Restricted the 1 September 2026 commencement of pupil referral unit provisions to England only.

These regulations amend the commencement schedule for the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 to specify the geographical application of certain provisions.

They direct that the legal requirements regarding the establishment of pupil referral units, effective from 1 September 2026, apply exclusively to units located in England.

The order applies to the Department for Education and local authorities responsible for educational provision in England.

Activated legal provisions requiring enhanced background checks for supervised staff working with children starting September 2026.

These Regulations bring into force section 139 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 on 1 September 2026 for England and Wales.

This provision amends the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 by removing the exemption that excluded supervised roles from being classified as 'regulated activity' within the child workforce.

Consequently, individuals working closely and frequently with children are now subject to enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and children’s barred list checks, regardless of supervision levels.

Designated Barnet Hill Academy as a school with an Islamic religious character effective 27 August 2026.

This Order designates Barnet Hill Academy in Barnet as a voluntary aided school with a religious character, specifically identifying its religion as Islam.

It authorizes the school to provide religious education and collective worship in accordance with Islamic tenets under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.

The Order also enables the school to apply specific religious criteria to staffing matters and employment decisions as permitted for designated faith schools.

Activated the legal requirement for schools in England to maintain and publish allergy safety policies starting 1 September 2026.

These Regulations bring section 34 of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 into full force on 1 September 2026 for schools in England.

The activated provision requires educational institutions to implement and publish allergy safety policies while following statutory guidance issued by the government.

The instrument applies to schools governed by the Children and Families Act 2014, the Education Act 1996, and the Education and Skills Act 2008, and it authorizes the Secretary of State to create further regulations regarding pupil allergies.

Introduced a credit-based system for higher education tuition fee limits in England for courses starting from January 2027.

These Regulations establish a credit-based fee limit system for higher education courses in England beginning on or after 1 January 2027.

The document directs the Office for Students to apply fee limit conditions to registered providers in the 'Approved (fee cap)' category and defines the categories of 'qualifying persons'—based on residency and immigration status—protected by these limits.

It specifies maximum credit amounts per year and per course, sets fractional per-credit fee amounts for different activities like taught study or work placements, and incorporates rules for foundation years, accelerated courses, and students transferring with prior credits.

Authorized the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board to impose a training levy on industry employers for the years 2026, 2027, and 2028.

Establishes a statutory levy on employers within the engineering construction industry for three distinct periods covering 2026 through 2028.

It directs the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board to assess and collect payments based on employer emoluments and labor-only contract costs, while providing specific exemptions for small-scale employers and charitable organizations.

The Order applies to all employers engaged wholly or mainly in engineering construction activities in England, Wales, and Scotland.

Updated various education laws and regulations to reflect new procedures for establishing schools and managing pupil referral units.

These regulations update several primary and secondary education acts to align with the school establishment framework introduced by the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.

They modify the procedures for proposing new schools, clarify employment transfer rules for staff in pupil referral units, and adjust how governance arrangements are made before a new school is formally approved.

The measures apply to local authorities, school governing bodies, and the Department for Education in England and Wales.

Corrected a typographical error in the commencement schedule of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.

This statutory instrument issues a formal correction to the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 (Commencement No. 4) Regulations 2026.

It modifies the specific list of subparagraphs under paragraph 13 that are triggered by the commencement order, ensuring the legal text accurately reflects the intended implementation of the Act.

The regulation applies to the regulatory framework governing higher education providers and students' unions in England regarding their free speech duties.