On the 19th of March, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) announced temporary changes to standard and enhanced ID checking guidelines.

They write that due to "current measures that have been put in place as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, we’re aware that organisations are having difficulty following the DBS ID checking guidance."

This is because it is currently the case that during ID validation, the ID checker must physically possess the original documents whilst carrying out a face-to-face or live video link check. Current guidance states that this is necessary in order to check for indications of fraud.

Due to government advice to work from home where possible, close schools (as of 19th March), close cafes bars and restaurants (as of 20th March), and all individuals to stay indoors (as of 24th March), checkers are now having difficulty receiving the physical documents. In turn this is delaying the identity checking applications and also entirely preventing submissions.

For this reason, the DBS is changing the standard and enhanced* ID checking guidance temporarily. 

As of the 19th of March 2020, the following is now in place:

The ID checker is now able to view ID documents over video link

You are now able to use scanned images in advance of the DBS check being submitted

Please note that the ID applicant will still be required to present the original versions of these documents when they first attend their role. As the ID checker, it is your statutory duty to check this upon commencement of their employment/volunteering role.

*UPDATE 24TH MARCH: This has now been extended to basic DBS checks too, if submitted through a Responsible Organisation. See source.

In order to ensure that you are correctly checking the documents for indicators of fraud, please check the GOV.UK advice here, and if you have any questions about the above, the DBS can be contacted here.

Please note that the DBS Contact Centre has also updated its opening hours* as of today, 20th of March 2020. Rather than opening 8am-6pm Monday to Friday, it will now be open 9am-4pm, and closed on Saturdays:

*UPDATE 24TH MARCH: The DBS Contact Centre is currently closed. Please see the below from gov.uk: 

Due to an ongoing issue following the coronavirus outbreak, the DBS Contact Centre will be closed temporarily while we deep clean the space. We will be in constant review of the situation and aim to reopen the Contact Centre as soon as possible. All updates will be communicated via GOV.UK and Twitter. If you have a general enquiry while the Contact Centre is temporarily unavailable, you can still contact DBS via: email, customerservices@dbs.gov.uk ; email (for barring enquiries): dbsdispatch@dbs.gov.uk ; Twitter: @DBSgovuk

*UPDATE 30TH MARCH: The DBS Contact Centre has reopened. The centre opening times have now been reinstated to those of the 20th March update as above. 

Images and information sourced from GOV.UK – to stay updated, monitor the GOV.UK coronavirus guidance.

DBS releases temporary changes to ID-checking procedures [UPDATED 30 March]

You work in an educational setting and so you've read countless articles about what to do, and what not to do, around the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. But what technology can you use to help you track your institution's next steps?

If you have made yourself aware of the relevant considerations to be taken at an educational setting, you might now be wondering what the best method of tracking each action might be. What tool can you use to ensure that each step has been completed and recorded in a compliant manner, to provide a full historical record?

Mass emailing and notifications to parents and staff members are dated and can be searched, but not easily filtered through when inboxes are overflowing and time is too scarce to apply labels, attach to checklists or aggressively filter into folders and sub-folders accordingly. To-do list technology can keep a list for you, but cannot give you compliant records of when and how such tasks were completed.

What if there was a way to attach those to-do checklists, dates and notes to each individual that you need to contact, so that you have a full record of each action that has been taken, who completed it, and when?

With SCR Tracker's technology, you are able to do just this. What's more is we provide you with a searchable Audit Trail that tracks the exact dates each user records a change to your data.

Above are just two examples of the kind of check-list you might have, kept in electronic form and recorded to provide a historical audit trail. As portrayed, these two sections, and their respective fields, would appear on each staff profile (you can even customise this so that it only shows for Teaching Staff or Support Staff, for example).

If you have sent out a self-disclosure form to staff members, remember to note the date it was signed and returned to you. 

If your staff member has travelled to at-risk countries, you can record a start date for their self-isolation. This would allow you to trigger substitute teaching for the correct dates.

If you have been told a staff member is at greater risk of complications, ensure you have measures in place to mitigate these risks and support your staff. Here, you are able to show that you have considered all avenues and recorded each step. Not only are you doing your due diligence, but you are also providing the most holistic support that you possibly can.

