Examples of advice for members
- FAQs on SATs and the pitfalls of administration
Every year, we receive calls from members who encounter problems during the carrying out of SATs in their schools. This guidance refers to the main issues that members refer to and contact the advice team.
10/03/2020
- Managing sickness absence – FAQs
A healthy and fit workforce is essential for the effective operation of any school. We've pulled together some of the key questions that school leaders raise on sickness absence management, and provide some answers and approaches that we hope you'll find helpful.
27/02/2020
- Social media and mobile phones in schools: an essential guide
Steps school leaders can take to manage social media effectively.
13/02/2020
- Identifying and preventing homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying
Our advice aims to provide a high-level overview of this area and links to best practice resources from Stonewall to help you build a school that is inclusive and supports its pupils.
04/02/2020
- Transition to consultancy
Here, we consider some key questions and transitional factors that you should address ahead of making that move.
30/01/2020
- Pregnancy and maternity discrimination
This piece of advice provides high-level guidance on the rights and protections available to pregnant women and new mothers.
21/01/2020
- School breaks and lunchtimes
This 'thought piece' contains a number of recommendations arising from the 'School break and lunch times and young people's social lives: a follow-up national study', which we encourage members to consider in the design and development of a school's offer and overall curriculum. We think you'll find this a thought-provoking read.
15/01/2020
- Home and flexi-schooling: an essential guide
A look at NAHT's stance regarding home and flexi-schooling
07/01/2020
- The menopause
This advice looks at the ways employers can support working women and their managers to discuss and consider ways to manage the impact of the menopause at work.
10/12/2019
- An essential guide on public sector equality duty and British values
In the first of our essential guides, we take a closer look at these vital aspects of equality policy to ensure our members are equipped to address the key issues.
29/11/2019
- Use of schools as polling stations
A school leaders' guide to the use of schools as polling stations
12/11/2019
- A model dignity at work policy for school leaders
NAHT has teamed up with The Key to create a model dignity at work policy for school leaders to adapt for their workplaces.
11/11/2019
- Brexit - additional guidance
While much uncertainty around Brexit remains, what is clear is that it will impact schools. This guidance collates the information currently available to school leaders in terms of the steps they will need to take to best prepare.
05/11/2019
- Single central record
A school leader's guide to the single central record
15/10/2019
- School website guidance
Some recent statutory adjustments have been made to the required set of information that schools must set out on their websites (eg careers information for years eight to 13) – we refer to these new requirements immediately below. For the remainder of this guidance, we set out the checklist of information that schools must also set out on their websites.
01/10/2019
- Resignation dates
If you decide to resign from your post, you need to ensure you do so in accordance with your contract. This piece of advice sets out the most common approaches to resignations and the prescribed notice periods.
09/09/2019
- Keeping children safe in education: changes for September 2019
A quick look at the key changes made to the KCSIE statutory guidance in September 2019.
03/09/2019
- As one year ends, another begins - a prompt to take action
A prompt for school leaders to develop a tailored planner for term-related actions.
18/07/2019
- A word from our members
Over an academic year, NAHT's advice team will typically take 15,000 calls from members who need our support, advice and guidance. We'll usually be able to help them during their first call or by booking them in to speak to one of our specialist advisers. Occasionally, a member we speak to agrees to be a case study, which is helpful for other school leaders. However, two members recently hit the headlines with their pioneering new publications – and here you can find our more about their books.
16/07/2019
- Diversity and inclusion – what to do when things go wrong
In your position as an employer, if a member of staff says you or another member of staff has unlawfully discriminated against them at work, you have a responsibility to deal with the complaint in a way that establishes if there has been unlawful discrimination, and, if there has, puts the situation right. This NAHT advice outlines what if you face this situation. Getting this process right will support all employees involved, ensure they are treated fairly and protect the school from legal claims.
11/07/2019
- Disqualification by association – some final clarity
Many of our members have asked us to provide further clarity around the practice of disqualification and disqualification by association.
In this advice piece, we confirm that while 'disqualification by association' has been abolished, disqualification has not - all the details you need to know are set out in our advice. If in doubt, please get in touch and we can provide further support for you.
08/07/2019
- Ways to reduce workload in your school - a 'green light' for action
Take the opportunity to deploy the Department for Education's documentation to make workload reduction a strategic priority for your school.
20/06/2019
- Dismissals
This advice outlines the detail of the procedures that should be followed to avoid a dismissal being unfair.
31/05/2019
- Supporting diversity and inclusion
This NAHT advice considers what leaders as employers can do that goes above and beyond the legal minimum to promote diversity and inclusion in their school.
23/05/2019
- A model complaints procedure
In January 2019, NAHT described the key changes in the Department for Education (DfE) guidance on a school's complaints procedure. Within that best practice guidance, the DfE included a model complaints procedure policy as well as a model policy for managing serial and unreasonable complaints.
