Your SCR is more than a spreadsheet, it’s your first line of defence.

If you're responsible for safeguarding in a UK school or Trust, you already know the Single Central Record (SCR) is non-negotiable. It’s where you track vital vetting checks and prove your compliance with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE).

But here’s the problem: Too many schools still rely on outdated, error-prone spreadsheets and when Ofsted turn up, that’s a risk you can’t afford.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to stay safe, inspection-ready, and fully compliant in 2025.

1. What Is the Single Central Record?

The Single Central Record (SCR) is a statutory safeguarding requirement for all schools and academies in England. It’s a live document that proves your school has carried out the required pre-employment checks on staff, governors, and other adults who work or volunteer in your setting.

Put simply, it’s your evidence that every adult in your school has been properly vetted.

Who Needs an SCR?

All maintained schools, academies, independent schools, and Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) are legally required to keep an up-to-date SCR. In MATs, each school must have its own record, but the Trust itself also holds compliance responsibility.

What Does the Law Say?

The legal basis for the SCR comes from the Department for Education's statutory guidance: Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE). This guidance is updated annually, and it sets out exactly what checks must be included, who they apply to, and how they should be recorded.

The SCR isn’t just about ticking boxes. It's a critical part of safer recruitment and your safeguarding culture. Ofsted inspectors will look at it closely and any gaps can quickly raise concerns.

You can deep dive into the SCR if you want to more specifics and links to relevant legislation.

2. What Should Be Recorded in the SCR?

Your Single Central Record must include evidence that statutory pre-employment checks have been carried out for all relevant individuals. These are the core checks outlined in Keeping Children Safe in Education.

Core SCR Checks to Include:

• Identity check
  Confirm the individual’s name, date of birth, and address using official documentation (e.g. passport, driving licence).
• Enhanced DBS check
  All staff in regulated activity must undergo an enhanced criminal record check through the Disclosure and Barring Service.
• Children’s Barred List check
  A check against the list of individuals barred from working with children—required for anyone in regulated activity.
• Prohibition from Teaching check
  Must be completed for all teaching staff. This verifies if an individual has been prohibited from teaching by the Teaching Regulation Agency.
• Section 128 check
  Required for leadership positions (e.g. headteachers, governors). This checks for individuals banned from school management roles.
• Overseas checks
  Additional checks are required if the individual has lived or worked outside the UK in the last 5 years. This includes letters of professional standing and overseas criminal checks.
• Right to work in the UK
  Every employer has a legal duty to check that new hires are eligible to work in the UK.

Each of these checks must be clearly recorded, dated, and show who carried out the check. Missing dates or vague entries like "DBS done" can flag problems during an audit.

Read up on how to audit your SCR in just 30 minutes

3. Who Should Be on the SCR?

Knowing who to include on your SCR is just as important as knowing what to record.

Individuals to Include:

• Employees – All staff who work at the school or Trust site
• Agency and supply staff – Must be included with confirmation of vetting checks from the agency
• Volunteers – Whether regular or occasional, volunteers must be risk-assessed and may require the same checks as staff
• Governors and trustees – All should be included, especially if they have regular contact with children
• Contractors – If they work regularly on-site or unsupervised, vetting checks may be required
• Caterers, cleaners, site staff – If employed by the school or regularly on site, they need to be included

Special Considerations for MATs

Each school in a MAT must have its own SCR, but central staff (e.g. Trust executives, finance officers) must also be tracked on a Trust-wide SCR. A common mistake is assuming school-level SCRs cover everyone, but central employees often fall through the cracks.

4. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even well-run schools can trip up on the details. Here are some of the most frequent SCR compliance errors we see and how to fix them.

Top Mistakes:

• Using Excel without version control
  Spreadsheets are easy to change, and there's often no audit trail to show who made updates or when.
• Inconsistent processes across MAT schools
  Without standardisation, each school may apply different vetting standards, leaving the Trust exposed.
• Missing dates or checkers
  Every entry should include both the date of the check and the person who completed it. Ofsted will ask for this.
• Forgetting Section 128 for leaders and governors
  Many schools still miss this statutory check for senior leaders and governors.
• Not logging overseas checks or professional standing letters
  Especially for teachers trained abroad, failure to document these checks is a red flag.

Avoiding these issues isn’t just about following the rules, it’s about building trust and demonstrating a strong safeguarding culture.

The Section 128 check causes more confusion than any other. Read the Section 128 explainer to understand what they, who needs them, and when you need to order them.

5. Auditing and Reviewing the SCR 

A good audit routine is the difference between feeling confident or being caught off-guard.

