Your Single Central Record is one of the most important documents in your school. It is the first thing Ofsted asks to see when they arrive — and in most inspections, it is reviewed within the first twenty minutes.
Get it right and your inspection gets off to a confident start. Get it wrong and you are immediately on the back foot, explaining gaps to an inspector before you have had the chance to demonstrate everything else your school does well.
This guide covers everything schools, academies and multi-academy trusts need to know about the Single Central Record — what it is, what must be in it, who it applies to, and how to make sure it is always inspection-ready. It is written in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education from 1 September 2025, the current statutory safeguarding guidance for schools and colleges in England.
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A Single Central Record (SCR) is a statutory document that all schools, academies and colleges in England are legally required to maintain. It is a centralised log of the pre-employment checks carried out on all staff and volunteers who work at the school.
The requirement comes directly from Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE). As set out in paragraph 273 of KCSIE September 2025: "Schools and colleges must maintain a single central record of pre-appointment checks, referred to in the Regulations as 'the register' and more commonly known as 'the single central record'."
The SCR does not hold copies of documents or certificates. It is a record that confirms checks have been carried out and the date each check was completed. The actual evidence — DBS certificates, right to work documents, qualification confirmations — is held separately on personnel files.
The purpose of the SCR is straightforward: it gives inspectors, auditors and school leaders a clear, immediate view of whether every person working with children at the school has been appropriately checked.
↑ Back to topParagraph 274 of KCSIE September 2025 sets out exactly who must be included in the SCR:
All teachers employed by the school, including those on salaried training routes. Supply teachers employed directly by the school must be included. Where supply teachers are employed through an agency, the school must obtain and record written confirmation that the agency has carried out the required checks.
All support staff working at the school must be included in the SCR, regardless of role. This includes teaching assistants, administrative staff, lunchtime supervisors and any other employed staff.
KCSIE (paragraph 310) states that schools should undertake a written risk assessment and use professional judgement when deciding what checks are required for volunteers. Where a volunteer is working in regulated activity — unsupervised and regularly teaching or looking after children — an enhanced DBS check including children's barred list information must be obtained. Details of checks made on volunteers may be recorded in the SCR under non-statutory information (paragraph 278).
Governors in maintained schools are required to have an enhanced DBS check (paragraph 317). Importantly, governance is not classified as regulated activity, so governors do not need a children's barred list check unless they also engage in regulated activity at the school. Schools should also carry out a section 128 check for governors (paragraph 319), though this is not required to be recorded on the SCR — it can be if the school chooses.
Contractors engaging in regulated activity require an enhanced DBS check including children's barred list information. Contractors with regular contact with children but not in regulated activity require an enhanced DBS without barred list. The school must ensure appropriate checks have been obtained and should record this in the SCR. Under no circumstances should a contractor on whom no checks have been obtained be allowed to work unsupervised or engage in regulated activity with children (paragraph 297).
Where trainee teachers are on a salaried route, the school must ensure all necessary checks are carried out and they must be included in the SCR. Where trainee teachers are fee-funded, it is the responsibility of the initial teacher training provider to carry out checks. Schools should obtain written confirmation from the provider. Importantly, there is no requirement for the school to record fee-funded trainees on the SCR (paragraph 302), though schools may choose to do so under non-statutory information.
↑ Back to topParagraph 276 of KCSIE September 2025 sets out the minimum information that must be recorded. The SCR must indicate whether the following checks have been carried out and the date on which each was completed:
Additionally, paragraph 278 sets out non-statutory information schools and colleges are free to record — including checks made on volunteers, checks made on governors, dates on which safeguarding and safer recruitment training was undertaken, and the name of the person who carried out each check.
It is important to note that paragraph 277 states: "The details of an individual should be removed from the single central record once they no longer work at the school or college."
↑ Back to topThe checks required vary depending on the individual's role and whether they are engaging in regulated activity. The following is based on the requirements set out in KCSIE September 2025.
* Governance is not regulated activity. Governors in maintained schools require an enhanced DBS check but not a children's barred list check, unless they also engage in regulated activity at the school (KCSIE para 318). Section 128 checks for governors are required but need not be recorded on the SCR (para 319).
* Section 128 checks apply where an individual is taking up a management position in an independent school, academy or free school (para 261). This includes headteachers, deputy/assistant headteachers, governors and trustees. It does not apply to maintained school staff unless they are also in a management role at an independent school, academy or free school. Where applicable, it must be recorded on the SCR for independent schools and academies, but not for maintained school governors (para 319).
