School website compliance calendar for 2024/25
Website compliance is a year-round challenge, with many items due at different points in the year.
Here’s a guide to the time-specific requirements for the 2024-25 school year, based on the DfE’s guidance for academies and FE colleges, and maintained schools.
By 31 August 2024
Summary of Music Development Plan
In May, The DfE introduced a new requirement for schools to publish a summary of their music development plan. The language of the requirement is a little vague, stating that this is “expected” of all schools before the start of the 2024-25 academic year.
The full guidance includes a template, although the DfE says it “is not mandatory, and schools should feel free to adapt it”.
In-Year Admission Arrangements
Academies, Foundation and Voluntary-Aided schools must publish how in-year applications are managed, including application forms or links to the local authority’s in-year coordination scheme.
Community & Voluntary-Controlled maintained schools must publish a link to the local authority’s in-year coordination scheme, as the LA manages this process.
October 2024
Performance measures for Key Stages 4 and 5
Schools should publish their most recent performance measure, while also linking to their full results on the compare school and college performance site.
The DfE publishes provisional and revised results through the year (here’s the publication timetable), with the first due in October:
• Key stage 4 performance (Provisional)
• Key stage 4 pupil destinations (Provisional)
• 16 to 18 Progression to education or employment (Provisional)
• 16 to 18 Progression to higher education or training (Provisional)
By 1 December 2024
Accountability Statement for FE Colleges
FE colleges must publish their submitted annual accountability statement (part 2) within 3 months of the start of the academic year – that is, by 1 December.
By 31 December 2024
Pupil Premium and Recovery Premium Strategy Statement
All schools that receive pupil premium and recovery premium funding must publish a strategy statement by 31 December 2024.
Schools must use the DfE template provided by the DfE here.
Performance measures for Key Stage 2
Key stage 2 attainment (revised) is due to be published in December.
By 31 January 2025
Annual Reports and Accounts
Academy trusts must publish their audited annual report and accounts on their website by 31 January each year. Guidance is available in the academy trust handbook.
FE colleges must publish their annual report and audited financial statements in an easily accessible location on their website and retain them there for 2 years.
By 28 February 2025
Admission Appeals Timetable for 2025 intake
All schools must publish the timetable for admission appeals by this date.
Further guidance is available in the school admission appeals code.
February and March 2025
Performance measures for Key Stages 4 and 5
The revised results for Key Stage 4 and 16 to 18 performance are due to be published in February and March 2025.
By 15 March 2025
Admission Arrangements for September 2026
Academies, Foundation & Voluntary-Aided schools must publish admission arrangements for the 2026-27 intake.
Admissions arrangements must comply with the:
Community & Voluntary-Controlled maintained schools must publish a link to admission arrangements information on the local authority’s website.
By 31 July 2025
PE and Sport Premium report for 2024-25 (for primary-aged pupils)
Schools that received PE and sport premium funding for 2024-25 must publish a report on their spending and results by 31 July 2025.
The Association for Physical Education and Youth Sport Trust have jointly developed a template that can be used for recording and reporting on the premium’s impact.
And don’t forget the rest!
That completes our list of date-specific requirements. But don’t forget, certain information must also be updated annually, like the SEN information report and careers programme information.
You’ll also need to make sure that your statutory policies are not overdue review, as well as keeping your website up to date with any changes that happen through the year, such as the introduction of a new SENCO, governance changes, the results of an Ofsted inspection, or changes to your curriculum.
And … use Robin to make this all easier
One of the ideas behind Robin is to help schools stay on top of website compliance as a year-round task - instead of a big manual effort done once or twice a year.
With a Robin tracker subscription, we’ll check your website half-termly or monthly - and Robin will look for everything that is required as time passes.
You can find out more about the Robin website review here.