Here we suggest a few additions to the policy that we feel will strengthen it and provide schools and complainants with an effective and easily understood guide through the procedure.
30/04/2019
- Dealing with protests at school
A school leader's guide to handling protests at school.
04/04/2019
- NAHT's 10 suggestions for getting the most out of your PTA
A flourishing PTA is a big positive for any school. It can provide a significant source of additional funds, a link to parent voice and a set of willing volunteers who can be called upon to get involved with school events. This advice sets out a series of suggestions that can help schools get the most out of their PTA and reap the rewards.
29/03/2019
- Diversity and inclusion - the basics
Complying with equality legislation not only ensures that you are meeting minimum legal requirements but sets the tone for the culture of a school.
19/03/2019
- Knife crime - what school leaders can do to support children at a time of crisis
NAHT's practical advice for school leaders on how to deal with the growing incidents of knife crime and how best to support children at a time of crisis
19/03/2019
- Brexit and the 'no deal' impact on schools
A school leader's guide to preparing for Brexit and the 'no deal' impact on schools.
15/02/2019
- Being a witness in formal proceedings
If you are called to be a witness in formal proceedings this advice provides some practical tips to help you prepare.
12/02/2019
- Pensions - issues for academies
In this guidance we explain some of the issues for schools converting to academy status and for those schools that have become academies and are now operating on a 'business as usual basis' in relation to pensions.
06/02/2019
- Updated government guidance on school complaints 2019
The best practice guidance for school complaints procedures in maintained schools was updated in January 2019, with several significant changes, including how difficult complainants should be dealt with. Here are the key features you should know about.
05/02/2019
- CCTV in schools
This advice provides an analysis of the legislative background to the use of CCTV and provides practical tips for compliance.
05/02/2019
- Dealing with low attendance
A guide on how best to deal with low pupil attendance.
28/01/2019
- Mixed-age years: planning and managing expectations
A school leader's guide to teaching practice across mixed-age year groups.
21/01/2019
- Gender separation in mixed schools
When can boys and girls be separated in a mixed school? Where separation occurs what steps need to be taken to ensure that this is lawful?
06/12/2018
- Early Years settings in Wales
A head teacher's guide to Early Years settings in Wales.
28/11/2018
- Asbestos management - autumn term 2018
An update for school leaders on effective asbestos management.
13/11/2018
- The case for staffrooms
NAHT makes a case for protecting the staffroom
13/11/2018
- Budgets: the good, the bad and the deficit!
A guide to good budget management and how to face the prospect of managing a budget deficit
06/11/2018
- Teacher's pet: having a dog in the school
In this advice document, we look at the considerations and the merits of bringing a dog into the school and draw on an example where the introduction of a dog into the school has only had positive impacts.
29/10/2018
- Political campaigning: advice for schools
A school leader's guide to campaigning safely
08/10/2018
- Health and safety FAQs
We set out the frequently asked questions school leaders get in contact with us about on this tough topic.
02/10/2018
- GDPR FAQs update
We have set out some additional frequently asked questions that are being asked by our members now GDPR is live.
02/10/2018
- Head teachers' pay – FAQs following the STPCD 2019
Find the answers to the most popular questions we receive on head teachers' pay.
18/09/2018
- Exclusion: when - and when not - to exclude
Head teachers often find the decision to exclude or not to be a difficult judgement to make. We provide 10 scenarios containing examples of very poor behaviour. Make a decision as to when exclusion would or would not be the most appropriate decision.
03/09/2018
- Subject access requests and their 'weaponisation'
This guidance explains what a SAR is, what has changed recently and how you can best prepare to make the process of responding to a SAR legally compliant and as painless as possible.
02/09/2018
- Paternity leave
Paternity leave is granted for the purposes of caring for a child or supporting the child's
mother, or for the purposes of caring for an adopted child or supporting the child's adopter.
06/08/2018
- School classroom temperatures
A school leader's guide to the effective management of school classroom temperatures.
27/06/2018
- Adoption leave
The Employment Act 2002 introduced new statutory rights to leave and pay for adoptive parents subject to meeting the criteria. The statutory scheme does not extend to stepchildren adoptions or foster care adoptions.
16/04/2018
- Shared parental leave
Parents expecting babies or those who are adopting and have been placed or matched with a child on or after the 5 April 2015 can split up to 50 weeks of shared parental leave (SPL) between them. (Where reference is made to mothers and fathers the same principles will apply to same sex couples)
16/04/2018
- Investigation meetings and how to approach them
A short guide to investigation meetings and what to do if you are invited to one
16/01/2018
- TUPE – a guide to the regulations
This advice note sets out the purpose of the regulations, what's covered by the regulations and the respective employer and employee positions in a typical TUPE transfer.
12/09/2017
