What do you really have to do to stay compliant this year? Do you know the real requirements from the myths? Marianne Pope puts some commonly (mis)understood expectations to the test

As a school leader, not only is it tricky to keep track of statutory obligations, but it can be time-consuming to record and report what you have done, especially when there is always so much other work to be getting on with.

Knowing what exactly you really have to do and the things that are more of a “nice to have” is one way to reduce your workload (and your team’s). Statutory requirements always prompt a few misunderstandings, so here’s a quick “true or false?” quiz to clear up some myths.

True. If your school has female employees of child-bearing age, then you must have a risk assessment which specifically addresses the health and safety of new and expectant mothers. You’ll find this requirement nestled in the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Given that the majority of teaching staff in England are female, the chances are that this rule will apply to your setting.

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