Since September 2018, OnlineSCR has been helping schools, academies and multi-academy trusts across the United Kingdom take control of their Single Central Record. What started as a straightforward solution to a common problem has grown into one of the most trusted safeguarding compliance platforms in UK education.
This is our story — and more importantly, this is why thousands of schools across the country choose OnlineSCR every single day.
| 2018 Founded | 1000s Schools supported | Free Telephone support | Free Ongoing training |
Every pin represents a school or trust currently using OnlineSCR across England and Wales.
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OnlineSCR was founded in September 2018 with a single purpose: to make the Single Central Record simple, reliable, and stress-free for every school in the UK.
The problem we set out to solve wasn't complicated. Schools were managing one of their most critical safeguarding documents — the SCR — using spreadsheets, manual processes, and paper records that were time-consuming to maintain and easy to get wrong. When Ofsted arrived, the SCR was one of the first things inspectors checked, and gaps that had gone unnoticed for months suddenly became urgent conversations nobody wanted to have.
We believed there was a better way. A platform purpose-built for schools, simple enough that any member of staff could use it, robust enough to stand up to the most rigorous external audit, and supported by a team that genuinely understands the pressures schools are under.
Since then, thousands of schools, academies and multi-academy trusts across England and Wales have made OnlineSCR part of their safeguarding infrastructure. From small primary schools to large multi-academy trusts, the platform has been trusted in hundreds of Ofsted inspections and external safeguarding audits — and it has never let a school down.
↑ Back to topOnlineSCR is a cloud-based Single Central Record system designed specifically for UK schools and multi-academy trusts. It replaces error-prone spreadsheets and manual processes with a clear, structured, always-accessible platform that keeps your KCSIE-required checks organised and audit-ready at all times.
The platform allows schools to manage every pre-employment check required under KCSIE — from DBS checks and QTS verification to prohibition from teaching checks — in one place, with clear visibility of any gaps at both individual school and trust level.
At its core, OnlineSCR does one thing exceptionally well: it makes sure that when Ofsted arrives and asks to see your Single Central Record, everything is there, everything is correct, and your leadership team can walk into that inspection with complete confidence.
↑ Back to topOnlineSCR has been built around the real day-to-day needs of school administrators, HR managers, DSLs and SLTs. Here's what's included:
| Single Central Record management A clear, structured SCR that meets KCSIE requirements and is always inspection-ready. Gaps are flagged automatically so nothing gets missed. | DBS check ordering Order DBS checks directly from within the platform. Results are automatically recorded against the correct staff member in your SCR. |
| QTS and prohibition checks Order Qualified Teacher Status and prohibition from teaching checks at the click of a button. Results feed straight into your SCR. | Multi-school and trust visibility MAT and trust users can view compliance across all schools in one dashboard — identifying gaps at both school and trust level instantly. |
| Automatic gap identification The platform highlights missing or incomplete checks in real time, so you always know exactly where your SCR stands before an inspector arrives. | Audit and Ofsted ready Trusted in hundreds of Ofsted inspections and external safeguarding audits. Designed to meet the scrutiny of the most thorough inspection. |
| Cloud-based and always accessible Access your SCR from any device, anywhere. No software to install, no servers to manage — just a clean, simple platform that works. | Free ongoing training All OnlineSCR customers receive free ongoing training to make sure every member of your team is confident using the platform. |
One of the things that genuinely sets OnlineSCR apart from other SCR systems is what happens after you sign up.
Every school that uses OnlineSCR gets free ongoing telephone support for the lifetime of their subscription. No support tickets. No chatbots. No waiting days for an email response. Just a real person on the end of the phone, ready to help.
Whether you have a question about a specific check, need help with a new starter record, or just want to make sure everything is in order before an inspection, our team is there. Pick up the phone and call us on 0151 606 5101.
We also provide free ongoing training for all users. As your team changes, as new staff take over the SCR, or as KCSIE guidance is updated, we'll make sure your team is fully trained and confident in using the platform. No additional cost. No extra charges. It's included as standard because we believe schools deserve proper support — not just software.
Free telephone support — call us anytime
Speak to a real person. No tickets, no waiting.
0151 606 5101Free ongoing support and training included with every subscription
Don't take our word for it. Here's what school leaders, HR managers and operations professionals across the UK say about OnlineSCR.
"Having just had the inspectors visit our school in Hertfordshire, I wanted to say how pleased we were to have subscribed to your SCR system last year. The inspectors were very impressed with the clarity and accuracy of the system and commented that it was the best SCR they had seen. This ensured that our inspection got off to a great start and filled our Senior Leadership Team with much confidence for the rest of the inspection. As HR & Operations Manager, I find the system user friendly and with the added support of Matthew and his team I feel very supported in this crucial part of my role."
Lynn Rumble — HR & Operations ManagerAldwickbury School, Hertfordshire
"Woodfield Academy has been using this platform for several years now, and it has proven invaluable. It provides us with clarity and consistency, while the simple interface makes it easy to identify any missing information at both school and Trust level. It has also stood up to the scrutiny of external safeguarding audits and Ofsted inspections, giving us complete confidence in its effectiveness. A highly recommended tool for any school or Trust looking to strengthen its systems."
Sharon Little — Operations ManagerOak Academies Trust, Leicestershire
"We recently implemented the OnlineSCR system within our school, and we have found it to be extremely beneficial. It is much easier to use than our previous Excel system, and we can now identify missing information with ease, and ensure we remain compliant at all times. We have recently undergone and passed a full compliance inspection of our HR records, and we were able to demonstrate compliance easily using the online tool. They provide unlimited telephone and remote support, and we have found their team to be very helpful and responsive. I can highly recommend this online tool to other schools — I would definitely not be without it."
Susan Allibone — HR Manager
"We use OnlineSCR across our Trust. It gives us clarity, consistency and more importantly, the simple interface identifies gaps for us at both a school and Trust level. It also passed the test with flying colours in a recent external safeguarding audit! Highly recommended!"
Craig Brown — Head of Quality Assurance and School ImprovementThe Royal School, Haslemere
When we built OnlineSCR, we had a simple belief: every school in the country deserves a safeguarding system that actually works — one that's easy to use, genuinely reliable, and backed by a team that picks up the phone.
Over the past six years, that belief hasn't changed. What has changed is the scale of what we do. Thousands of schools now trust OnlineSCR to manage one of the most important documents in their safeguarding framework. That's not something we take lightly.
Every feature we've built, every update we've made, and every call we've answered has been driven by one question: does this make it easier for schools to keep children safe? If the answer is yes, we do it. If it doesn't serve that purpose, we don't.
We're proud of what we've built — but we're prouder of the schools that use it. The DSLs, SBMs, HR managers, operations leads and headteachers who trust us with something this important. We don't take that for granted.
If you're not yet using OnlineSCR and you'd like to see what it can do for your school, call us. We'd love to show you.
Mark and the OnlineSCR Team0151 606 5101 | onlinescr.co.uk
Whether you're a new school looking to move away from spreadsheets, a trust wanting visibility across multiple sites, or an existing user who needs support — we're here to help.
Call us on 0151 606 5101 and speak to a member of the team. Alternatively, book a free demo and we'll walk you through the platform at a time that suits you.
See why thousands of schools trust OnlineSCR — book your free demo today.
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