This week I report on the publication of non-statutory guidance for parents and schools on complaints, new guidance for schools on the use of mobile phones which schools should use from April and the Education Secretary’s announcement of strengthened safety standards for AI products used in schools.

New parental and school complaints guidance published
New guidance has been published to address a sharp rise in parental complaints, with a focus on rebuilding trust and encouraging calmer, more constructive dialogue between parents and schools. Published by Parentkind, the guidance was developed in collaboration with the DfE, Ofsted and 13 education bodies, including the NGA.

The guidance sets out a five-step process to help parents raise concerns respectfully and at the appropriate level, from classroom issues to whole-school matters. It urges families to reflect on whether an issue is feedback, a concern or a formal complaint, and discourages aggressive behaviour, personal accusations, unnecessary escalation and the use of AI to generate complaints. Separate guidance for schools recommends being open, transparent, personal and accessible when dealing with concerned parents.

The upcoming Schools White Paper will set out planned improvements to the complaints system.

New DfE guidance on mobile phone policies
The DfE has published new non-statutory guidance for schools on the use of mobile phones. This comes amid growing concerns about the impact of mobile phones on children’s wellbeing, alongside increasing calls to raise the minimum age for accessing social media platforms.

As part of this shift, Ofsted inspections will place greater emphasis on mobile phone use, with schools expected to demonstrate how effectively their mobile phone policies are implemented as part of their wider behaviour management strategies.

The DfE has also launched a consultation on restricting children’s use of social media, which could ultimately lead to a ban for children under the age of 16.

Updated AI safety standards for schools
Speaking at the UK AI for Education Summit on Monday, the Secretary of State for Education announced strengthened safety standards for AI products used in schools. The updates are aimed at developers and suppliers and cover critical areas including mental health and cognitive development.

The Government has also announced a £23 million investment to expand the use of AI and edtech in education. The four-year pilot will see more than 1,000 schools and colleges involved and will begin in September.