Academy requirements for online publishing

The Department for Education has updated its guidance setting out the information which academies should publish on their websites.

What information is required?

Contact details

The contact details of the school or college, including name, address, telephone number and the name of the member of staff who deals with queries from parents and the public. Academies should also publish details of the academy sponsor.

Admission arrangements

All mainstream academy schools (other than 16 to 19 institutions) must comply with the School Admissions Code and the School Admission Appeals Code. Academy trusts must publish the admissions arrangement for their schools on their website for the offer year.

16 to 19 academies, further education colleges and sixth-form colleges are recommended to publish their admission arrangements a year prior to the relevant academic year.

Ofsted reports

Either a copy of the most recent Ofsted report, or a link to it on the Ofsted website, must be published.

Exam and assessment results

Academies must continue to publish their 2018 to 2019 performance measures until new performance measures are published by the Secretary of State. It should be made clear that these are not current.

In respect of Key Stage two results, the following details of the most recent Key Stage 2 performance measures should be published:

• Progress scores in reading, writing and maths
• Percentage of pupils who achieved at least the expected standard in reading, writing and maths and those who achieved a higher standard
• Average scaled scores in reading and maths.

The following details from the school’s most recent Key Stage 4 performance measures should be published:

• Progress 8 score and Attainment 8 score
• Percentage of pupils entering the English Baccalaureate
• Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment after key stage 4
• Percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in GCSE English and maths.

If the school has a sixth form, the following details should be published from the most recent key stage 5 performance measures: progress, attainment, English and maths progress, retention, and pupil destinations.

Performance tables

A link to the School and College Performance Tables and your school or college performance tables page should be published.

Curriculum

Academies should publish the content of the curriculum which the school follows for each subject, including where it is taught as part of another subject, and how parents and the public can find out more information about the curriculum. The website should also include details of how the school is making the curriculum accessible for pupils with disabilities or special educational needs.

Remote education

The school’s remote education provisions should be published, a template of which has been made available to support schools with this requirement and can be accessed here.

Behaviour policy

The school’s behaviour policy and anti-bulling strategy should be published.

Pupil premium

Where a school receives pupil premium funding, the funding agreement will confirm publishing requirements. For the previous academic year, details of how the pupil premium allocation was spent and the effect that the expenditure had on pupils should be published.

In respect of the current academic year, the school must publish the pupil premium grant allocation amount together with a summary of the barriers faced by eligible pupils at the school. In addition, details of how the school plans to spend the pupil premium to overcome such barriers, how the effect will be measured, and the date of the next review must be published.

Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch up premium

Where a school has received year 7 literacy and numeracy catch up premium funding for the 2019 to 2020 academic year, it must publish details of how the allocation was spent and how such spending impacted on the attainment of pupils who benefit from the funding.

In addition, if a coronavirus catch-up premium grant was provided, details of the intended spending of the grant and how the effect on attainment of pupils will be assessed must be published.

PE and sport premium for primary schools

If PE and sport premium funding is received, the grant funding agreement will include details of the information to be published, but it is likely to include:

• The amount of the premium received and a breakdown of how it was spent
• The impact on pupils’ PE and sport participation and attainment
• How the improvements will be sustainable
• The percentage of pupils within the year 6 cohort who can:
  • Swim competently, confidently and proficiently for at least 25 metres
  • Use a range of swimming strokes effectively
  • Perform a safe, water-based self-rescue.

Equality objectives

Academies must publish details of compliance with the public sector equality duty (updated every year) and the school’s equality objectives (updated at least every four years).

SEND

An Information Report website about the implementation of the school’s policy for pupils with special educational needs must be published and should be updated annually; it must comply with the Children and Families Act 2014.

Careers programme

Academies should publish information about their careers programme, relating to the delivery of careers guidance, together with the requirements set out in the funding agreement. In respect of the current academic year, the information published should include:

• The Careers Leader’s name and contact details
• A summary of the programme
• The method of measuring and assessing the impact of the careers programme on pupils
• The date of the next review.

Complaints policy

The school’s complaints policy should be published, together with the whistleblowing policy and any arrangements for handling complaints from parents of children with special education needs.

Annual reports and accounts

Academies should publish the following financial information:

• Annual report
• Annual audited accounts
• Memorandum of association
• Articles of association
• Names of charity trustees and members
• Funding agreement.

Executive pay

Academies must publish the number of employees who receive a gross annual salary and benefits of £100,000 or more, published in increments of £10,000.

Trustees information and duties

Academy trusts must publish accessible and up to date details of governance arrangements.

Charging and remissions policies

Academies should publish their charging and remissions policies. The policies must include details of the activities or cases where pupils’ parents will be charged, and the circumstances where an exception on an expected payment will be made.

Value and ethos

A statement of the school’s values and ethos should be published.

It is important that academies carefully review their funding agreement and the Department for Education’s guidance to understand the key requirements for publishing on the school’s website.

Please contact Emma Swann on 03301 075 973 or [email protected] if you would like to discuss any of the points raised in this article or if you require any advice.