The Academy Trust Handbook 2026 came into effect on the 1st of October 2026, bringing updated expectations around inclusion, estate management, financial planning and procurement. For trustees and senior leaders, it is primarily a governance document. But some of the questions it raises reach much further than the boardroom. The handbook doesn’t tell schools how […]

Breakfast clubs are already a familiar part of the school day for many schools. But with the government continuing to expand its free breakfast club programme across England, could now be a good time to look again at how your breakfast club space actually works? Is there enough room for pupils? Could the layout work […]

From September 2026, school trusts and other responsible bodies are being asked to take a much closer look at how effectively their estates are being managed. The first School Estate Management Standards annual return opens in the third week of September, with submissions due by late November. School Estate Return 2026: What you need to […]

Mobile phone rules for schools changed in September 2026 From 1 September 2026, schools in England are expected to follow statutory Department for Education guidance that schools should be mobile-phone-free by default throughout the school day. Lockable phone pouches are one way of putting that policy into practice, allowing pupils to keep possession of their […]

Schools are changing, not necessarily because the buildings themselves are changing, but because the way those buildings need to work is. More pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are being supported within mainstream education, and there is a growing focus on creating school environments that work for a wider range of needs. That […]

Why Domestic-Grade Office Chairs are not designed for the workplace. Put two office chairs side by side and they’ll look almost identical. Same shape, same arms, same base, same adjustment levers. One costs £80. The other costs £250. So why pay more? This insight explains the issues of buying domestic grade office chairs for commercial […]