Safer Recruitment in Schools: Best Practice Guidance

Recruiting staff is one of the most important responsibilities a school undertakes. Every appointment, whether permanent, temporary, or voluntary, carries with it the duty to protect children from harm.

Part 3 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025 makes clear that safer recruitment is about far more than completing a set of checks at the end of the process. It is about embedding safeguarding into every stage of recruitment, from the first advert through to the induction and training of new staff.

When done properly, safer recruitment builds confidence that everyone working in a school shares the same commitment: to keep children safe.

Embedding a Safeguarding Culture from the Start

A safeguarding culture is communicated from the very first advert. Every advert should make explicit the school’s commitment to child protection and state that rigorous pre-employment checks will be carried out. This not only acts as a deterrent to unsuitable applicants but also reassures parents and the wider community that safeguarding is taken seriously.

Job descriptions and person specifications should set out the safeguarding responsibilities attached to the role. For example, a teaching assistant post might highlight the expectation that the role involves reporting concerns to the DSL, promoting safe online use, and modelling positive behaviour. By embedding safeguarding expectations into documentation, schools ensure that candidates understand what will be required of them before they apply.

Governors and leaders must also ensure that the school has a safer recruitment policy, integrated within the wider child protection framework, and that this is reviewed regularly.

The Application Process

In line with Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) schools must insist on their own application forms rather than CVs. CVs alone do not provide the level of detail needed to scrutinise an individual’s employment history. Application forms should capture a full record of employment, qualifications, and references, with explanations for any gaps.

Careful scrutiny of applications is essential. Gaps in employment should never be ignored, and frequent changes of employment or vague reasons for leaving roles should be followed up. Shortlisting should also include an online search of shortlisted candidates, as required by KCSIE 2025. This is about reviewing publicly available information, such as news articles or open social media content, for anything that may indicate a safeguarding risk.

References and Pre-Interview Checks

References are a vital safeguard. At least one reference should be obtained before the interview, wherever possible. They should come directly from referees, ideally current or most recent employers, and must comment on the candidate’s suitability to work with children. If a reference is vague or incomplete, schools should follow up by phone or in writing.

The Interview

Interviews provide the opportunity to test both professional competence and safeguarding attitudes. Every interview should include safeguarding-related questions such as: ‘What would you do if a child disclosed something to you?’ or ‘How would you respond if you were concerned about a colleague’s behaviour?’

Panels should include at least two members, with at least one having completed accredited safer recruitment training. Interviews should also revisit any anomalies in employment history or references to ensure nothing is left unexplained.

Pre-Appointment Vetting and Checks

For trainee teachers, schools must obtain written confirmation from the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) provider that all the necessary checks have been carried out.

No candidate should begin working with children until checks are complete. If, in exceptionally circumstances, someone must start work before all checks are finalised, a written risk assessment and robust supervision must be in place.

Volunteers, Supply Staff and Contractors

Safer recruitment also applies to adults who are not directly employed by the school.

Volunteers: The level of checking depends on whether the role is regulated activity. If not, schools must carry out a written risk assessment to determine appropriate checks. Where volunteers are regularly working in regulated activity, an enhanced DBS check with barred list information is required.

Supply staff: When using agencies, schools must obtain written confirmation that all required checks have been completed. Schools also retain the right to see the original DBS certificate of agency staff if they wish, and must still verify identity on arrival.

Contractors: Those engaging in regulated activity require enhanced DBS checks. Where contractors are not in regulated activity, schools should put risk assessments and supervision in place to reduce potential risks.

Checks on Governors and Trustees

KCSIE 2025 makes clear that those who govern schools must also be subject to safer recruitment checks. All governors in maintained schools must undergo an enhanced DBS check (without barred list). In academies, free schools, and independent schools, the same requirement applies to trustees, proprietors, and directors. These checks should also be recorded on the Single Central Record.

The Single Central Record

The Single Central Record (SCR) is a statutory requirement and the cornerstone of safer recruitment monitoring. It must contain details of all required checks for staff, supply staff, governors, contractors, and volunteers working in regulated activity.

The SCR should be reviewed and updated regularly, and Ofsted will routinely examine it during inspections. A well-maintained SCR demonstrates a school’s commitment to rigorous safeguarding practice.

Induction, Training and Ongoing Culture

Recruitment does not end with the job offer. Induction is the first chance to embed safeguarding into a new member of staff’s professional life. All new starters should receive Part 1 (or Annex A, depending on their role) of KCSIE 2025, the school’s child protection policy, and the staff code of conduct. They must know who the DSL and deputies are, how to report concerns, and what is expected of them in daily practice.

For Early Career Teachers (ECTs), safeguarding must be a central part of their induction and professional development. Schools should ensure that safeguarding knowledge is not only covered during ITT but also revisited and reinforced throughout the ECT induction period. This includes understanding school systems, building confidence in responding to concerns, and embedding safe professional boundaries.

Leaders must also monitor new staff closely in their early months, offering supervision and support to ensure that conduct remains safe and consistent with the school’s safeguarding culture.

A strong safeguarding culture is maintained when every adult, teachers, support staff, volunteers, governors, contractors, and supply staff, understands that vigilance is part of their role. Leaders must continue to model best practice and reinforce the message that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

Safer recruitment is not a checklist to be ticked off. It is the golden thread running through every stage of the hiring process. From the first advert to induction and ongoing training, schools must make safeguarding central and visible. By following the expectations of Part 3 of KCSIE 2025 in full, schools can ensure that every adult appointed strengthens a culture of vigilance and care, helping to create an environment where children are safe, supported, and able to thrive.

Sara Spinks

SSS Author & Former Headteacher

17 September 2025