What’s changed in UK HR law? Key updates for schools and trusts (spring/summer 2025)

As of April 2024, all employees — including teaching and support staff — have the right to request flexible working from their first day of employment. 

For schools, this means: 

• Flexible requests must be considered promptly and fairly 
• Rejections must be based on clear business reasons 
• It’s no longer acceptable to rely on blanket policies 

What to do now: Review your flexible working policy and ensure managers are trained in handling requests. 

From October 2024, employers will be legally required to take “reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace — and that includes harassment from pupils, parents, and visitors. 

This is especially relevant in school settings, where safeguarding measures for staff are sometimes less clearly defined than those for pupils. 

What to do now: Review training, update staff handbooks, and ensure reporting procedures are clearly communicated. 

As of early 2025, the time limit for most employment tribunal claims has been extended from three months to six months. 

This change gives staff more time to lodge complaints — meaning schools need to ensure: 

• Internal processes are documented clearly 
• All meetings and decisions around conduct, performance, or contract changes are well-recorded 

Tip: Treat every internal concern as if it could end up in front of a tribunal later. Good documentation is now more important than ever. 

While not yet implemented, the government has confirmed that upcoming changes will remove the “single site” test for redundancy consultation. For MATs and federations, this means collective consultation may be triggered across schools, not just at the individual site level. 

Be prepared: Start mapping out your organisation structure and prepare for trust-wide HR planning. 

These changes aren’t just legal technicalities — they’re shaping a new model of education employment that demands better documentation, clearer policies, and a stronger focus on staff wellbeing and workplace culture. 

Schools and trusts that act early will not only reduce legal risk, but also build more resilient and attractive workplaces. 

Visit Access Education People for support with your school HR needs.