“Expert advice and guidance delivered in a skilled and professional manner ”
Mr W Sawyer, Head of Prep School, Yarm School
The Single Central Record (SCR) is a key element of safer recruitment. During an Ofsted or ISI Inspection, the inspectors will ask to view the record. The DfE Statutory Guidance for Schools and Colleges, ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education, requires all schools to produce and maintain a Single Central Record of Recruitment and Vetting Checks. This requirement has been in place since 2007.
Who is this Single Central Record Training for ?
Headteachers, SLT, DSLs Governing Bodies, HR and other staff in schools who have responsibility for maintaining a Single Central Record (SCR) in schools, academies and colleges.
The Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) document tells us that, ‘governing bodies and proprietors should prevent people who pose a risk of harm from working with children by adhering to statutory responsibilities to check staff who work with children, taking proportionate decisions on whether to ask for any checks beyond what is required and ensuring volunteers are appropriately supervised. The school or college should have written recruitment and selection policies and procedures in place.’
Single Central Record Compliance
Failure to have an effective policy, to do the appropriate checks on staff and complete the record properly is one of the biggest reasons for failure of the safeguarding regulations in compliance inspections. It is frequently left to unskilled or poorly trained staff and yet it is a fundamental pillar of a school’s safeguarding systems. A school that cannot safeguard its pupils will then fail its leadership and management aspects. Don’t let that happen to you and your children.
This introduction to the Single Central Register is offered as a 90 minute webinar or face to face workshop and will give your school leadership team the key facts to enable you and your team to conduct the correct pre-employment checks on those working in your school, build a simple register and audit its completion.
SCR Review
We can also offer a review of your SCR, safer recruitment and employment checks as part of a compliance audit. Find out more here.
INSET Outline
- The history behind this legislation to understand its significance;
- We will look at who you need to check (and who you don’t);
- How to deal with staff that are not your employees such as supply staff and contractors;
- The notion of ‘regulated activity’;
- Which checks are needed for which type of worker;
- How to complete and audit your register;
- What happens if we have a concern about a colleague’s suitability to work with children
Is your school due an ISI Inspection in 2024?
JMC provide comprehensive mock inspections, each of our teams are led by an experienced Reporting Inspector.
We are running an ISI Inspection Framework Conference in March 2024
JMC Inspection Team
Useful links to support an Single Central Register audit:
Disclosure and Barring Service: About us – Disclosure and Barring Service – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
EU passport designs can be checked at Council of the European Union – PRADO – Search by document country (europa.eu)
Right to Work information: Checking a job applicant’s right to work – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Right to work evidence must be signed and dated. It should be kept for at least two years after the person has left and then destroyed.
Overseas Checks – Criminal records checks for overseas applicants – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
“Very knowledgeable and friendly speakers with a breadth of experience. Some really key points to take away.”
Feedback from the Preparing for Change to Independent School Inspections September 2023
