Safer recruitment from advert to first day, following Part three of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026. The checklist runs in the order a real appointment runs, with paragraph numbers so you can check the wording yourself.
September 2026 edition. Checked against KCSIE 2026 on 6 September 2026. It replaces our KCSIE 2025 checklist.
Two things changed for 2026, and both are covered: the supervision exemption has gone from regulated activity, which mainly affects volunteers (paragraphs 383 to 386), and where a school is also subject to the EYFS framework, staff and volunteers must not start in the EYFS setting until the enhanced DBS certificate with barred list information has been received.
What's inside
- Before advertising
- Shortlisting
- References, before interview where possible
- Interview and selection
- Pre-appointment checks
- Volunteers and other adults
- First day and after
Format: editable Word document, tick-box layout.
Useful for: headteachers, interview panels, school business leaders and HR teams.
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