The single central record (SCR) is one register of the pre-appointment checks your school has carried out, and the date of each. Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) says schools must maintain it. The regulations call it "the register".
Who must be on the record
KCSIE 2026, paragraph 348, says the record must cover:
- all staff, including teacher trainees on salaried routes
- agency and third-party supply staff, even if they work for one day
- in independent schools, all members of the proprietor body. For academies and free schools, that means the members and trustees of the academy trust.
Volunteers and governors of maintained schools are not in that list. KCSIE gives checks on them as examples of non-statutory information a school may choose to record.
When someone no longer works at the school, KCSIE says their details should be removed from the record.
What must be recorded
For each member of staff, paragraph 350 says the record must show whether each of these checks has been carried out or certificate obtained, and the date:
- an identity check
- a standalone children's barred list check
- an enhanced DBS check (with children's barred list check) requested/certificate provided
- a prohibition from teaching check
- further checks on people who have lived or worked outside the UK
- a check of professional qualifications, where required
- a check of the person's right to work in the United Kingdom.
For agency and third-party supply staff, the record must show whether the agency has confirmed in writing that it has carried out the relevant checks and obtained the appropriate certificates, the date you received that confirmation, and whether details of any enhanced DBS certificate have been provided.
KCSIE describes this as the minimum. Which checks each person needs is set out earlier in Part three, at paragraph 313. The record can be kept on paper or electronically. The regulations require an electronic register to be capable of being reproduced in legible form.
What differs by type of school
Maintained schools. The duty sits with the governing body. The School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 require it to keep a register containing the information in Schedule 2. KCSIE notes that these regulations apply to pupil referral units through separate 2007 regulations.
Academies, free schools and other independent schools. Here the register is one of the Independent School Standards. Part 4 says the standard is met if the proprietor keeps a register showing the information that applies to the school. For an academy, the proprietor is the academy trust. These schools must also record the section 128 checks carried out for people in management positions. A section 128 direction prohibits or restricts someone from taking part in the management of an independent school, including academies and free schools.
Multi-academy trusts. A MAT must maintain the single central record detailing the checks carried out in each academy. KCSIE says there is no requirement to keep a separate record for each academy, but the information should be recorded so that the details for each academy can be provided separately, and without delay, to those entitled to inspect it, including inspectors.
Non-maintained special schools. The Non-Maintained Special Schools (England) Regulations 2015 require the proprietor to maintain a register of checks.
Long-serving staff. The regulations have separate provisions for staff appointed before 1 January 2007 in maintained schools, and before 1 May 2007 in independent schools and academies. If that applies in your school, read Schedule 2 or paragraph 21 of the Independent School Standards.
Required or optional
KCSIE separates the minimum from what it calls non-statutory information. Schools are free to record anything else they consider relevant. Its examples are:
- whether relevant staff have been informed of their duty to disclose relevant information under the childcare disqualification arrangements
- checks made on volunteers
- checks made on governors
- dates on which safeguarding and safer recruitment training was undertaken
- the name of the person who carried out each check.
Four further points:
- Fee-funded trainee teachers. There is no requirement to record their details on the single central record, though a school may choose to. The school should obtain written confirmation from the training provider that it has carried out the pre-appointment checks and judged the trainee suitable to work with children.
- Maintained school governors. KCSIE says schools should carry out a section 128 check, and that there is no requirement to record it on the single central record.
- Copies of DBS certificates. Schools do not have to keep copies to fulfil the duty to maintain the record. Where a school chooses to keep a copy, there should be a valid reason and it should not be kept for longer than six months.
- Childcare disqualification. Schools must keep a record of staff employed to work in, or manage, relevant childcare provision. The DfE's statutory guidance says this can be kept as part of the single central record or separately.
What changed for volunteers in September 2026
KCSIE 2026 reflects a change made by the Crime and Policing Act 2026. A volunteer in a role that involves teaching, training, instructing or supervising children frequently, on more than three days in a 30-day period, or overnight, is now in regulated activity. Where that applies, KCSIE paragraph 383 says the school should obtain an enhanced DBS check with children's barred list information.
For an existing volunteer who is in regulated activity from 1 September 2026 because of this change, the school must check their children's barred list status.
What inspectors look at
In state-funded schools, Ofsted's operating guide says the lead inspector must look at the single central record, and any other records relating to disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006, as soon as possible at the start of the inspection. Ofsted gives the reason: to assure leaders early about their safer recruitment procedures, "in case they need extra time to address any minor administrative omissions".
Ofsted's inspection information says schools must make the record available to inspectors, with secure access, by 8am on the first day of the inspection. The same list includes any records of DBS and other safeguarding checks for volunteers who engage in regulated activity with pupils.
The inspection toolkit says inspectors evaluate the extent to which leaders ensure that the record indicates that all the required pre-appointment and vetting checks for staff have been made.
Ofsted also says it does not expect or require schools to apply retrospectively for DBS checks and other pre-employment checks for staff who were appointed before DBS requirements were introduced and have been employed continuously since.
For independent schools, KCSIE notes that the Independent Schools Inspectorate is approved to inspect certain independent schools and will also report on safeguarding arrangements. This page does not cover its framework.
When the guidance changes
KCSIE is revised regularly. Our KCSIE change log records each dated change to the guidance, with the official source linked.
Official sources
- Keeping children safe in education 2026, Part three, paragraphs 347 to 357 (Department for Education)
- School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009: regulations 12 and 24, and Schedule 2
- Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014: Schedule, Part 4, paragraph 21
- Non-Maintained Special Schools (England) Regulations 2015: Schedule, paragraph 7
- Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006 (Department for Education)
- School inspection: toolkit, operating guides and information (Ofsted)
This page sets out what the guidance and regulations say. It does not check your own record, and it is not advice on an individual case. Read the current guidance before you act. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Spotted an error? Tell HeadteacherChat.
