Disclaimer

Read this before you rely on anything here

We are independent

The BackBench is an independent, reader-funded publication. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or speaking for any ministry, department, examination board, university, school, or any other government body. Where we name one, we are describing it, not representing it.

This is not admissions advice

Nothing on this site is admissions guidance, counselling, or a prediction about any application, seat, rank, or result. We do not place students, we do not review applications, and we do not take money to feature an institution. Decisions about a child’s education should be made with the school, the board, and the official documents in front of you.

This is not legal advice

Our summaries of policies, circulars, and legislation are journalism, not legal opinion. They are written from primary sources and they can be incomplete, out of date, or simply wrong. Policies get amended, stayed, and withdrawn. Read the official text before you act on it, and speak to a qualified professional if the consequences matter.

The tracker is a summary

Statuses on the policy tracker reflect our understanding on the date shown beside each entry. A status of “in effect” is our reading of the record, not a certification of enforceability.

Corrections

If something here is wrong or has gone stale, tell us and we will fix it with a note on the post. We would rather be corrected than quoted.