Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges in England must follow. It is updated by the Department for Education each year, and compliance is non-negotiable, Ofsted will check it, and the consequences of getting it wrong are serious.

The current version, KCSIE 2025 · has been in effect since September 2025. Here is what schools need to have firmly in place, and where supply and temporary staff fit into the picture.

The core requirements

Every member of staff, permanent, temporary, or supply, must receive appropriate safeguarding training before they work with children. This does not mean every supply teacher needs a full induction on day one, but they must be given Part One of KCSIE to read and confirm they have done so before they start.

This is a legal requirement, not a best practice guideline.

Enhanced DBS checks

All staff working in regulated activity with children must have an enhanced DBS certificate with a barred list check. For supply teachers sourced through an agency, the agency is responsible for obtaining and holding this check, but the school must verify that the check has been carried out and is on the Single Central Record before the individual sets foot in a classroom.

Never assume. Always confirm in writing.

Online safety and filtering

KCSIE 2025 continues to place significant emphasis on online safety. Schools must have appropriate filtering and monitoring in place on all school devices and networks. Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) must understand what the filtering covers and what it does not, including the growing use of AI tools by pupils.

Supply and temporary staff should be made aware of your school’s acceptable use policy on day one.

What KCSIE 2025 builds on

The 2025 update continued the direction of travel from recent years, with particular focus on:

  • Stronger expectations around the use of AI and emerging technology, and the risks these pose to children both in school and at home
  • Updated guidance on information sharing between agencies, emphasising that the Data Protection Act is not a barrier to sharing safeguarding concerns
  • Clearer expectations around domestic abuse awareness for all staff, recognising its impact on pupil wellbeing and behaviour
  • Continued emphasis on child-on-child abuse, including online forms, and the responsibility of all staff to respond to and report concerns
  • Reinforced requirements around the DSL role, including the expectation that a trained deputy is always available during the school day

Schools should also be aware of the DfE’s Every Child Achieving and Thriving SEND white paper, published in February 2026, which sets out reforms to SEND provision and support that have implications for how schools identify and respond to vulnerability in pupils with additional needs.

What this means for supply staff

When you bring in a teacher through a recruitment agency, you are placing trust in that agency’s compliance processes. A reputable agency will have carried out all necessary checks before placing a candidate with you: enhanced DBS, barred list, right to work, prohibition check, and identity verification.

At Edvantro, every teacher on our books is fully vetted before being offered to a school, and we provide documentation to support your Single Central Record. If you ever have questions about a candidate’s compliance status, our consultants will answer them directly.

The key takeaway

KCSIE compliance is not a box-ticking exercise. It is the practical expression of a school’s commitment to keeping its pupils safe. The guidance exists because the stakes are high.

If you work with a supply agency, make sure they understand that. A good agency makes your safeguarding obligations easier to meet, not harder.

To find out how Edvantro supports school safeguarding requirements, contact our team or visit our schools page.