policy in compliance with Section 29 of the Education Act 2002. They must also include details of how complaints from parents or carers about support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are handled. This must be included in the SEN information report.
Contact Details
All schools must publish:
• Their postal address.
• Their telephone number.
• The name of the staff member who handles queries from parents, carers, and the public.
Mainstream schools must also publish the contact details of their special educational needs coordinator (SENCO).
Curriculum
Schools must publish:
• The curriculum content for each academic year, including mandatory subjects such as Religious Education (RE).
• Information on the right of parents and carers to withdraw their child from RE.
• Information on how to learn more about the school’s curriculum.
Schools with Key Stage 1 provision must also list any phonics or reading schemes used. Schools with Key Stage 4 provision must publish a list of courses offered, including GCSEs.
Ethos and Values
Schools are encouraged to publish a statement outlining their ethos and values.
Financial Information
Schools must publish:
The number of employees earning more than £100,000 per year, presented in £10,000 bands.
A link to the school’s page on the Schools Financial Benchmarking Service.
Governance Information
Schools must provide details about their governing body and its committees, including the structure, responsibilities, and relevant business interests of governors or associate members. Schools are encouraged to share diversity data about their board.
Ofsted Reports
Schools must publish either a copy of their most recent Ofsted report or a link to the report on the Ofsted website.
Pay Gap Reporting (Schools with 250+ Employees)
Schools with 250 or more employees must report their gender pay gap and publish it on their website, along with any supporting narrative or action plans.
PE and Sport Premium
Schools receiving PE and sport premium funding must publish, by July 31, details of how it has been or will be spent, its impact, and how the improvements will be sustained.
Public Sector Equality Duty
Schools must publish how they comply with the public sector equality duty and set and review equality objectives.
Pupil Premium and Recovery Premium
Schools receiving pupil premium or recovery premium funding must publish a strategy statement outlining how the funds are being spent to improve student outcomes.
Remote Education
Schools are encouraged to provide information about their remote education provision.
School Opening Hours
Schools must publish their start and end times for the compulsory school day, including the total time this amounts to in a typical week.
School Uniform
Schools with uniform requirements must publish a clear policy in line with statutory guidance, including details on optional and required items, branded or generic items, and where second-hand uniforms can be purchased.
SEND Information
Schools must publish an SEN information report and an accessibility plan in compliance with Section 69 of the Children and Families Act 2014. The report must cover arrangements for disabled pupils and how they participate in school life.
Test, Exam, and Assessment Results
Schools must publish links to their performance data on the Compare School and College Performance Service.
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