You could even add dates for when your staff members are no longer in isolation, which gives you exact lists of what you will need to action, and when, to support their return. 

You are able to record that you gave each individual access to the cloud-based materials they would need: any contingency plans, guidelines, online learning portals and more.

Our notes sections would give you the opportunity to record any specific extra information they may have given you, or you believe to be of significance. In so doing, you are efficiently safeguarding your staff members andyourself.

Our profiles also allow you to attach documents to each staff record. You could add self-disclosure forms, written guidance, email transcripts, and even risk assessments. 

By using additional section types and fields on SCR Tracker, you would not only be able to record what action has been taken, but also when, and the system records which user is recording any changes. You now have a full check-list for each individual you need to contact, as well as a remote and central location to access such data. 

It is important to note that the above system screenshots merely show an example of what the system can do – this is not what we have set to default, you will not be forced to take these steps. 

Each section type and field can be customised to suit your specific needs – and you can have as few, or as many, fields or sections as you would like. Our main aim is that the system is suited to what you need at your institution.

Furthermore, you are able to bulk edit all of your staff profiles using our spreadsheet-style advanced editor. Say, for example, you sent out the same guidance or confidential documentation to all of your teaching staff on the same date, you would be able to enter that date along the entire column of teachers. 

You can also add your colleagues to the administrative panel of SCR Tracker – that way, you can all help each other with recording what actions have been taken.

All in all, SCR Tracker can help you attach your to-do checklists, dates and notes to each individual that you need to contact, so that you have a full record of each action that has been taken, who completed it, and when. We can give you the peace of mind you need around your contingency plans, actions and records.

Would you like to see what else SCR Tracker can do for your institution? Request a demo today, to see some of the features and benefits you can look forward to. 

Watch our introductory video here. Questions? Contact us here. We look forward to hearing from you!

How to track your COVID-19 response in a compliant manner

There's been a recent surge of online learning activity as schools and universities around the world look for solutions to continue their teaching, learning and student support while institutions close due to the outbreak of Covid-19/coronavirus. 

While this surge will help to protect the well-being of their students, these institutions now face the additional challenge of how to protect students while they learn virtually.

Schools and universities launching virtual learning platforms and online classrooms should review their existing policies and consider implementing specific guidelines.

where students and staff or faculty should be located when they join virtual classrooms. For example, you might want to ensure where possible that individuals do not join virtual sessions from their bedroom, and school students are located in a common space in their house within earshot of parents unless they are having a confidential session (see below)


how staff, faculty and students interact with each other online, what are the do’s and don’ts around language, sharing of any personal contact details and sharing of material during virtual classrooms


Photo by stem.T4L / Unsplash


what staff, faculty and students should do if they are worried about someone or something they witness in an online platform? For example: 


are students able to report easily to a nominated person at the school or university


do staff and faculty know what to do and who to contact if a student becomes distressed during a session?


for schools, are teachers able to contact parents if they are worried? 


for universities, if your protocols do not allow you to contact parents, what other actions can you take?

are staff and faculty able to block a user if that user starts sharing inappropriate material in a virtual break-out session?


do your staff and faculty know how to report any illegal content that might be shared online, both internally within your organisation and externally to law enforcement?


are managers or designated staff able to enter virtual classrooms to monitor lessons on an ad hoc basis? 


is the school or university storing messages so that it can review material afterwards if necessary, and is this being done in accordance with relevant privacy laws in your country?

if it is necessary to have one-to-one counselling sessions virtually, how is the school or university protecting both the student and the counsellor? The same broad principles that apply to in-person sessions should also apply to virtual sessions, including around letting parents know about sessions in advance (for schools), behaviour and boundaries, recording and reporting. Specific considerations include:


do you have a safety plan in place for each student, which sets out what action counsellors should take if they think that a student is at significant or immediate risk of harm?


can your counsellors report to someone if they feel that a student might be developing a crush on them or if they feel that their behaviour might have been misunderstood?


for schools, can you have a parent be present at the start of the session and be nearby in case the student needs support, whilst still maintaining the confidentiality of the session?

