Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) enforce and (b) monitor safeguarding standards in academy schools.

All schools must follow the ‘Keeping children safe in education’, and ‘Working together to safeguard children’ statutory guidance and in line with the funding agreement, academy trusts must comply with the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (the regulations). Part 3 of the regulations sets out the standards for a trust’s safeguarding responsibilities, and part 4 outlines the standards regarding the suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors. Trusts are held to account for standards in their academies through Ofsted inspections.

When the department has concerns about an academy trust not meeting its safeguarding responsibilities, it will work closely with the trust to ensure those arrangements come into compliance with statutory requirements. The department’s remit does not extend to investigating individual safeguarding matters or commenting on a trust’s handling of an incident(s). Once alerted to a safeguarding concern, the local authority for the area in which a child lives, is responsible for providing appropriate support.

To fulfil its safeguarding remit, the department will work with other statutory bodies, such as the local authority or Ofsted, as appropriate in accordance with our procedures.

Failure to comply with the regulations may place a trust in breach of its funding agreement with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. In these circumstances the department may take intervention action as set out in the academy trust handbook.