For agency and third-party supply staff, schools must record whether written confirmation has been received that the employment business has carried out the relevant checks and obtained appropriate certificates, and the date this confirmation was received (para 275).
↑ Back to topParagraph 237 of KCSIE September 2025 is clear: "All offers of appointment should be conditional until satisfactory completion of the mandatory pre-employment checks." Most checks must be completed before the individual takes up their post.
KCSIE paragraph 252 permits schools to allow an individual to start work in regulated activity before the DBS certificate is available, provided that a separate children's barred list check has been carried out and the individual is appropriately supervised. The DBS certificate must then be obtained and recorded as soon as practicable.
Paragraph 253 is very specific about when a separate barred list check must be used — only where:
Paragraph 238 states there is no requirement for a school to obtain a new enhanced DBS certificate if the applicant has worked in a school in England in a post with regular contact with children which ended not more than three months before their appointment. All other relevant pre-appointment checks must still be carried out.
Paragraph 348 sets out the circumstances in which existing staff should be treated as new and all checks repeated. This includes where:
Schools and colleges can use the DBS Update Service to carry out online status checks to confirm whether any new information has been added to an existing certificate. Before using the service, the school must obtain consent, confirm the certificate matches the individual's identity, examine the original certificate, and confirm the level of check is appropriate (paragraphs 254-256).
↑ Back to topParagraph 280 of KCSIE September 2025 sets out the specific requirement for MATs: "MATs must maintain the single central record detailing checks carried out in each academy within the MAT. Whilst there is no requirement for the MAT to maintain an individual record for each academy, the information should be recorded in such a way that allows for details for each individual academy to be provided separately, and without delay, to those entitled to inspect that information, including by inspectors."
This means that in practice, whilst a single unified record across all schools is permissible, the system must be capable of producing a clear, immediate view of each individual school's compliance. If Ofsted arrives at one school in the trust, that school's records must be available without delay — not dependent on accessing a central system that requires sorting through the whole trust's data.
For academies and free schools, all members and trustees of the academy trust must be included in the SCR (paragraph 274). Enhanced DBS checks are required. As governance is not regulated activity, children's barred list information is not required unless the individual also engages in regulated activity.
Where a member of staff works across more than one academy in the trust, their checks must be accessible in relation to each school they work at. This is a common source of gaps in MAT SCRs — staff are checked at their primary school but their record is not accessible at secondary schools where they also work.
OnlineSCR's trust-level dashboard gives MAT leaders a single view across all schools — with the ability to drill down to individual academy level instantly. Visit onlinescr.co.uk/features for more information.
↑ Back to topThe SCR is one of the first documents Ofsted asks to see at the start of an inspection. Inspectors will cross-reference the SCR against the current staff list and look for the following:
Every applicable member of staff must have every required check recorded. A single missing check for a single member of staff is a gap. Anyone on the staff list but missing from the SCR, or with incomplete records, will be identified immediately.
The information recorded must be accurate and correctly categorised. The type of DBS check must be recorded correctly — enhanced with barred list for regulated activity. Prohibition checks must be recorded separately from QTS verification. Dates must be correct.
KCSIE paragraph 279 confirms the SCR can be held in paper or electronic form, but in either case it must be immediately available when requested. If it takes more than a few minutes to locate and present, that itself raises concern.
The SCR must be kept up to date. New starters must be added before they begin work. Where checks have been refreshed or updated, the SCR must reflect current information.
"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."
Lynn Rumble — HR & Operations ManagerAldwickbury School, Hertfordshire
In our experience working with thousands of schools since 2018, these are the most common SCR mistakes we see — and the ones most likely to be identified during an Ofsted inspection or external safeguarding audit.
A DBS check confirms criminal record history only. It does not cover QTS verification, prohibition status, right to work or identity. Each check is a separate, standalone requirement. Schools that assume a clear DBS means all pre-employment checks are done are leaving significant gaps in their SCR.
Prohibition from teaching checks must be completed for all teaching staff and recorded in the SCR. This is separate from QTS verification. Both must be present, both must be dated, and both must be clearly identified in the record.
Governor DBS checks are frequently missing or out of date. Remember that governors require an enhanced DBS check but not a children's barred list check unless they also engage in regulated activity. Section 128 checks are also required for governors, though these need not be recorded on the SCR itself.