For further information about how to protect staff, faculty and young people involved in one to one sessions, see this NSPCC Lone Working Guidance.

How are you adjusting any online monitoring that you already carry out to take into account new virtual activities? Find out more about monitoring for early intervention.

Tim Gerrish (a CIS Affiliated Consultant) and his colleagues at The Child Protection Advisors have drafted a set of guidelines to help navigate these complexities. CIS members can access these guidelines in the CIS Community portals for Schools and Universities.

Katie Rigg is the Head of Safeguarding and Student Well-Being at The Council of International Schools (CIS). Katie’s primary responsibility is to help CIS and school and university members to keep children and young people safe and to support and strengthen their mental health and well-being. In this capacity Katie carries out and supports research into new areas, develops resources, provides guidance and oversees professional development.

Safeguarding implications for online learning

With more than 100,000 cases across the globe, the coronavirus outbreak is a natural source of concern for schools and colleges. Schools in high-risk areas like China have been closed for weeks, and Italy — the worst affected country in Europe — recently announced a national 10-day school shutdown. According to the United Nations, almost 300 million students are currently affected globally. 

All scary-sounding statistics, yet the situation at home remains in containment mode. At the time of writing, 319 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, in the UK. But despite government advice, headteachers have been unsure of the best steps to take. As a result, a number of schools have reportedly closed over fears of spreading the virus. 

If you’re concerned about your school, here’s all the official advice you need to know about and some practical steps to help you prepare for a potential widespread outbreak.

Few coronavirus cases have been seen in children, says the government. “Evidence from China at least would imply children have much less of this disease, either because they get it less often or the version they get is a lot milder,” explained chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty to The Sun.

In fact, most people with coronavirus will not experience a severe infection. (However, the elderly and people in ill health can be at risk of more serious symptoms.) It’s still not 100% clear how the virus spreads, but it’s believed that droplets from coughs or sneezes can transmit it to others.

Public Health England has advised that schools don’t need to close right now. If a student or staff member has returned from a Category 1 area — that’s Wuhei city and Hubei Province in China, Iran, special care zones in South Korea, and quarantined areas in Italy — in the past 14 days, they should remain at home in isolation for two weeks. Anyone who has returned from any part of Italy since the 9th of March is now also being advised to do the same.

Those who have recently visited Category 2 countries — a longer list that includes the rest of China, Japan, and Hong Kong — only need to self-isolate if they develop symptoms. These tend to show up as coughs, fevers, and breathing difficulties.

Within the next two weeks, however, advice may intensify. The government is soon expected to tell anyone with a fever or minor signs of a respiratory tract infection to self-isolate for seven days. It’s part of a bid to delay the peak of the virus until summer when the NHS is more well-equipped to cope.

If pupils or staff are in self-isolation, the rest of the school should carry on as normal, per the government’s action plan. There is also no need for schools to send students home if a pupil or colleague is being tested for coronavirus. But if they receive a positive diagnosis, your local Public Health England Protection Team will be in touch to advise next steps. According to the government, full closures are often unnecessary. 

But if the UK’s coronavirus situation worsens, stricter measures may be put in place to reduce the risk of spreading. This may include social distancing strategies like school closures. However, any tactics “will need to be balanced against their impact on society,” says the action plan — especially the burden on parents.

A Department for Education helpline now exists to answer burning questions from educational staff and parents. Call 0800 046 8687 any time between 8am and 6pm on weekdays.

How to deal with the current coronavirus risk

To help contain the coronavirus outbreak, it’s important to practice basic hygiene and to pass this knowledge on to the school community. Hold an assembly detailing simple ways to prevent spreading germs, and put up posters around the school to emphasise the message.

Here are a few easy things for both staff and students to remember:

Wash your hands as often as you can. This includes before you leave the house, when you arrive at and leave school, before and after eating, and after going to the toilet.

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or the amount of time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.

Use hand sanitiser containing at least 60% alcohol when you don’t have access to soap and water.

Always cough and sneeze into a tissue, and immediately throw the tissue away.

Try not to touch your face with unwashed hands.

Disinfect surfaces and objects that people tend to touch throughout the school day. 

