Recruitment and safeguarding compliance are evolving rapidly, and so is the technology that underpins them. At OnlineSCR, we’re committed to helping schools and organisations stay ahead with the latest digital solutions for Single Central Record (SCR) management, safer recruitment, and statutory compliance.
Manual identity and right to work checks are slow, prone to error, and difficult to manage remotely. With Ofsted and ISI inspections becoming more rigorous and the Home Office updating guidance, organisations need robust, efficient tools that guarantee compliance and reduce risk. OnlineSCR’s new Digital Identity Checks and Digital Right to Work Checks are designed to make your recruitment processes faster, safer, and fully compliant.
Digital Identity Checks use advanced biometric technology and document authentication to verify candidate identities remotely. This eliminates manual paperwork, reduces fraud risk, and ensures you meet Home Office and DBS requirements for all levels of checks.
Fully aligned with Home Office (2022) and DBS guidance for medium and high confidence identity checks.
Learn more about regular SCR audits and compliance in our Guide to Regular School SCR Audits.
Ensuring legal eligibility to work in the UK is essential. Our Digital Right to Work Checks use Identity Document Validation Technology (IDVT) for UK and Irish passports, providing a fast, secure, and paperless solution.
Meets Home Office Digital Right to Work Scheme requirements (April 2022), providing statutory excuse protection if checks are completed as specified.
“Using the online SCR has really made a real difference to our HR administration. There are timely reminders when documents need renewing which ensures nothing is ever missed and we stay fully compliant. The system is extremely easy to use and has increased our efficiency.” — Mr P Arrowsmith, Headteacher, Jubilee Primary School
Ready to transform your recruitment and compliance processes?
Book a demo today to see how Digital Identity Checks and Digital Right to Work Checks can help your organisation stay compliant, save time, and reduce risk.
As the Director of Single Central Record Ltd, I want to share why professional social media checks are crucial for schools, especially in light of the latest Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2024 guidance. Safeguarding our students is our top priority, and recruitment practices must evolve to meet new challenges. In this post, I’ll explain why social media checks should be a standard part of every school’s recruitment process and share insights from our data, which highlight the risks schools face when these checks aren’t carried out properly.
KCSIE 2024 has been clear about the need for schools to review candidates’ online presence during recruitment. Paragraph 226 of the guidance states:
“Schools and colleges should consider carrying out an online search as part of their due diligence on shortlisted candidates. This may help identify incidents or issues that are publicly available online, which the school might want to explore at interview.”
The key word here is should, which signals that schools are expected to conduct these online searches unless there is a valid reason not to. This requirement, part of KCSIE 2024, has been in effect since September 2022, and the Department for Education (DfE) has made it clear that this is now standard practice. Ofsted is also placing increasing emphasis on how schools manage online checks during inspections, making social media checks an essential part of your safeguarding processes.
We’re all familiar with DBS checks as part of recruitment, but they don’t cover everything. A DBS check won’t reveal a person’s online behaviour, and in today’s world, social media can be a massive red flag for issues like hate speech, inappropriate content, and even violent behaviour. These risks can have a serious impact on the school community and, more importantly, the safety of your students.
KCSIE 2024 isn’t about adding layers of bureaucracy; it’s about being proactive in safeguarding. It’s about looking beyond what’s visible on paper and ensuring that a candidate’s online activity is suitable and safe for a school environment.
Since we began conducting professional social media checks for schools, we’ve now analysed over 500 cases. The data highlights the ongoing risks that schools face when they don’t conduct thorough social media screening.
Here’s a summary of the key findings:
These findings show just how much can be missed by doing a simple Google search or manual check. Without professional social media screening, these red flags could easily go unnoticed, putting your school at risk.
