Strategy and inspection : Government policies & legislation : Brexit: what it means for your school
Brexit: what it means for your school
Last reviewed on 26 September 2019
Deal or no deal, here's what you need to know about the most likely risks to your school, and advice on discussing this divisive topic constructively at meetings.
What should governors do?
We employ staff from the EU
We have a current pupil(s) from the EU
We're in the process of hiring a member of staff who is from the EU
We're planning a school trip abroad to the EU
Handling concerns about disruptions to food and medical supplies (new)
GDPR, Erasmus and insurance - other things to be aware of
Please note: the information in this article is correct as of the most recent update on 26 September 2019.
Britain left the EU on 31 January 2020, and the transition period will end on 31 December 2020.
The ongoing negotiations mean there's still uncertainty about many post-Brexit arrangements. We're keeping an eye on developments and will update this article as soon as possible in the new year once we know more – click 'save for later' at the top of the page to be notified when we do.
In the meantime, you can find a collection of current government guidance for schools during the transition period and after 1 January on GOV.UK.
Only take action in accordance with official legislation and/or guidance. Where you're unclear, seek legal or HR advice.
It's your responsibility to be aware of any risks to your school. This includes Brexit. Stay informed and have a discussion at your next meeting, using the following advice from our governance expert Hayley James.
Ask a governor to read up on the topic, including the Brexit preparations for schools guidance, and keep a look out for any developments
Attend any training or local authority (LA) events on areas where there are particular risks to your school - for example, any upcoming governor training on staffing is likely to look at Brexit at the moment
Save this article for later (at the top of the page) to be notified when we update it
Ground rules for discussions
Brexit is obviously a controversial topic. It's crucial that your board can have a constructive, practical discussion without getting derailed by politics. Everyone should follow some ground rules:
Remember the role of the board is to maintain strategic oversight, hold leaders to account and ensure good use of resources. To meet these responsibilities, this involves weighing up and managing the potential risks (we go through the likely risks later)
Governors need to address Brexit practically, keeping the impact on the school at heart
Governing boards must act in the best interests of the school, not to further individuals' political opinions - section 6.4.8 of the Governance Handbook says "boards, headteachers and LAs ... must not allow the promotion of one-sided political views"
All governors should conduct themselves in line with their code of conduct and the Nolan principles of public life
Everyone has the right to be treated with respect at meetings, and the right to not be interrupted or talked over
What are the areas of our school that could be affected?
What could we expect to happen and what would be the effects?
What are the most pressing risks and have we considered any ways to mitigate them yet?
Has there been any increase in incidents of bullying or harassment? Have these incidents been dealt with in line with our policies? Do we need to update or strengthen our policies in response?
Has someone read through the Brexit preparations for schools guidance, and are we doing anything as a result of it?
We've set out what the situation is for the most likely risks to schools in the rest of this article, so you can have an informed conversation.
Advice for chairs
As chair, you're in a position to set the tone for the conversation and make sure it stays on track.
Introduce the discussion by setting out the ground rules above and making the expectations clear (i.e. that this is part of risk management, and shouldn't be influenced by individuals' political views)
If a governor starts to take the conversation off topic, nip this in the bud quickly. To do this, you could:
Respectfully remind the governor that you're discussing the potential impact on the school, not discussing politics
Ask the governor to explain the link between what they're saying and the potential impact on the school
If the conversation gets heated or becomes unproductive, step in and move on to the next agenda item
Read more about chairing meetings.
We continue to be a member of the EU until we leave on 31 October 2019. Most things will stay the same for schools until at least 31 December 2020. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals will have to apply to remain in the UK if they're planning to live here long term (see the final section for a list of countries this applies to).
