This article is part of the Ultimate Guide to Single Central Record Management.
Managing the Single Central Record (SCR) across a Multi Academy Trust is no small task. With the legal responsibility sitting firmly at the Trust level, getting it wrong can have serious consequences, from failed inspections to safeguarding breaches.
Spreadsheets and generic MIS / HR solutions might once have been enough to manage, but with ever increasing requirements and staff numbers, it’s time to consider a dedicated SCR and safeguarding platform.
In this article, we explore five of the most common pitfalls we see when it comes to managing the SCR for Multi Academy Trusts and how you can avoid them.
Mistake 1. Relying on Spreadsheets or Generic MIS/HR Systems
Spreadsheets are still widely used by MATs to manage SCR compliance. Others rely on MIS or HR systems that offer some SCR functionality. But these tools were not built for safeguarding oversight. Most lack core features such as:
- Role-based access control: this is critical for providing different levels of access to various stakeholders. While school administrators need full control to update and edit records, governors / Trustees only need oversight and must not be allowed to change information.
- Change logs or audit trails: it is now standard practice for Ofsted to ask for audit trails, something which spreadsheets are not designed to do. While you can enter this information manually, it defeats the purpose because any information can be changed or deleted at a future date.
- Inspection-ready reporting: With Ofsted stepping up the frequency of visits and statutory reporting requirements only ever increasing, it’s important to take the guess work out whether you’re compliant or not. While spreadsheets and MIS systems enable you to store information, they do little to cross reference or score your data against what is required.
- Automated reminders for vetting renewals: The major benefit of good software platforms is that they can be ever vigilant. While you can record dates in spreadsheets, you have to manually track these. That’s admin work that can be completely automated with a dedicated SCR system.
The major issue with relying on spreadsheets is that all of the issues we’ve just covered compound and create an ever increasing amount of work for school business managers managing the SCR.
At a Trust level, the result is a fragmented picture of compliance across schools. When Ofsted calls, leaders are often left scrambling to verify records they did not input and cannot easily verify.
How to fix it: School SCR is a purpose-built SCR platform that integrates with your existing MIS or HR system. As a MAT-first platform, the system provides the visibility, automation, and audit-ready reporting needed to manage risk effectively across multiple schools.
Mistake 2. Inconsistent Practice Across Schools
When schools manage their own SCRs independently, it’s common to see variations in process and consistency. Some schools may be recording everything meticulously, while others have significant gaps. Common issues include:
- Missing DBS numbers or check dates
- Unexplained gaps in employment
- Overseas checks or Right to Work not carried out where required
- Lack of documented references
- Documents stored across multiple places / locations and not easily accessible
This inconsistency undermines Trust-wide compliance and makes strategic safeguarding oversight near impossible.
How to fix it: Standardise your approach. School SCR allows you to set and enforce group-wide requirements across all schools, with a live dashboard showing you what is missing and where.
Mistake 3. All the work on one person’s shoulders
In many schools, the SCR is typically managed by one person, often the business manager. If that person is away or leaves, no one might be able to seamlessly pick up the work. This can create situations where you don’t know what has been completed or what is outstanding. As a Trust, you’re left very exposed.
This is becoming a real challenge as long serving, experienced school administrators are leaving the profession.
How to fix it: School SCR allows you to assign clear roles and responsibilities. Every school should have a named SCR owner and reviewer. Your central team should have access to monitor compliance across sites, without needing to request spreadsheets or updates.
A good SCR system for MATs makes this simple with role-based permissions, termly review tools, and a full audit trail of changes.
Mistake 4. Manual Workload Leading to Missed Checks
Keeping up with SCR tasks manually can quickly become overwhelming. Busy school staff may fall behind on:
- DBS and barred list renewals
- Safer recruitment checks
- Policy sign-offs and safeguarding training
- Creating audit trails and change logs
- Preparing reports for governors / Trust
These oversights are rarely deliberate, but they still count during inspection. The SCR is perhaps the highest risk process in any school - just one single mistake or missed check can result in a serious Ofsted judgment.
Ofsted themselves frequently highlight this. The most common reason that a school receives a downgrading after inspection is a failure in managing the SCR / Safer Recruitment processes.
At a Trust level, the admin burden of managing multiple spreadsheets or legacy systems only adds to the risk.
How to fix it: Automation is our friend. School SCR runs daily compliance checks so you don’t have to. The system will instantly alert you to missing items or gaps in records, and even sends email reminders about expiring documents. This not only reduces workload but improves accuracy and peace of mind.
5. Treating the SCR as Just an Admin Task
The landscape is changing. From September 2025, Ofsted will expect MATs to demonstrate safeguarding leadership, not just compliance. Inspectors will look for evidence that safeguarding is actively led, embedded in strategy, and supported by robust systems.
An out-of-date spreadsheet cannot deliver this.
How to fix it: Treat your SCR as a strategic safeguarding tool. Use your data to inform Trust-wide improvements. Schedule termly reviews with your DSLs and governance teams. Ensure every compliance issue has an owner and an action plan.
A smart SCR system helps you move from firefighting to foresight.
Final Thoughts
If you recognise one or more of these pitfalls in your Trust, it is time to rethink how you manage safeguarding and compliance. The SCR for Multi Academy Trusts should not be a source of stress or uncertainty. With the right tools and processes, it can become a powerful asset - reducing admin, improving oversight, and strengthening your safeguarding culture.
Ready to take control of your MAT SCR?
Try the free version and see how School SCR helps MATs modernise safeguarding compliance with clarity, confidence and control.