You might be wondering, “Why not just do these checks ourselves?” While manual checks seem like a practical solution, they miss critical details. Here’s why professional social media screening is vital:
We’ve designed our social media screening service to help schools comply with KCSIE 2024 in an efficient, effective way. Here’s how we make it easier for schools:
If you haven’t started using professional social media screening yet, here’s how to get started:
The changes in KCSIE aren’t about complicating things; they’re about proactive safeguarding. By adding professional social media checks to your recruitment process, you can:
Don’t leave your school vulnerable to risks that could easily be uncovered through professional screening. Let’s work together to keep your school safe and secure for both staff and students.
For more information, contact us at 0151 606 5101 or email oscr@onlinescr.co.uk.
Mark Gardner
Director of Single Central Record Ltd
Safeguarding is one of the most critical responsibilities for schools, and the Single Central Record (SCR) is at the heart of compliance. It is a live document that records all pre-employment checks for staff, volunteers, governors, and contractors. However, maintaining an accurate and up-to-date SCR is no small task. Schools often face challenges such as legacy records, human error, and evolving statutory requirements outlined in Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE).
At OnlineSCR, we are proud to introduce a comprehensive SCR audit service that reviews every single record on your SCR, not just recent starters or specific staff categories. This industry-first service ensures schools can confidently meet compliance standards.
Our SCR audit service stands out for its depth, speed, and actionable insights. Here’s what sets us apart:
A school approached us ahead of an upcoming Ofsted inspection with concerns about their SCR's accuracy. Despite regular internal reviews, they suspected gaps in older records might pose a risk.
"The audit was incredibly thorough and gave us peace of mind knowing our entire SCR was compliant." – School Leadership Team
Based on Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidelines, our audit covers:
Statutory Checks:
Non-Statutory Checks:
Our report highlights any gaps or inconsistencies in these areas using colour-coded findings for clarity.
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.
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.
We recently carried out audits on 10 randomly selected schools across England. Here’s what we found:
| School | Statutory Gaps | Non-Statutory Gaps |
|---|---|---|
| School A | 152 | 188 |
| School B | 32 | 25 |
| School C | 2 | 4 |
| School D | 904 | 503 |
| School E | 270 | 236 |
| School F | 4 | 210 |
| School G | 10 | 13 |
| School H | 18 | 25 |
| School I | 144 | 39 |
| School J | 219 | 124 |
Not a single school achieved 100% compliance — and even those with fewer gaps still had statutory safeguarding issues that would not withstand thorough review.
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.
To help schools stay ahead, we’ve developed two specialist services:
Ideal for schools wanting a professional check-up.
This service not only fixes gaps but also boosts your safeguarding team’s knowledge and confidence.
Our most popular, proactive solution—now used by over 1,400 schools.
Our goal is to remove the stress and guesswork around safeguarding compliance. With our platform:
With increasing scrutiny around safer recruitment and evolving KCSIE expectations, schools must be proactive—not reactive.
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
Safeguarding is a critical responsibility for schools, and the Single Central Record (SCR) plays a vital role in demonstrating compliance with statutory requirements. It is not just a document — it is a live record that reflects the school’s commitment to protecting its students and staff. While many schools conduct audits sporadically or only in preparation for inspections, regular SCR audits are essential to maintaining compliance and ensuring safeguarding standards are consistently upheld.
In this blog, we explore the benefits of regular SCR audits, how they help schools stay ahead of compliance challenges, and why they should be an integral part of your safeguarding strategy.
An SCR audit involves reviewing every record on the Single Central Record to ensure it meets statutory requirements outlined in Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE). This includes checks such as identity verification, DBS certificates, barred list checks, prohibition from teaching checks, Section 128 checks, and more. Audits also cover non-statutory best practices like safeguarding training records and social media checks.
Ensure Compliance with Statutory Requirements The SCR is a legal requirement for all schools and colleges. Regular audits help identify gaps in compliance before they become issues during inspections or reviews. For example:
Inspection Readiness Ofsted inspectors scrutinise the SCR as part of their safeguarding evaluation. Paragraph 419 of the School Inspection Handbook states that inspectors focus on staff who have joined since the last inspection. Regular audits ensure your SCR is always inspection-ready, reducing stress and avoiding last-minute panic.