You're not required and must not ask current staff for their residency information. Doing so may be considered a discriminatory act
If school leaders are asked by an EU, EEA or Swiss staff member to provide documentation to support them in their application for the EU Settlement Scheme (see below), they must help with this, as far as reasonably possible
Be alert to any bullying or harassment in your school and make sure any incidents are challenged in line with your policies
If there are a lot of staff/pupils from the EU, consider having a named point of contact within your school who they can go to with any queries. This person should know where to go for answers and be able to signpost staff members and parents in need of advice (for example, to the Home Office department for visas and immigration, the DfE, unions such as ASCL and NEU, your local authority, or Citizens Advice)
What's the situation for these employees?
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals and their family members living in the UK before 31 October will be able to live, work, study, access benefits and services in the UK on broadly the same terms as now.
If they're planning to live in the UK after 31 December 2020, they need to apply under the EU Settlement Scheme. The EU Settlement Scheme opened fully on 30 March 2019. The deadline to apply is the 31 December 2020 (in a no-deal scenario), and 30 June 2021 (if we leave with a deal).
The following groups will still have to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme:
Those with a UK permanent residence document
Those who are born in the UK but aren't British citizens
Those married to a British citizen
EU Settlement Scheme employer toolkit - ask senior leaders to use it to share information with staff (new)
The government has published an employer toolkit, which contains:
Information about the EU Settlement Scheme for your staff and how to apply
Leaflets for your staff with important dates and when to carry out different actions
Groups that don't need to apply for the scheme
The following groups can continue living, working, studying and accessing benefits and services in the UK as they do now:
Irish citizens
Those with indefinite leave to enter and/or remain in the UK
However, their family members who aren't Irish, or don't have indefinite leave to enter and/or remain, will have to apply to the scheme.
Existing teaching qualifications are still valid (updated)
There won't be any retrospective change for EU, EEA and Swiss teachers who have obtained qualified teacher status (QTS)
If we leave with no deal:
Any applications to gain QTS still ongoing that started before the exit date will continue as far as possible
Teachers will be able to apply after the exit date, but under a new system that hasn't been announced yet
If we leave with a deal with an implementation period:
There will be no changes to the QTS application arrangements during the period
Arrangements after the implementation period will be subject to further negotiations
For now:
You're not required and must not ask parents or pupils about their nationality to check their immigration status
If the school holds information about nationality for other reasons, then providing those reasons have a lawful basis, it can continue to hold it
School leaders should help a pupil or parent, as far as reasonably possible, if they're asked to provide confirmation of attendance to help them with their application to the EU Settlement Scheme
Be alert to any bullying or harassment in your school and make sure any incidents are dealt with in line with your policies
For new admissions (updated)
No child may be denied a place based on their nationality or migration status. Schools and local authorities cannot take this into account when deciding which pupils to admit and this will remain in place after the UK leaves the EU.
A new immigration system will be introduced in 2021, at which point EU, EEA and Swiss nationals will only be able to attend state-funded schools if they're a dependant of a UK resident, worker, student or someone holding valid leave to remain in the UK.
The school should continue with the same employment checks as it does now. This will remain the same until 1 January 2021 regardless of when they start or when they become resident in the UK (i.e. before or after exit day).
Checks include:
Qualification checks
Disclosure barring service (DBS) checks
Criminal record checks from abroad (where applicable)
Right to work checks
Read more about checks for new staff.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who arrive in the UK after exit day, before 1 January 2021, and wish to stay after 31 December 2020, can apply for European temporary leave to remain.
Post-Brexit recognition of qualifications and safeguarding checks
If we leave with a deal:
The same systems for recognising qualifications and checking for teacher sanctions or restrictions will apply until at least 31 December 2020
There'll be a new system to recognise qualifications from abroad. The government hasn't yet released details on what this will involve
The Teaching Regulation Agency will no longer automatically receive or maintain details of those teachers who've been sanctioned in EEA member states. The government will update the statutory safeguarding guidance to advise you on how to carry out such safeguarding checks in a no-deal scenario
If we leave with a deal, British nationals will be able to travel abroad under the same arrangements as now until at least the 31 December 2020.