Here’s a simple internal audit framework to follow:

• Monthly spot checks – Pick 5 random staff and cross-check their entries against evidence (e.g. DBS certificate, ID)
• Termly review – DSL or SBM reviews the full SCR, identifying any gaps or overdue renewals
• Annual Trust-level audit – Use a standard checklist (like ours) to benchmark across all schools and report to governors

Don’t forget: Ofsted inspectors expect to see evidence that your SCR is not only accurate but regularly reviewed. That means noting the date of your last audit and who completed it.

Audit Best Practices

• Conduct internal audits termly
  Use a checklist to verify each check is in place, up to date, and properly recorded.
• Spot check individual records
  Pick 5–10 staff at random and audit their checks from start to finish.
• Use RAG-rated dashboards
  Platforms like School SCR make it easy to spot overdue or missing entries at a glance.

6. The SCR in a Multi-Academy Trust Context

For MATs, the challenge is scaling compliance without overwhelming schools.

Here’s a step-by-step approach to build consistency:

1. Agree on a standard SCR format
    Define mandatory fields and vetting checks based on KCSIE and your Trust policies.
2. Roll out that format to all schools
    Using School SCR, you can set this as a Trust-wide policy and push updates centrally.
3. Create dual accountability
    Each school should have an SCR owner, but the Trust team must be able to see and audit all records in real time.
4. Build in reporting
    Provide termly compliance summaries to trustees. Use dashboards to highlight risk areas and demonstrate strategic safeguarding leadership.

By centralising oversight, MATs not only improve safeguarding but they also save hours in admin and governance reporting.

Read the 5 most common pitfalls in MAT single central record management.

Key Considerations for MATs:

• Centralisation vs delegation
  Each school needs autonomy, but the Trust must have oversight. A central dashboard allows both.
• Governance and accountability
  Trustees and executive leaders need clear, shareable reports to demonstrate safeguarding leadership.
• Standardisation across sites
  Agree a consistent policy for what to record, then roll it out across all schools.

7. Section 128 and Other Vetting Checks

The Section 128 direction is one of the most misunderstood checks yet it’s vital for school leadership compliance.

What Is a Section 128 Check?

A Section 128 direction prevents unsuitable individuals from holding management positions in schools. It’s separate from the DBS and must be checked for:

• Headteachers
• Senior leaders
• Governors and trustees
• Trust executives

It must be recorded on your SCR, with the date checked and the person who conducted it.

Key Differences from DBS

• DBS checks criminal records and barring lists
• Section 128 checks for professional misconduct or management bans

You must complete both for eligible roles. Missing this check is a common trigger for inspection concerns.

8. Who Should Access and Manage the SCR?

The Single Central Record is a sensitive safeguarding document. That means access must be tightly controlled, while ensuring the right people can keep it accurate and inspection-ready.

Who Should Manage the SCR?

Every school should have a named SCR owner, usually the School Business Manager, HR lead, or designated safeguarding administrator. This person is responsible for:

• Updating the SCR as new staff join or leave
• Recording checks in a timely and accurate manner
• Flagging missing or overdue items
• Preparing the SCR for inspection or audit

In Multi-Academy Trusts, each school’s SCR should be locally managed, but Trust-level oversight is essential. A central compliance or operations lead should have access to all SCRs, with the ability to:

• Monitor compliance across all sites
• Identify patterns or gaps
• Report to the executive team or board
• Drive consistency in approach and format

Who Should Have Access?

Because the SCR contains sensitive personal information, access must be limited to staff with a clear safeguarding or operational need.

Recommended access levels:

• Designated SCR Owner (e.g. SBM, HR): Full edit access. Responsible for updating records
• DSL / Headteacher: Read-only or edit. Oversight of safeguarding compliance
• Trust Safeguarding/Compliance Lead: Read-only or edit. Trust-wide assurance and reporting
• Governors / Trustees: Read-only. Strategic oversight (termly reviews only)
• IT / Admin staff: No access. Unless directly involved in vetting or SCR maintenance

This keeps your records safe, your data secure, and your team aligned on responsibilities.

9. Why Schools Are Switching from Spreadsheets to School SCR

Spreadsheets may seem easy but they come with a hidden cost: time, risk, and stress. School SCR is the the most advanced dedicated SCR and vetting platform available, trusted by MATs and schools to make compliance safer, faster, and easier.

Benefits of School SCR:

• Built for compliance, not just data entry
• Automates vetting checks and reminders
• RAG-rated dashboards and daily audits
• Full audit trail for every change
• Easy onboarding from your existing spreadsheet
• An average workload saving of 2–4 hours every week

10. Get a free SCR Audit Today

Not sure if your Single Central Record is fully compliant? We’ve got you covered.

Sign up for a free School SCR account and get an instant SCR audit, completely free.

We’ll highlight any gaps, flag missing checks, and show you exactly where your record stands against KCSIE and Ofsted expectations.