Prevent Compliance Drift Over time, records can become outdated or inconsistent due to changes in staff roles, regulatory updates, or human error. Regular audits prevent compliance drift by ensuring that records are consistently reviewed and updated to reflect current requirements.
Improve Safeguarding Practices An accurate and up-to-date SCR demonstrates your school’s commitment to safeguarding excellence. Regular audits highlight areas for improvement, such as:
Save Time and Resources While regular audits require effort upfront, they save time in the long run by reducing the need for extensive corrections during inspections or compliance reviews. They also streamline administrative processes by ensuring records are consistently maintained.
Build Trust with Stakeholders A well-maintained SCR builds trust with parents, staff, and regulatory bodies by demonstrating your school’s dedication to child protection. Regular audits reinforce this commitment and enhance your reputation as a responsible educational institution.
Scheduled Reviews Set a schedule for SCR audits — common practice is every 1-3 months depending on the size of the school and staff turnover rate. This ensures records are consistently updated.
Comprehensive Coverage Review all records on the SCR — not just recent starters — to identify gaps across teaching staff, non-teaching staff, agency workers, volunteers, governors, and contractors.
Gap Analysis Use colour-coded findings (e.g., red for statutory gaps and yellow for non-statutory gaps) to prioritise corrective actions.
Recommendations for Improvement Highlight areas where best practices can be adopted to strengthen safeguarding processes further.
A school conducting quarterly SCR audits identified recurring gaps in Section 128 checks for governors — a statutory requirement often overlooked due to changes in leadership roles. By addressing these gaps early:
This proactive approach not only ensured compliance but also enhanced the school’s overall safeguarding framework.
Regular SCR audits are not just about meeting compliance requirements — they are about fostering a culture of safeguarding excellence within your school. By scheduling frequent reviews, addressing gaps proactively, and adopting best practices, schools can ensure their SCR remains accurate, reliable, and inspection-ready at all times.
Don’t wait until an inspection highlights issues with your SCR — make regular audits part of your safeguarding strategy today!
A new government initiative is bringing free breakfast clubs to schools across England, ensuring children start their day with a nutritious meal. These 30-minute morning sessions will provide a healthy breakfast, helping pupils focus and learn better.
In the first phase, 180,000 pupils from disadvantaged communities will benefit. The first 750 schools have been selected and will start offering breakfast clubs from the summer term.
These schools, spread across nine regions, will receive funding to provide the service to all students.
This is just the beginning, with plans to expand free breakfast clubs to every primary school in England.
Research shows that a nutritious breakfast improves children’s academic performance, particularly in reading, writing, and maths. These clubs also:
Schools will serve healthy, varied breakfasts that meet School Food Standards, ensuring children receive a balanced meal to start the day right.
Schools will receive a setup grant, termly funding, and additional payments based on pupil attendance. A school with 50% participation could receive around £23,000 per year, significantly more than previous breakfast schemes.
If your child’s school is part of the first phase, they will contact you directly. Schools not yet included may join in future phases as the programme expands.
For questions, check with your child’s school once they confirm their participation.
This initiative ensures no child starts school hungry, giving them a strong foundation for learning while also easing financial pressures on families. More schools will join in the coming months—stay tuned for updates!
Ofsted has published a series of inspection toolkits designed to provide detailed guidance on various aspects of school inspections, including safeguarding. These toolkits cover early years, schools, independent schools, and further education and skills settings.
Safeguarding is a fundamental aspect of school inspections and is assessed based on six key areas:
For a school to be deemed as meeting Ofsted’s safeguarding criteria, the following standards must be met in each area:
For schools looking to review their safeguarding policies, Ofsted’s toolkits can provide valuable guidance. You can access them here: Ofsted Inspection Toolkits.
Additionally, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, Martyn Oliver, provides further insight into these changes in a recent video: Watch here.
To contribute your thoughts on the latest proposals, you can participate in Ofsted’s consultation: Consultation Document.
