DBS checks for school governors: what’s the story?
Have you been wondering about DBS checks for school governors? Get the lowdown here…
Usually, anyone who works in a school must hold a DBS certificate. It’s easy to see why. Parents trust schools to look after their children, so naturally safeguarding is a top priority.
Most school employees regularly come into contact with children. However, this may not be the case for school governors.
What is a school governor?
School governors are volunteers who work to further the aims of a school. They set its vision and strategic direction, oversee its financial performance and hold senior leaders to account.
The board of governors may only meet once a term. Sometimes they may not come into direct contact with the school’s pupils.
Nonetheless, enhanced DBS checks for school governors are mandatory.
Legislation makes DBS checks for school governors compulsory
The government released amended legislation which came into force on 18 March 2016. It states that school governors in maintained schools must hold enhanced DBS certificates.
Schools must now apply for an enhanced DBS check on behalf of any new school governor within 21 days of their appointment.
The legislation was introduced to improve the regulatory framework for the governance of maintained schools. It also reassures governing bodies that criminal convictions won’t prevent individuals from serving as governors.
It brings the requirements for maintained schools in line with those in place for academies and free schools.
The legislation means that enhanced DBS checks for school governors are now mandatory in any type of school – independent, maintained, academy or free.
What does an enhanced DBS check reveal?
An enhanced DBS check will search the applicant’s criminal history and show any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings. It will also reveal any other relevant information held by local police.
How to obtain DBS checks for school governors
uCheck is one of the country’s leading providers of DBS checks. We serve more than 11,000 organisations and deliver over 300,000 DBS checks each year.
Our online system is easy to use, affordable and quick. We complete most DBS checks within 48 hours, and our record for an enhanced check is just 61 minutes.
If you work for a school and would like to apply for DBS checks on behalf of your governors, get in touch with us today or get started now.