Where supply teachers or contractors are employed through agencies, the school must obtain and record written confirmation that the agency has carried out all required checks. Simply knowing that an agency has done the checks is not sufficient — the written confirmation and date received must be in the SCR.
KCSIE September 2025 is explicit — agency and third-party supply staff must be included in the SCR even if they work for only one day (paragraph 274). This is one of the most commonly overlooked requirements.
Paragraph 277 of KCSIE states clearly that the details of an individual should be removed from the SCR once they no longer work at the school. Leaving former staff on the record creates confusion and makes the SCR harder to review accurately during an inspection.
Where a staff member has lived or worked outside the UK, additional checks are required under paragraph 285 of KCSIE. This is one of the most overlooked requirements, particularly in schools with internationally recruited staff.
"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."
Sharon Little — Operations ManagerOak Academies Trust, Leicestershire
Many schools still manage their Single Central Record on a spreadsheet. It is familiar, free, and can technically record the required information. But the risks are significant.
Spreadsheets have no automatic gap identification. If a check is missing, the spreadsheet does not tell you — you must manually review every row and every column. They are vulnerable to human error, have no audit trail, and if a file is lost, corrupted or saved over, the record may be unrecoverable.
Purpose-built SCR software automatically flags missing or incomplete checks, maintains a clear and structured record, provides an audit trail, and is always immediately accessible. When Ofsted arrives, the record is ready — not hidden in a shared drive.
"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."
Susan Allibone — HR Manager
OnlineSCR has been purpose-built for schools, academies and multi-academy trusts since 2018. It replaces spreadsheets and manual processes with a clear, structured platform that keeps your Single Central Record complete, accurate and always accessible.
| Automatic gap identification Missing or incomplete checks are flagged automatically. You always know exactly where your SCR stands before the inspector arrives. | DBS check ordering Order DBS checks directly from within the platform. Results record automatically against the correct staff member in your SCR. |
| QTS and prohibition checks Order QTS verification and prohibition from teaching checks at the click of a button via Check a Teacher's Record. Results feed straight into your SCR. | Social media checks Order social media checks as a standalone check or as part of your pre-employment process. Results recorded automatically in the SCR. |
| Multi-school and trust visibility MAT users can view compliance across all schools in one dashboard, with the ability to provide individual academy records separately and without delay — exactly as required under KCSIE paragraph 280. | Free telephone support Every subscription includes free ongoing telephone support. Call us on 0151 606 5101 and speak to a real person — no chatbots, no tickets. |
| Free ongoing training As your team changes and KCSIE is updated, we ensure every user is fully trained. No extra cost, ever. | Cloud-based and always accessible Access your SCR from any device, anywhere. Immediately accessible when an inspector arrives — no searching, no delays. |
See why thousands of schools trust OnlineSCR — book your free demo today.
Book a Free DemoDoes the SCR apply to academies and free schools?
Yes. KCSIE September 2025 applies to all schools and colleges in England including maintained schools, academies, free schools, non-maintained special schools and independent schools. All must maintain a Single Central Record.
Can the SCR be held electronically?
Yes. Paragraph 279 of KCSIE September 2025 confirms: "The single central record can be kept in paper or electronic form." The key requirement is that it must be immediately accessible and clearly presented when requested.
How long should copies of DBS certificates be kept?
Paragraph 282 of KCSIE is clear: where a school chooses to retain a copy of a DBS certificate, it should not be kept for longer than six months. Schools do not have to keep copies of DBS certificates to fulfil the duty of maintaining the SCR — they need only record that vetting was carried out, the result and the recruitment decision taken.
What happens if a check is missing when Ofsted arrives?
A missing check is a safeguarding concern. Depending on the number of gaps and the wider context of the inspection, missing checks can affect judgements on leadership and management and on the overall effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements. In serious cases, safeguarding can become a limiting judgement.
Do fee-funded trainee teachers need to be on the SCR?
No. Paragraph 302 of KCSIE September 2025 is explicit: "There is no requirement for the school or college to record details of fee-funded trainees on the single central record." Schools may choose to record this under non-statutory information. Salaried trainees must be included.
Does the SCR need to include agency staff who work for just one day?
Yes. Paragraph 274 of KCSIE September 2025 states that the SCR must cover "agency and third-party supply staff, even if they work for one day." Written confirmation from the agency that checks have been carried out, and the date received, must be recorded.