You may also want to hold off booking school trips to at-risk countries. For more prevention information, head straight to the government's educational settings guidance. 

If you suspect a pupil or colleague has coronavirus, don’t shut the school and don’t send the person to a doctor or hospital. Instead, call NHS 111. While waiting for a response, sit the person in an isolated room or at least two metres away from others. Ask them to avoid touching people and objects, and ensure they have a tissue for any coughs and sneezes. (They can sneeze or cough into their elbow if you don’t have tissues to hand.)

When you’ve been given official advice and the person has left the premises, the room should be thoroughly cleaned. Again, you don’t need to take further steps unless told to by health professionals.

Although coronavirus may not spread to all corners of the UK, it’s sensible to start considering how you’d continue teaching if your school were to shut.

With exam time on the horizon, a particular worry may be the fate of your students’ grades. Exam regulator Ofqual told Schools Week it’s working closely with exam boards and the Department for Education, and continues to “consider whether there are particular risks to the smooth running of exams.”

“We will update our existing guidance to reflect any specific arrangements schools and colleges should put in place if required,” the regulator added, advising schools to continue preparing students for exams and to ensure up-to-date contingency plans. Help with contingency planning can be found here.

But it’s not just exams that need attention. One school in Devon was forced to adapt when a case of the virus spelled its closure. Laptops were loaned to students, and online lessons — four blocks of 75 minutes each day — were implemented, with teachers available to mark work and answer questions.

Ask yourself if your school or college can adopt a similar strategy. If so, do students have the resources to work virtually? Or can they be given hard copies of lesson plans? Answering these questions now will save a lot of stress if a national outbreak were to occur. Don’t forget to keep parents informed of any measures that may be put in place and, most importantly, don’t panic.

As Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told the Independent: “The priority must be to minimise the disruption to the learning of students.” Only time will tell if disruption is on the horizon for education across the UK.

How schools should react to the coronavirus outbreak

In 2019, Oxford Dictionaries declared ‘climate emergency’ the word of the year. And it’s no wonder. The #FridaysForFuture movement saw millions band together to strike against government inaction, leading to local jurisdictions across the globe declaring their own climate emergencies. In fact, almost all the councils in Britain have done so. 

Schools, too, have taken action. But only a handful of UK schools have declared climate emergencies. Plus, a debate still rages among school staff over allowing students to strike. So should all be in favour of responding strongly to the climate crisis, or should educational institutions carry on as normal?

The first country to force schools to teach about climate change was Italy. In December 2019, its education minister said sustainability and the climate would be “the centre of the education model”, requiring state schools to implement relevant lessons for 33 hours a year.

Climate change is a mandatory part of the UK curriculum. As Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said in a statement: it forms “part of the programmes of study in Key Stage 3 and 4 science and geography. Many schools will also discuss the issue in other forums, such as through assemblies and class projects.”

Despite this requirement, it’s difficult to form a clear picture of students’ climate knowledge. (Some schools may focus on the topic more than others.) What is clear, however, is some students’ frustration. Almost a year ago, four 15-year-old pupils from Oxford petitioned the education secretary to make climate change a core part of the national curriculum. “We’ve barely learned about the climate crisis at school,” they wrote. 92,000 people have supported their rallying cries.

A school’s responsibility is first and foremost to its pupils: preparing them for the outside world and equipping them with the tools to tackle any situation. The education system is not there to create panic, it’s true. But the science doesn’t lie. Climate change is real and future generations will bear the brunt. But they also have the power to make a difference.

Surely, the question isn’t: Should schools respond? It’s more a question of how. Firstly, take responsibility. The government seems unlikely to implement change, but there are 30,000 schools across the UK that can recognise their power and act. Acting, however, needn’t involve long periods of discussion. If the climate emergency is to be treated as such, it requires urgent attention and adjustments.

Changes to the curriculum are an obvious first step. “There is a strong argument for climate change to feature more prominently in the curriculum, not only in terms of studying its environmental impact, but also focusing on renewable energy and green technology,” Barton says. (Academies and independent schools have more free rein in this area. Schools that follow the national curriculum can push for reform via local authorities and teacher organisations.)

