School Safeguarding Guidance Revised for All Staff (England, July 2026)
The Department for Education published the 2026 edition of Keeping Children Safe in Education for use from 1 September. All school and college staff will follow the same Part One safeguarding expectations.
Source: Department for Education
The Department for Education published the 2026 edition of Keeping Children Safe in Education for use from 1 September. All school and college staff will follow the same Part One safeguarding expectations.
What Changed?
The revised statutory guidance requires governing bodies and proprietors to ensure all staff, including staff who do not work directly with children, read Part One; it also adds a new staff overview.
Old System vs New System
The 2025 guidance remained in force and staff reading expectations differed according to role and direct contact with children.
From 1 September 2026, the 2026 guidance applies and all staff use the same Part One safeguarding information, supported by a new overview.
Who Is Affected?
Student Impact
Students are covered by revised safeguarding duties intended to create a shared baseline across all staff roles.
Parent / Family Impact
Parents and carers can expect schools and colleges to train and brief all staff under the revised guidance.
School / Institution Impact
Institutions must update safeguarding policies, induction, training, staff acknowledgements and governor oversight before September.
Teacher / Staff Impact
Teachers and all other staff must read and apply the 2026 Part One requirements.
Key Dates
- 2026-07-07: 2026 guidance published
- 2026-09-01: guidance comes into force.
What To Do
- Schools and colleges should complete policy reviews
- distribute the new guidance and record staff confirmation before the start date.
What To Watch Next
Watch for local authority, trust and regulator implementation material before September.
Global Context
The revision is relevant to comparison of national statutory safeguarding duties across all school workforce roles.