Where the name comes from
Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 places duties on local authorities and governing bodies. Section 175(2) says the governing body of a maintained school must make arrangements to make sure its functions are carried out with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are pupils at the school. Section 175(4) says that, in deciding what those arrangements should be, it must have regard to guidance from the Secretary of State. That guidance is Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE), which is issued under section 175.
Academies, free schools and independent schools have an equivalent duty through the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, which are made under section 157 of the same Act. That is why some local areas call their audit a “section 157 audit” or a “175/157 audit”. Colleges and 16 to 19 academies have their own duties under section 175(3) and (3A).
So a “section 175 audit” is a check on how well the school is meeting that duty.
Who asks for it
The audit is not set out in law as a form or a deadline. It comes from local safeguarding arrangements.
Working together to safeguard children 2026, paragraph 83, says that schools, colleges and other education settings, including multi-academy trusts, have a responsibility to play their full part in local safeguarding arrangements. This includes “responding to safeguarding audits of quality and compliance, as requested by the local authority and/or local safeguarding partners”, so that policies match local arrangements and the law. Footnote 35 names the legal bases, including section 175 and section 157 of the Education Act 2002. Paragraph 83 also says settings should report their audits to their governing bodies and proprietors, to be shared as the safeguarding partners request.
KCSIE 2026 paragraph 137 says governing bodies should be prepared to supply information when the safeguarding partners ask for it.
In practice, each local authority or safeguarding partnership sets its own template, deadline and portal. A trust with schools in several areas may need to complete more than one version. Check with your local partnership.
Finding a template
There is no national template. Use your local partnership’s format if it has one, because that is what it will ask you to return. Formats and deadlines differ, for example in 2026:
- Devon asked DSLs to complete its audit and return it by 13 February 2026. Most questions are rated from 1 (“fully embedded and supported by clear evidence”) to 4 (“not yet in place”), and an optional second part covers local priorities.
- East Sussex ran its audit on an online platform, with a deadline of 27 March 2026. Schools choose between the 175 audit and the 157 audits for independent schools.
If you can’t find your area’s version, ask your local authority’s education safeguarding team or the safeguarding partnership’s business unit. If your area doesn’t set one, or you want a self-review between audits, our free safeguarding governor visit and section 175 audit template follows KCSIE 2026 Part two and Ofsted’s safeguarding standards.
What it usually covers
Local templates differ, but most follow the duties in KCSIE Part two:
Local formats usually ask you to rate each area, for example on Devon’s 1 to 4 scale, and to record evidence and actions.
- Leadership and governance. A named DSL and deputies with the time and support they need, a safeguarding governor, and cover arrangements when the DSL is away.
- Policies. A child protection policy reviewed at least once a year, published on the website and in line with local procedures (KCSIE paragraph 123). A staff code of conduct, a behaviour policy and a response to children absent from education.
- Training. Induction for all staff, updates at least once a year, DSL training every two years with an annual refresh, and training for governors.
- Safer recruitment. A complete single central record, trained interview panels and checks on volunteers and contractors.
- Recording and responding to concerns. How concerns are recorded, how quickly they are acted on, referrals to children’s social care, and child protection file transfers.
- Allegations and low-level concerns. Procedures in line with Part four, and contact with the LADO.
- Online safety. Filtering and monitoring reviewed at least once every academic year (paragraph 173), and an annual review of the school’s approach to online safety, which paragraph 181 says schools should consider.
- Curriculum and pupil voice. How pupils learn to keep themselves safe, and how they can report a worry.
- Working with partners. Contact with children’s social care, Family Help and the police, and attendance at child protection meetings.
How to do it well
- Use evidence, not ticks. For each standard, note where the evidence is, such as training records, the single central record or policy review dates.
- Be honest about gaps. The audit is meant to find them. Write an action, an owner and a date for each one.
- Involve the safeguarding governor. Working Together expects the audit to go to the governing body. Many boards ask the link governor to review it before the full board sees it.
- Keep it anonymous. Use counts and trends, not pupils’ names.
- Revisit the action plan. Check progress at least once a term, not just when the next audit is due.
The audit and Ofsted
Ofsted’s inspection information for schools, for use from September 2026, says a school may choose to share a safeguarding audit with inspectors, but this is not a requirement. Inspectors judge whether safeguarding is “met” by looking at culture and practice, including sampling cases and talking to staff and pupils. Even so, a current audit and action plan are a quick way to show leaders and governors know their strengths and gaps.