The Department for Education has released the 2025 update to the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance. The update, which has been shared on a 'for information' basis, introduces several important changes to the management of safeguarding in education and promises the release of revised guidance on Relationships, Sex and Health Education and gender questioning children before the final version of the 2025 KCSIE is released on 1 September 2025.
Misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories
Somewhat unsurprisingly following widespread media coverage and extensive debates on the issue, the 2025 KCSIE is set to include misinformation, misinformation (including fake news), and conspiracy theories in its content classification of the four areas of online safety risks. Governing bodies will now need to ensure that these issues are addressed within the school's approach to safeguarding and related policies and procedures.
Use of technology
The updated guidance places a strong emphasis on cybersecurity, set to mitigate the risk of such threats as the use of technology in a school setting continues to expand at pace. The revised guidance aims to help schools bolster their cyber resilience, ensuring that robust procedures are in place to protect sensitive information and maintain secure digital environments. Schools will be able to use the 'plan technology for your school service' to self-assess against filtering and monitoring standards and receive personalised recommendations on what needs to be done further to meet them.
The 2025 KCSIE further promotes the Department for Education's guidance on GenAI in education, underscoring the importance that GenAI is set to have in the education sector.
Alternative Provision
The 2025 KCSIE guidance also recognises that the cohort of students making use of Alternative Provision often have complex needs. Schools will need to obtain written information from alternative providers that appropriate safeguarding checks have been carried out on all individuals working at their establishment, akin to those usually performed by the school for their own staff. Schools will further be required to obtain written confirmation from the alternative provider that it will inform the school of any arrangements that may put the child at risk, such as staff changes. Schools will need to ensure that the relevant safeguarding checks are carried out on any new staff.
The 2025 KCSIE requires that schools know at all times the location of the child during school hours - this will include holding records of addresses of alternative providers (and any subcontractors). A half termly review will need to be carried out by the school, ensuring that the child is regularly attending and the placement continues to be safe and meets the child’s needs. Where safeguarding concerns arise, the placement will need to be immediately reviewed and terminated, if necessary.
Working together to safeguard attendance and virtual heads
The updated guidance provides important clarification regarding safeguarding and attendance. It confirms that the guidance has been updated to state that 'working together to safeguard attendance' is now statutory, highlighting the continued critical role of attendance in safeguarding efforts.
Recognising the diverse needs of students, the role of the virtual head has been expanded to include the responsibility for promoting the educational achievement of children in kinship care. This change acknowledges the unique challenges faced by children in kinship care and aims to provide them with the support necessary to succeed academically.
Next steps
Schools will now need to update their policies to reflect the updates and provide training and guidance to staff on the new guidance (and ensure that refresher training is provided) on the existing provisions of KCSIE in preparation for the new academic year in September 2025.
If you would like to discuss the 2025 KCSIE further, please contact Robert Lewis and Pawel Malys.