By staying informed and implementing robust safeguarding practices, schools can create a safe and secure environment for all pupils.
The UK is on the brink of an educational transformation, with the Department for Education leading the charge into a new digital era. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has unveiled ambitious plans to modernise the education system, empower teachers, and enhance learning opportunities for children through the power of technology.
Speaking at The Bett Show on 22 January 2025, Phillipson outlined how technology will be a game-changer in education, breaking down barriers to opportunity and ensuring that every student and teacher has access to the tools they need to succeed. From selecting the right tech to integrating it effectively in the classroom, these initiatives aim to cut through costly and time-consuming processes while driving higher standards across schools.
“The world of even five years ago is gone forever,” she stated. “Now we must seize the opportunities of the future. I will take up this great new technological era to modernise our education system, to back our teachers, and to deliver better life chances for our children across the country.”
Research backs up this vision. The Education Endowment Foundation found that when used effectively, digital technology can accelerate learning by two to three months. Additionally, the Department for Education’s Technology in Schools Survey revealed that over two-thirds of school leaders have observed improved pupil attainment due to technology use in education.
In alignment with the government’s broader tech-driven public service transformation, AI is set to play a significant role in education. By reducing teacher workload, AI will help tackle the recruitment and retention crisis, allowing educators to focus on what truly matters—teaching and inspiring the next generation.
Phillipson addressed concerns about AI, stating: “Each great moment of technological change throughout history came with fears for an unfamiliar future. But I know AI can be a radical, modernising force for change—a force for good in the lives of working people—and I am so excited for what it means for education.”
To ensure the safety of students, major tech companies—including Google, Microsoft, Adobe, and Amazon Web Services—have committed to making AI tools safer for classroom use. A new AI product safety framework establishes technical safeguards, prioritizing child-centred design and content filtering, making it the most comprehensive AI safety standard in education worldwide. Enhancing Learning for Vulnerable Students
One of the most exciting initiatives is the integration of assistive technology for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Starting in Spring 2025, all new teachers will receive training on using assistive tech to support SEND students. Studies have shown that tools like dictation software and text-to-speech programmes significantly improve engagement, confidence, and independence among these students.
A pilot program found remarkable benefits, with over 80% of teachers reporting increased student confidence and participation, and 60% seeing improved academic performance. For parents, this means greater assurance that their child’s unique learning needs will be met, ensuring a more inclusive and supportive educational experience.
To ensure that every school has access to the right technology, the Department for Education is launching a new service to simplify the often-confusing tech procurement process. Plan Technology for Your School will help school leaders make informed decisions, ensuring investments in digital tools translate into better learning experiences for students.
Additionally, the newly established EdTech Evidence Board, led by the Chartered College of Teaching, will help schools confidently select AI-driven educational tools that deliver real results.
The government is also developing DfE Connect, a digital platform designed to streamline administrative processes and free up time for educators. Currently supporting pre-16 academies with financial management and funding access, the platform will soon expand to cover additional services, helping schools optimize budgets and focus on quality education.
These transformative measures underscore the government’s commitment to using technology to enhance education, ensuring that every child—regardless of background—has the tools, support, and opportunities to thrive in an increasingly digital world. By embracing innovation, schools can unlock new possibilities, empower teachers, and create a more dynamic, inclusive, and effective learning environment for future generations.
A recent BBC investigation has revealed some worrying gaps in safeguarding within private tutoring. Their report found several cases where tutors were advertising their services despite having serious criminal charges or disciplinary issues in their background.
Unlike teaching in schools, private tutoring in the UK isn't regulated. This means anyone can offer tutoring services without having undergone any background checks. Even those who've been barred from classroom teaching can still work as private tutors – a loophole that puts children at risk.
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is your first line of defence. While there are three levels available, an enhanced DBS check is the most thorough. It reveals not just criminal records but also any relevant disciplinary actions.
The trouble is, tutors don't need a DBS check to advertise their services. That's why it's crucial to use tutoring platforms and agencies that make these checks mandatory for all their tutors.
