Single Central Record Audits Show Every School Has Gaps — Here’s How to Hit 100 % Compliance

At Single Central Record Ltd, we’ve been at the forefront of helping schools meet their Single Central Record (SCR) obligations since 2017. The SCR is a statutory safeguarding document that every school must maintain — it records all required pre-employment and safeguarding checks for staff, governors, volunteers, and contractors. It’s the backbone of safer recruitment and compliance in schools.

However, despite its critical importance, our latest audit research reveals a stark truth: not a single SCR we audited was fully compliant, even in schools that had recently passed Ofsted inspections. This isn’t about schools failing — it’s about the complexity of compliance, the outdated tools still in use, and the lack of internal systems to proactively manage the SCR. In this blog, I’ll break down our audit findings, explain the root causes of non-compliance, and show how our services — including our award-winning 24/7 onlineSCR platform — are helping schools stay compliant with confidence.

Why Ofsted Inspections Aren’t Enough

Ofsted inspectors, understandably, only spend a very short time reviewing a school’s SCR due to the many other aspects they must assess during an inspection. Inspectors typically sample only a handful of records (e.g. recent joiners and leavers), meaning many legacy files aren’t checked. If those sampled records are in order, the SCR is considered compliant for inspection purposes.

But the reality is, long-serving staff, governors, contractors, and volunteers often go unchecked — and this is precisely where compliance issues tend to be hiding. The misconception that passing Ofsted means an SCR is perfect is dangerous. We regularly find that outdated records, or staff who have changed roles over time, contain significant gaps. Schools need to move beyond a reactive approach — ticking boxes for inspection — and adopt a proactive safeguarding culture that reviews all records regularly.

Key Findings from Our Audits

We recently carried out audits on 10 randomly selected schools across England. Here’s what we found:

Not a single school achieved 100% compliance — and even those with fewer gaps still had statutory safeguarding issues that would not withstand thorough review.

What Causes These Gaps?

Our audits revealed several recurring issues. These are not individual failings, but symptoms of systems and processes that haven’t kept pace with current requirements.

• Missing or Incomplete Data: DBS disclosure numbers, issue dates, barred list status, and ID verification dates are often absent, leaving schools unable to demonstrate proper checks.
• Failure to Record Prohibition from Teaching Checks: This separate statutory requirement must be documented on the SCR (KCSIE paragraph 226).
• Overseas Criminal Record Checks: Required when a staff member has lived or worked abroad — frequently overlooked (KCSIE paragraph 274).
• Right to Work Checks: Partial or expired evidence of visas and work permits is surprisingly common.
• Section 128 Checks for Governors: A key clearance for governors in academies and maintained schools, often missing from records.
• Inconsistent Inclusion Criteria: Contractors, agency staff, and volunteers with unsupervised access are sometimes excluded.
• Neglected Legacy Records: Older files from previous systems rarely get revisited, leaving gaps.
• Manual Systems and Human Error: Spreadsheets and legacy MIS platforms create typos, missing fields, and no expiry reminders.
• Lack of Training and Awareness: Teams aren’t always clear on KCSIE requirements, so even completed checks aren’t recorded compliantly.
• Outdated or Incomplete SCR Templates: Templates without columns for overseas checks, Section 128, right-to-work, or letters of undertaking lead to unrecorded statutory checks.

Our Two SCR Compliance Services

To help schools stay ahead, we’ve developed two specialist services:

1. The SCR One-Off Audit or Review

Ideal for schools wanting a professional check-up.

• ✅ We recommend at least a six-monthly audit, though high-risk settings may opt for quarterly reviews for maximum assurance.
• ✅ Conducted by our expert team and delivered within 1–3 working days — an unmatched turnaround in the UK.
• ✅ Generates an approximate 32-page personalised report that outlines:
  • What’s missing and why
  • What action is needed
  • Educational guidance to help your team improve compliance
• ✅ Can be externally audited and pre-booked — we’ll remind you when your next one is due.

This service not only fixes gaps but also boosts your safeguarding team’s knowledge and confidence.

2. The Ongoing 24/7 Monitoring Service

Our most popular, proactive solution—now used by over 1,400 schools.

• ✅ We upload your current SCR into our secure system.
• ✅ Continuous monitoring flags gaps, alerts you to expiring checks, and tracks in-progress work.
• ✅ Schools can initiate missing checks instantly at the click of a button.
• ✅ Bulk ordering (e.g. Section 128 for all governors).
• ✅ Weekly email reminders keep you on track.
• ✅ All key checks available directly:
  • DBS
  • Right to Work (digital)
  • Digital Identity
  • Prohibition from Teaching
  • Section 128
  • Update Service
  • QTS
  • Social Media Checks
• ✅ Fully integrated confidential notes and low-level concerns tracking.
• ✅ Statutory document centre: staff can view, confirm, and e-sign policies online.
• ✅ Designed around the latest KCSIE requirements and updated automatically each year.
• ✅ Comprehensive compliance dashboard with exportable reports for governors or auditors.
• 🏆 Voted Best HR Product for Schools 2024 by schools across England.

Built-In Safeguarding Support That Works

Our goal is to remove the stress and guesswork around safeguarding compliance. With our platform:

• You’re in control — visual dashboards show what’s compliant and what’s not.
• You stay informed — real-time updates and colour-coded warnings keep things simple.
• You save time — checks are automated and no longer buried in spreadsheets.

With increasing scrutiny around safer recruitment and evolving KCSIE expectations, schools must be proactive—not reactive.

Final Thoughts

The SCR is not just a spreadsheet — it’s the cornerstone of your school’s safeguarding culture. Our audit research makes it clear: manual, outdated systems are no longer fit for purpose. Even schools that have passed Ofsted inspections are at risk if they don’t actively maintain the full record. And with new risks, new checks, and potential statutory changes each year, staying compliant has never been more demanding.

Whether you want a one-off professional audit or fully automated 24/7 monitoring, we’re here to help you do safeguarding right—with confidence, clarity, and compliance.

🔗 Further reading: Why regular SCR audits are so important

📞 Interested in an audit or a demo? Call 0151 606 5101 or email oscr@onlinescr.co.uk