Note that travel to Ireland won't change, even if there's no deal.
If we leave without a deal (updated)
There will be no transition period, so from 31 October 2019 school leaders will need to:
Remind parents to check that their child(ren)'s passports are:
Valid for at least 6 months from the date of travel
Less than 10 years old
Remind parents to purchase travel insurance for their child(ren), because it's unlikely that the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will continue to provide cover after Brexit. It's especially important to remind parents to get the right cover for pre-existing conditions, as the EHIC scheme covers pre-existing conditions but many travel insurance policies won't
Check the terms and conditions for any flights and/or accommodation carefully, as there may be terms that exclude companies' liability if the service cannot be provided because of Brexit. If you're in any doubt, contact them
Check that the host country will continue to accept the list of travellers form for school groups, as member states will decide this for themselves
Sign up to updates if your school's planning a trip abroad after Brexit:
General information with up-to-date travel advice
Foreign Office advice for travelling to individual countries
Visas (new)
According to European Commission proposals, British nationals won't need visas for short trips and can stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. They may need a visa or permit to stay longer, or to work or study.
At border control (new)
British nationals might need to:
Show an onward or return ticket
Show they have enough money for their stay
Use a separate lane from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens when queuing
Driving (new)
If the trip includes taking a vehicle(s) abroad, each driver will need:
A 'green card' from your insurance company (allow 1 month for this to arrive)
A GB sticker on each vehicle
An International Driving Permit (IDP) for some countries - you can check if you'll need this on the Post Office website
Even if the plan is to hire a vehicle abroad, the driver may need the IDP.
Flights, ferries, Eurostar/Eurotunnel, bus and coach services (new)
Even in the event of no deal, the following will continue as before:
Flights - airport security won't change for direct flights to and from the UK and there shouldn't be any delays at airport security if you change flights in EU airports
Ferries, Eurostar/Eurotunnel
Bus and coach services between the UK and EU. However, bus and coach services to non-EU countries - such as Switzerland and Andorra - may not be able to run. The government is working to make sure these continue without disruption
Regardless of method of travel, school leaders should check for delays or disruptions before they leave.
Using your mobile
Roaming charges may come back if there's no deal. Although some of the main mobile operators - Three, EE, O2 and Vodafone - have said they don't plan to reinstate charges after Brexit.
Everyone should check the roaming policy of their mobile operator before going abroad.
If we leave with a deal, there won't be any disruption to the food or medical supply chains. If we leave with no deal, disruptions are possible but minimise them with the following planning.
All schools must continue to provide meals to all registered pupils who request them - this includes providing free school meals to eligible pupils.
Make sure school leaders have contacted their food supplier(s), or whoever arranges food on their behalf, to make sure they're prepared for the potential impact of a no-deal Brexit by:
Making sure their secondary suppliers are prepared
Planning to adapt menus to allow for product substitutions - the school food standards allows for this, refer to them if certain items are in short supply
Making sure they can continue to meet nutritional standards, special dietary needs and manage allergies
The school should continue with its normal arrangements for medical supplies to support pupils with health conditions.
The government acknowledges that disruptions to the supply of medicine and medical products could occur in the event of no deal. It anticipates disruption over a 6-month period. It's put measures in place to permit suppliers to stockpile medicines in order to mitigate the initial impact of disruptions to the supply chain.
