Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 (KCSIE) defines the safer recruitment standard for all UK schools, multi-academy trusts and colleges. This guide covers what your ATS must do to align: prohibition checks, Section 128 directions, EEA teacher status, two-reference rule, identity and qualification verification, full DBS, and Single Central Record (SCR) export.
The KCSIE 2025 safer recruitment standard
KCSIE 2025 Annex F lists the mandatory pre-employment checks for staff working with children:
- Identity verification (in person at interview)
- Right to work in the UK
- Two written references received before interview
- Qualification verification (originals seen)
- Prohibition from teaching check (DfE)
- Section 128 direction check (management roles in academies)
- EEA teacher status (overseas-trained teachers)
- Childcare disqualification declaration
- Enhanced DBS with Children's Barred List
- Health and physical capacity assessment (where applicable)
What your ATS must do
An ATS for UK schools must enforce each KCSIE check as a non-skippable pipeline stage with timestamp, evidence upload and verifying staff member recorded. Skipping a stage should be technically prevented, not just documented.
Single Central Record (SCR) export
Schools must maintain a Single Central Record listing every safeguarding check for every member of staff. Ofsted inspectors review the SCR. Treegarden's ATS exports the SCR in the columns Ofsted inspects: identity, qualification, prohibition, S128, DBS, child-care, EEA, references. PDF and CSV formats. Updated automatically as new staff are appointed.
MAT-level configuration
Multi-academy trusts configure once at trust level. Each school in the trust gets its own pipeline. Trust HR sees aggregate data. Standardised TLR contracts, M1-UPS3 pay scales, and shared-services workflows templated.
Common KCSIE mistakes
- Receiving references after interview rather than before
- Section 128 check skipped because 'we forgot' (mandatory for academy management)
- EEA teacher status not verified for overseas-trained candidates
- SCR not updated within working week of appointment
- Old DBS certificate accepted (must be Enhanced + Barred List for child-facing roles)
Frequently asked questions
Is the prohibition check the same as DBS?
No. Prohibition from teaching is a DfE register listing teachers banned from teaching following Teaching Regulation Agency hearings. DBS is the criminal record check. Both are separate KCSIE requirements.
Does Treegarden integrate with the DfE Secure Access Service?
Yes. Treegarden's school ATS workflow integrates with DfE Secure Access for direct prohibition list and Section 128 lookups. Result is logged in the candidate record.
What's the difference between DBS Enhanced and Enhanced with Barred List?
Enhanced DBS reveals all convictions, cautions and police-held information relevant to the role. Enhanced with Barred List adds a check against the Children's Barred List (or Adults Barred List for adult social care). For school roles, you typically need Enhanced with Children's Barred List.
How long should I retain SCR records?
DfE guidance: retain SCR records for the duration of employment plus a defined period after (typically 6 years post-leaving for safeguarding-relevant records). Treegarden retains automatically per configured retention policy.
Can supply teachers and bank staff use the same KCSIE workflow?
Yes. Treegarden has a separate workflow for supply and bank staff with annual re-check requirements. The SCR includes both permanent and temporary staff.
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