Single central record template

A free single central record for schools in England, with a column for every check Keeping children safe in education 2026 requires.

Download for Excel (.xlsx)

The spreadsheet has one sheet each for staff, supply staff, volunteers, governors and contractors, with a frozen header row and Yes/No lists. It also opens in Google Sheets and LibreOffice. Free to use and adapt. It holds personal data once filled in, so keep it secure. To print, use your browser’s Print command (Ctrl+P, or Cmd+P on a Mac).

Free template · pupilprotect.co.uk/tools

Single central record

School: ______________________________ Page ____ of ____

One row per person. Record the date each check was completed or certificate obtained, not just a tick (KCSIE 2026, paragraph 350). Remove people once they no longer work at the school (paragraph 351). In a multi-academy trust, keep it so each academy’s entries can be produced separately and without delay (paragraph 354).

Staff, including salaried trainee teachers

Required for all staff, including teacher trainees on salaried routes (paragraphs 348 to 350).

Surname	First name	Role	Start date	Identity check (date)Paragraph 350	Qualifications check, where required (date)Paragraph 350	Prohibition from teaching check (date)Paragraph 350	Section 128 check, for management positions (date)Paragraph 350 (academies, free schools and independent schools)	Standalone children’s barred list check (date)Paragraph 350	Enhanced DBS with children’s barred list: requested or certificate provided (date)Paragraph 350	DBS certificate dateFootnote 97 (required for independent schools and non-maintained special schools)	DBS certificate numberOptional (paragraph 352)	Checks for anyone who lived or worked outside the UK (date, or N/A)Paragraphs 350 and 359 to 363	Right to work in the UK check (date)Paragraph 350	Checked byOptional (paragraph 352)	Notes

Agency and third-party supply staff

Required, even if they work for one day (paragraphs 348 and 349).

Surname	First name	Agency or organisation	Role	First day at the school	Written confirmation of the agency’s checks received?Paragraphs 349 and 364	Date confirmation receivedParagraph 349	Enhanced DBS certificate details provided?Paragraph 349	Copy of certificate obtained, if it disclosed anything?Paragraph 365	Identity checked on arrival (date)Paragraph 367	Checked byOptional (paragraph 352)	Notes

Volunteers

Optional on the single central record (paragraph 352), but you must be able to show your checks and risk assessments.

Surname	First name	Role or activity	Start date	In regulated activity (frequently, more than 3 days in 30, or overnight)?Paragraph 383	Identity check (date)	Enhanced DBS with children’s barred list (date)Paragraphs 383 and 385	Other DBS check, if not in regulated activity (level and date)Paragraph 389	Written risk assessment (date)Paragraphs 388 to 390	Checked byOptional (paragraph 352)	Notes, including supervisionParagraph 387

Governors, trustees and members

Academies, free schools and independent schools must record all members of the proprietor body (paragraph 348). Maintained schools may record governors’ checks (paragraphs 352 and 393).

Surname	First name	Role (governor, trustee, member, local committee)	Date appointed	Identity check (date)Paragraph 400	Enhanced DBS check (date)Paragraphs 391, 400, 403 and 404	Section 128 check (date)Paragraphs 393, 401 and 404	Checks for anyone who lived or worked outside the UK (date, or N/A)Paragraph 402	In regulated activity? (barred list check needed)Paragraph 392	Checked byOptional (paragraph 352)	Notes

Contractors

Optional on the single central record (paragraph 352). Set your safeguarding requirements in the contract (paragraph 368).

Surname	First name	Company	Work and location	In regulated activity?Paragraph 369	Regular contact with children?Paragraph 370	DBS level (enhanced with barred list, enhanced, or basic) and dateParagraphs 369 to 372	Confirmation from the contractor’s employer (date)Paragraph 369	Identity checked on arrival (date)Paragraph 373	Supervision arrangementsParagraph 371	Notes

Based on Keeping children safe in education 2026 (DfE, statutory guidance, in force from 1 September 2026), Part three, paragraphs 347 to 404, checked 20 October 2026. Free template from Pupil Protect: pupilprotect.co.uk/tools. Guidance, not legal advice.

What the single central record must hold

Every column in the template comes from Part three of KCSIE 2026. Columns marked optional are ones paragraph 352 says you may add.

