New DfE RSHE Statutory Guidance: Water Safety Code to Become Mandatory in Schools
In July 2025, in a landmark move for child safety, the Department for Education (DfE) has announced that the Water Safety Code will be integrated into the newly released Relationships, Sex, and Health Education (RSHE) statutory guidance for schools in England.
This decision follows years of intensive campaigning by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), Swim England, the RNLI, and bereaved families. The move transitions water safety from an optional topic to a statutory requirement, ensuring that students in both primary and secondary schools are equipped with the life-saving knowledge necessary to navigate water environments.
New Policy: England to Limit At-Home Suspensions to Violent Misconduct
The Department for Education (DfE) has released updated statutory guidance for schools and colleges in England regarding students questioning their birth gender. This new framework, part of the "Keeping Children Safe in Education" document, replaces the 2023 guidance and is set to take effect in September 2026 following a consultation period.
The most significant shift is the removal of the previous outright ban on social transitioning for primary school-age children. While the 2023 guidance prohibited younger children from changing their names, pronouns, or appearance, the updated version allows for this in "very rare" circumstances. However, any such change must follow strict procedures, including clinical advice and parental involvement.
Update to Gender Guidance for Schools and Colleges
REMINDERS
In the hustle and bustle of other responsibilities, you may have overlooked some articles from Compliance Matters Issue 55. Below are some of the things that made the news in the world of compliance in January 2026.
The Department for Education (DfE) has announced a significant shift in school discipline policy, moving to ensure that at-home suspensions are reserved only for the most severe cases of bad behaviour, such as violence. Under new guidance to be included in an upcoming schools white paper, pupils who commit non-violent offences will instead be placed in "internal suspension" units.
The reform aims to keep students within the school environment where they can be supervised and supported, rather than being sent home—a sanction the government argues has become ineffective in the digital age.
High Absence Rates Among Autistic Pupils in the UK
A new survey by the charity Ambitious About Autism reveals that one in six (16.2%) autistic students in the UK have not attended school at all since the beginning of the current academic year. The data highlights a growing crisis as the government prepares to overhaul the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system.
While roughly 70% of autistic pupils are in mainstream schools, many struggle with sensory overload, "autistic burnout," and rigid school policies. Families highlighted that strict uniform codes and high-pressure rules often trigger anxiety and meltdowns, making attendance impossible for some students.
School Staff Room Food Storage
Maintaining rigorous food safety standards in school refrigerators is essential for protecting the health and well-being of the entire school community. Schools often serve as high-traffic environments where shared storage can lead to the accidental cross-contamination of expired or spoiled items with student provisions.
Regularly checking for and discarding out-of-date food—such as the mouldy margarine mentioned in the recent incident—mitigates the risk of foodborne illnesses like salmonella or listeria, which can be particularly severe for children. Beyond physical health, consistent monitoring reinforces institutional accountability and prevents the logistical disruptions caused by avoidable medical emergencies and student absences.
Swim England have produced a wide range of useful resources to assist schools with compliance with the Water Safety Code element of the September 2026 RSHE DfE Curriculum Statutory Guidance update. Our new Quick Guide PEG09 Swim England Resources for the September 2026 RSHE DfE Curriculum Statutory Guidance Update contains links to those resources, many of which are also within the Handsam Quick Guides Library and can be found using the topic tag ‘Swim England'.
Swim England Resources for the September 2026 RSHE DfE Curriculum Statutory Guidance update
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