Enhanced DBS checks for international schools and SCR

The Disclosure and Barring Service issues criminal record checks in England and Wales. Schools use the top level for staff who work closely with pupils. The sector calls this an Enhanced DBS check with a children barred list check.

A basic or standard check is not enough for teaching or pastoral care. The enhanced level searches UK police files for both spent and unspent convictions. It also asks local police forces for any relevant notes.

When a post involves regular contact with pupils, the school must check the children barred list. This list names adults who are banned by law from working with children.

Schools log the certificate number and issue date on their Single Central Record. BSO and COBIS teams check these fields first when reviewing safer hiring files.

• Enhanced level: Shows spent convictions, unspent convictions, cautions, and police notes.
• Barred list check: Confirms the person is not banned from working with children.
• School roles: Covers teachers, classroom aides, coaches, nurses, and regular volunteers.
• Paper check: Requires HR to view the original paper certificate in person.

Under KCSIE and BSO rules, schools must check a new hire across each country where they have lived. When a teacher has lived or worked in the UK, their UK police record must be checked.

Schools abroad with a UK office or an approved umbrella body can request an Enhanced DBS check before the teacher leaves the UK. Many schools also check existing certificates through the online Update Service.

When a school outside the UK cannot access the DBS portal directly, it often asks for an ICPC check instead. Both routes check UK police files and child safety records.

Our guide on overseas police checks for schools explains how to combine UK checks with host country police papers.

Many teachers link their Enhanced DBS certificate to the online Update Service. This tool lets a new school check if the record has stayed clear since the issue date.

Using the Update Service does not replace viewing the original paper certificate. Before running the online check, HR must hold the physical paper and match it against the staff passport.

The HR clerk must also check that the paper covers the right workforce level. A check made for an adult care job or without a barred list check cannot cover a school teaching post.

Before checking the portal, the school must get written consent from the candidate. The HR clerk then logs the date of the online check in the Single Central Record tracker.

• Get consent: Ask for written permission from the candidate before checking online.
• See the paper: View the original DBS paper and match the name and birth date.
• Check the level: Confirm the paper covers the child workforce and barred list.
• Log the date: Record the online check date and checker name on the SCR.

A clear Enhanced DBS paper is only one part of safer hiring. It only shows police records held inside the UK up to the issue date. It says nothing about conduct in other countries.

If a British teacher worked in Dubai, Bangkok, or Almaty for three years, a UK check will not show local offences from those cities. The school must still collect police papers from each country where they lived.

An Enhanced DBS check also does not replace teaching regulator checks. Schools must still run separate prohibition order checks and QTS checks.

For governors, trustees, and school leaders, HR teams must also run Section 128 checks alongside two written references.

Inspectors look for exact facts on the Single Central Record. Simply typing the word yes in the police check column will fail a BSO or COBIS visit.

For each Enhanced DBS check, the register must show the certificate number and the issue date. It must also log the date the school checked the paper and the name of the staff checker.

A separate column must show that the children barred list check was done for all regulated roles. You can test your columns with our free SCR checklist and KCSIE 2026 audit tool.

Schools should not keep scans of DBS papers in HR files for longer than needed. Once the number and check date are logged on the Single Central Record template, the copy can be shredded.

• Certificate number: Log the twelve-digit number on the SCR.
• Issue and check dates: Record both the certificate date and the school check date.
• Barred list column: Log the barred list check date in its own column.
• Data rules: Do not keep full certificate scans once the SCR row is complete.