Safeguarding compliance is a legal duty for every school, and the DBS Update Service is one of the tools designed to make keeping track of criminal record checks easier and faster. However, many schools still struggle with using it correctly — not because teams don’t try, but because the risks tend to come from process gaps, evidence issues, and record-keeping mistakes rather than intention.
This guide is written for school business managers, DSLs, HR teams, and headteachers who want a clean, audit-ready process for DBS Update Service checks that stands up to scrutiny.
The DBS Update Service lets a candidate keep a DBS certificate live online so that future employers — including schools — can check its status without a new application or fee. It’s valid only for the same check level and workforce category as the original DBS certificate.
Once a person is subscribed:
Some schools assume that if someone claims to be on the Update Service, the check is valid. You must:
Fix: Add dedicated SCR fields for each piece of evidence — not just “Update Service = Yes.”
A DBS Update Service check must be done with the applicant’s consent. Without proper consent:
Fix: Store consent forms (signed or digital) alongside the SCR entry.
The service can return three possible outcomes:
Schools sometimes treat “valid but changed” as okay without reviewing the changes against the role’s safeguarding risk.
Fix: Establish a simple decision rule:
Too many SCRs simply show “DBS Update Service checked — OK.” That won’t satisfy an inspector. You should record:
Fix: Use clear SCR columns with audit-ready evidence attached.
The DBS Update Service does not replace:
It’s an extra status check only for people previously subscribed.
Fix: Always run a full suite of statutory checks for new starters alongside the update service check.
Ofsted, ISI and auditors expect:
Incomplete evidence or assumptions about subscription status are common triggers for compliance findings in inspections.
Best-practice SCR entries should include:
This mirrors how schools are advised to evidence other statutory checks and makes the process inspection-ready.
OnlineSCR automates DBS Update Service checks by:
Instead of manual searches and spreadsheets, your process becomes consistent, automated, and audit-proof.
A multi-academy trust with 20+ schools was spending over 15 hours a month manually checking update service statuses, chasing evidence, and updating multiple SCRs.
After OnlineSCR automation:
Large trusts benefit most, but even single schools see big wins.
Do all DBS certificates qualify for the update service? Only certificates registered within 30 days of issue and kept active via annual subscription count.
Is an update service check enough for new staff? No — you still must run full statutory checks as required by KCSIE.
How often should you check the update service status? At least annually, or whenever there’s a significant role change.
The DBS Update Service is a useful compliance tool, but it only works if schools treat it as one part of a rigorous, evidence-based safeguarding process. Accurate records, clear processes, and automation help ensure your checks stand up to inspection and protect your pupils — not just your people.