Some medications have a short shelf-life, such as insulin. We recognise how shortages in such medications might impact pupils and their schools, so we asked the DfE for guidance specifically on:
Rights and responsibilities of schools and parents for pupils who can't safely attend school due to lack of medication, e.g. rescue inhalers or epi-pens for severe allergies
Administering out-of-date medications in circumstances where refills aren't available
Attendance codes for pupils who are out of school due to medication shortages
The government told us that it:
Can't speculate on all issues that may arise from leaving without a deal and that issues relating to shortage of medicines falls under the responsibility of The Department of Health and Social Care
Has put plans in place to avoid disruption to medical supplies. Many medicines are already stockpiled and there are freight contingencies being launched for medical supplies and products that will enter the UK, after we leave the EU
In the meantime, school leaders can take these practical steps
Support those pupils with medical conditions by:
Reviewing all medications kept in school and recording expiration dates
Reminding parents of medications due to expire in the 6 months following the exit date and advising them to get refills beforehand
Reviewing your supporting pupils with medical conditions policy in anticipation of issues arising from medication shortages
If school leaders have concerns about meeting their statutory duties, be sure they work with your LA or academy trust to make contingency plans.
GDPR (updated)
If we leave without a deal, the GDPR will be incorporated into UK law. This means you can still share personal data lawfully with countries within the EEA.
However, it will be more difficult to receive personal data from these countries. That's because no adequacy decision has been made about the UK, so any data sharing will need to rely on safeguards or on exemptions.
Read more about the process for international data transfers for a further explanation of these terms.
In the meantime, the government recommends you identify where you receive data from the EEA and determine:
Who the data controllers and processors are
Where the data is stored
You can then decide whether you need to put in place contracts with these processors that include standard contractual clauses (which act as a form of safeguard). The ICO has produced a decision-making tool to help you determine where this is appropriate.
Additionally, review the following to make sure they're up to date and reflect any changes you're making:
Data protection impact assessments
Check funding or insurance terms from European providers
If you've entered into funding agreements with European banks or funders, or have an insurance policy underwritten by a European insurer(s), review the terms of those agreements to see if Brexit will have an impact. If you're in any doubt, contact the funder, bank or insurer.
Erasmus+ (updated)
At present, schools can continue to submit funding applications to the European Commission (EC) or the UK National Agency as they would do normally.
If your school receives funding under this scheme and we leave with a deal:
The UK will continue to participate in Erasmus+ until the end of 2020
Beyond that is dependent on negotiations and the future relationship with the EU
Without a deal, your school may no longer receive EU funding for Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps (ESC) projects and may need to make a claim against the HMG guarantee, which will cover funding for successful Erasmus+ and ESC bids.
School leaders can register their claims using the grants management function: recipient registration form.
All UK schools who are involved in successful Erasmus+ applications should register, so make sure school leaders do so. This includes those projects and applicants that only learn of their success or sign a grant agreement after the exit date.
Funding will continue after the exit date, but only organisations with successful bids approved directly by the EC or the UK National Agency can make a claim against the HMG guarantee.
Note that schools don't need to make a claim for projects that include students covered by the EC's Erasmus+ contingency regulation, including study and work placements that begin before the exit date.
To make a claim, your school will need to prove:
It's a UK legal entity
The project was eligible for funding with a contract in place
The bid was successful (this should be your grant agreement number)
The project continues to meet eligibility and validation requirements
It'll also need to provide bank details for an account accepting sterling.
When's Brexit?
Britain was due to leave the EU on Friday 29 March 2019. This has been extended until Thursday 31 October 2019.
What's the 'transition period'?
If we leave with the withdrawal agreement on the 31 October 2019, it's the period until 31 December 2020. If there's no deal, there's no transition period, but in this situation the government will still allow EU, EEA and Swiss nationals currently living in the UK until the 31 December 2020 to apply for settled status.
Which countries are part of the EU, EEA and EFTA?
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland*, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK
EEA countries
All of the above, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway
EFTA countries
Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland
* Irish nationals will not have to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.
EU exit: no deal preparations for schools in England - GOV.UK
EU Settlement Scheme: employer toolkit - GOV.UK
Data protection if there's no Brexit deal - GOV.UK
Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL)
Forbes Solicitors
Hayley James is a governance consultant who works with governing bodies in maintained schools and academies. She is also a governor trainer for a local authority and has experience on an IEB and as a freelance clerk to governors.
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