Schools should “be embedding Education for Sustainable Development into their curriculum — not as a standalone subject, but into each subject,” adds Rosie Saban, PR and policy officer for EAUC (the Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education). “It has relevance to everything, and the only way to make progress towards emissions reduction is if there is far better education on the topic.”

Barton advocates a “comprehensive review” of the current curriculum “to ensure it is fit for the future.” But, as he explains, “this sort of adjustment could not be done in isolation.” Three-quarters of teachers felt they hadn’t been properly trained on the climate crisis, found a recent Oxfam-commissioned poll. And unconfident teachers are likely to lead to unsuccessful education. 

An online accreditation scheme, like EduCCate Global, can help teachers better understand the issues and learn how to teach them effectively. When it comes to lesson plan inspiration, organisations such as World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have numerous resources for pupils of all ages.

As well as making staff feel comfortable with a climate-focused curriculum, it is important for them to have an individual or group to turn to for support. Schools can consider using one of their Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) positions to appoint a climate change coordinator. (The United Nations is set to provide extra funding for this role, according to a National Education Union guide.)

Alternatively, a climate committee could be set up to discuss issues and formulate policies. This may involve not just school staff, but parents, students, members from the local community and other schools or colleges. Schools that are part of a multi-academy trust luckily already have this support network.

Students also need to feel engaged and empowered. Lively debates and discussions can help, but allowing pupils to lead can be even more effective. Let them form an eco council, organise a march, or even declare a school climate emergency. (Here’s a how-to for the latter option.) Again, organisations exist to help young people create planetary change; Eco Schools, Bright Green Future and the Foundation for Environmental Education are just three.

Last but certainly not least, schools need to examine their personal environmental footprint. Schools are responsible for around 2% of UK greenhouse gas emissions; simple changes can reduce that figure. For example, examine how to make your buildings and facilities net zero, says Saban, and track your school’s emissions.

Involving students in this area is yet another way of preparing them for the future. Encourage their participation in discussions surrounding energy usage, waste reduction and the design of new buildings, and utilise programmes such as Less CO2 to pave the way to a more sustainable educational environment.

All of the above may sound like a great degree of work. In reality, the climate crisis is a chance to avoid stagnation; to give both teachers and students a greater sense of purpose and a combined goal. Set the foundations and the rewards are bound to follow.

Should schools respond to the climate crisis, and if so, how?

As finalists in the "Leadership and Management Solutions" category this year, we at SCR Tracker were so excited to be attending the Bett Awards 2020. 

We arrived and were greeted upon arrival with a glass of champagne, and began to mingle with the other guests. Some had been nominated consecutively year after year, and others were first timers like us. It was great to hear from guests who had travelled far for the evening, and to hear from people who had attended this year's popular Bett Show earlier the same day.

During the dinner we were entertained by comedian Sally Phillips, and enjoyed meeting new acquaintances on our table.  We ate good food and heard about each other's experiences within the education sector, ranging from the challenges of working for a £30bn company to those working for a young startup based up North.

The Awards Ceremony began and the Impact Award was up first. One of the shortlisted organisations was nominated for, amongst other things, using digital technology to improve their safeguarding, and they use our single central record software to do this! We waited with bated breath. 

And the winner is.... Northern Education Trust! We were beyond excited and cheered loudly. It's great to see our clients recognised for their hard work, and we are proud to be working with each and every one of our amazing organisations to help them improve their safeguarding practices.

The time came for our category 'Leadership and Management Solutions', where we learned that SCR Tracker had been awarded 'Highly Commended' by the Bett Show Judges! We were ecstatic! To be up against so many incredible finalists (most much larger than ourselves!), we were so thrilled to be recognised for our brilliant software.

The Bett Awards Judges commented that SCR Tracker "demonstrated an entrepreneurial approach, they spotted an opportunity and created a solution which helps schools to fulfil their legal obligation in their core function of safeguarding young people."

Thank you to the Bett Awards for a wonderful evening and start to 2020 – we are very excited for the Bett Show and Awards next year!

SCR Tracker wins Highly Commended Award at Bett Awards 2020

Catch up with the latest in safeguarding

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