This is guidance, not legal advice. For which checks each role needs, use safer recruitment checks by role. For a definition, see single central record (SCR).

Who must be on it
For schools: all staff, including teacher trainees on salaried routes, and agency and third-party supply staff, even if they work for one day. For independent schools, including academies and free schools: all members of the proprietor body, which in an academy trust means the members and trustees. Fee-funded trainees don’t have to be on it.
KCSIE 2026, paragraphs 348 and 376
The checks to record, each with its date
Whether each check was carried out or certificate obtained, and the date: an identity check; a standalone children’s barred list check; an enhanced DBS check with children’s barred list check, requested or certificate provided; a prohibition from teaching check; further checks on people who have lived or worked outside the UK; a check of professional qualifications, where required; and a right to work in the UK check.
KCSIE 2026, paragraph 350
Section 128 checks
Independent schools, including academies and free schools, must record the section 128 checks for those in management positions. Schools should also carry out a section 128 check for governors, and can record it on the single central record if they choose.
KCSIE 2026, paragraphs 350 and 393
Supply staff
Record whether you have written confirmation that the agency has carried out the relevant checks and obtained the certificates, the date you received it, and whether details of an enhanced DBS certificate have been provided. If the certificate disclosed anything, get a copy from the agency. Check the person who arrives is the person who was checked.
KCSIE 2026, paragraphs 349 and 364 to 367
Date of the DBS certificate
Independent schools and non-maintained special schools should also record the date on which any certificate was obtained.
KCSIE 2026, footnote 97
Volunteers, governors, contractors and who checked
You are free to record other information, for example checks on volunteers and governors, training dates, and the name of the person who carried out each check. That is why the template has optional sheets for volunteers, governors and contractors, and a “Checked by” column.
KCSIE 2026, paragraph 352
Paper or electronic, and leavers
The record can be on paper or electronic. Remove people once they no longer work at the school. A multi-academy trust must be able to produce each academy’s details separately and without delay, for example for inspectors.
KCSIE 2026, paragraphs 351, 353 and 354
Copies of documents
You don’t have to keep copies of DBS certificates. If you choose to, have a valid reason and don’t keep them for more than six months. Copies of documents used to check identity, right to work and qualifications go on the personnel file.
KCSIE 2026, paragraphs 355 to 357

Pupil Protect Staff keeps the single central record as you go

Staff keeps your single central record, safer recruitment and training records in one place. Visitors matches expected supply staff, volunteers and governors to their entry on the record, and flags anyone missing before they arrive.

See the single central record in Staff

Questions about the single central record

What must be recorded on the single central record?

Whether each pre-appointment check was carried out or certificate obtained, and the date: identity, standalone children’s barred list check, enhanced DBS check with barred list, prohibition from teaching, checks for people who have lived or worked outside the UK, professional qualifications where required, and right to work in the UK (KCSIE 2026, paragraph 350). Independent schools and academies also record section 128 checks for those in management positions.

Do volunteers go on the single central record?

They don’t have to. KCSIE 2026 says schools are free to record other information, including checks on volunteers (paragraph 352). Many schools do, so all their checks are in one place. Since 1 September 2026, volunteers who teach, train, instruct or supervise children frequently, on more than 3 days in 30, or overnight are in regulated activity and need an enhanced DBS check with barred list information (paragraph 383).

Do supply teachers need to be on the single central record?

Yes, even if they work for one day. Record whether you have written confirmation of the agency’s checks, the date you got it, and whether details of an enhanced DBS certificate have been provided (KCSIE 2026, paragraphs 348 and 349).

Do governors go on the single central record?

In academies, free schools and independent schools, all members of the proprietor body must be on it (paragraph 348). Maintained school governors need an enhanced DBS check and a section 128 check, but don’t have to be on the record, though you can add them (paragraphs 391, 352 and 393).

Can the single central record be a spreadsheet?

Yes. KCSIE 2026 says it can be kept on paper or electronically (paragraph 353). Keep it secure, because it holds personal data, and make sure you can produce it quickly for inspectors.

Sources

Checked 20 October 2026.

Keeping children safe in education 2026 (DfE, statutory guidance, in force from 1 September 2026), Part three, paragraphs 347 to 404.
Keeping children safe in education 2026 (PDF, DfE statutory guidance, in force from 1 September 2026)

Safer recruitment checks by role · Single central record (SCR) · All free tools