A trustworthy tutor should be happy to:
If a tutor seems reluctant to provide this information or dismisses its importance, that's a red flag.
Marilyn Hawes from Freedom from Abuse suggests sitting in on tutoring sessions where possible. This applies to both in-person and online lessons. A professional tutor will welcome this involvement – be wary of anyone who objects.
Working with tutors who belong to recognised organisations can provide extra peace of mind. These associations typically require enhanced DBS checks and have clear safeguarding protocols in place.
If you're working with a tutor, ask about their background checks and safeguarding measures. Don't assume these are in place – it's better to ask than to wonder. If your tutor hasn't got the necessary checks, we can help get these sorted quickly and professionally. Feel free to point them to this article.
Having the right checks in place isn't just about compliance – it shows parents you take their children's safety seriously. We can help you get all the necessary checks, from enhanced DBS to teaching qualification verifications. Get in touch to learn how we can help protect both you and your students.
Your pupils' safety matters. Get in touch to learn more about our background checking services or to arrange your checks today.
The Big Listen was a comprehensive effort by Ofsted to gather input from a wide range of stakeholders, including school staff, education organisations, parents, and those involved with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The consultation received an overwhelming 16,033 responses, reflecting the education community's strong desire to contribute to Ofsted's reform.
This extensive feedback process was partly triggered by the tragic death of headteacher Ruth Perry in January 2023, which led to increased scrutiny of Ofsted's inspection practices and their impact on educators' wellbeing. The Big Listen aimed to address these concerns and explore ways to make Ofsted a more supportive and collaborative partner in improving educational standards.
As a result of this consultation, Ofsted has announced a range of reforms designed to transform its approach to school inspections, enhance transparency, and rebuild trust within the education community. These changes span from immediate adjustments to long-term strategic shifts, all aimed at creating a more responsive and effective inspectorate.
Key changes resulting from the Big Listen include:
Key points include:
Monday Notifications: From now on, Ofsted will notify leaders of all routine inspections on a Monday, with inspectors visiting schools on Tuesday and Wednesday. Reports will be drafted on Thursdays, followed by a rigorous review of findings on Fridays.
Curriculum Focus Maintained: Despite these changes, Ofsted will retain its emphasis on the curriculum and early reading, with consultations on report cards beginning immediately.
Inclusion Criterion: Ofsted will introduce a new inclusion criterion, assessing whether schools provide high-quality support for disadvantaged and vulnerable students. The details of how inclusivity will be measured will be subject to consultation.
Safeguarding Grace Period: Ofsted will pilot a new approach to safeguarding. Schools that meet all other criteria but fall short on safeguarding will have up to three months to rectify issues without reopening judgments on other areas.
Ofsted Academy: This new initiative, launching this autumn, will centralise all Ofsted training and development activities.
National Hubs and Reference Groups: Ofsted will establish six national hubs, each specialising in a specific area of its work, and seven external reference groups to provide independent advice and feedback.
Increased Transparency: Ofsted aims to increase transparency by sharing the evidence behind its reports and potentially recording and transcribing final feedback meetings.
Permanent Complaint Reforms: Ofsted will make permanent its pilot complaints panels, which include external representatives to review complaints processes.
MAT and LA Inspections: While working with ministers on future legislation to inspect multi-academy trusts (MATs), Ofsted has not set a timeline for this reform but considers it a medium- to long-term project.
Cultural Change: Feedback from the Big Listen highlighted concerns about Ofsted's culture, with a significant portion of parents and schools expressing distrust in the inspectorate. Addressing this will be a priority moving forward.
Reformed Inspection Frameworks: Ofsted will consult later this academic year on creating a revised education inspection framework for schools, early years, and further education. This framework will incorporate lessons from the Big Listen and support the introduction of report cards in September 2025. The new framework aims to make inspections more collaborative and supportive, with a focus on clear criteria and school context.
New Report Card Features: The report cards will feature "area insights," visualising local data to provide more information to parents and help inspectors understand local contexts.
