The DfE has warned schools that their resources should not be used for party political purposes.
The move comes in a start-of-term addition to a DfE document, Staffing and employment advice for schools, which is used by school leaders, governing bodies, academy trusts and local authorities.
The new guidance says: “All staff have a responsibility to ensure that they act appropriately in terms of their behaviour, the views they express (in particular political views) and the use of school resources at all times, and should not use school resources for party political purposes.”
Labour’s shadow education secretary Angela Rayner accused the government of wanting to prevent teachers from speaking out about funding.
Government ‘trying to ban teacher whistleblowers’
She said: “The Tories are trying to ban teachers from whistleblowing when schools cuts bite into our children’s education.
“They may hope to silence teachers but they can’t get away from the fact that they will have cut £3 billion from school budgets by 2020.
“If the government wants to know why teachers are publicly criticising them, they need only look at their own record of broken promises. They even cancelled their ‘guarantee’ that every school would receive a cash increase.”
The DfE said that since the Education Act 1996 was introduced, heads, governors and councils have had to prevent the promotion of partisan political views and the pursuit of political activities by pupils under the age of 12.
It added that when political or controversial issues are discussed with pupils, it must be done in a balanced way which reflects opposing views.
A DfE spokesperson said: “We regularly update guidance to make sure it is accurate and schools can deal with staffing issues correctly.
“Headteachers have long had a legal responsibility to provide a balanced presentation of opposing views when teaching political or controversial subjects.
“This update simply brings this guidance in line with the law, which makes clear that headteachers and local authorities must not promote partisan political views in school.”
