✅🔍 We visit a lot of schools and have a lot of conversations about documentation we are asked to provide as new and returning visitors to organisations. Sometimes we don't agree with what the organisation is asking for, so we thought we'd give some clarification about regulatory requirements.
Schools must keep a record of visitors for safeguarding and security purposes.  When information is gathered, the minimisation principle is best used, for example, the key details typically recorded might include:

• Full Name
• Organisation (if applicable)
• Date and time of arrival and departure
• Purpose of the visit
• Who they are visiting
• Photo ID check (if required)
• DBS status (if applicable)
• Visitor badge (issued and returned)
• Vehicle registration (if required when parked onsite)

Sometimes a photo is taken as part of the visitor badge - this should only be kept for as long as is necessary.

The temporary badge should be deleted/destroyed immediately as soon as the visitor leaves.

If the photo is stored electronically, on a visitor management system, it should be kept no longer than required for security purposes, for example, no more than 6 months, unless there is a specific reason that justifies longer retention such as an incident investigation.

Note:  you may need to change the default configuration of your visitor system to apply this retention period - we advise checking with your provider.

The retention schedule of the organisation should specify the retention period, and ensure it aligns with data protection guidelines.  Customers can review our Records Management Best Practice Area and our Retention Schedule for further guidance.

The Single Central Record

Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance states that all schools must produce and maintain a Single Central Record of recruitment and vetting checks; it is a statutory requirement.

Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024 states:

308. For visitors who are there in a professional capacity schools and colleges should check ID and be assured that the visitor has had the appropriate DBS check (or the visitor’s employers have confirmed that their staff have appropriate checks. Schools and colleges should not ask to see the certificate in these circumstances)

Not all visitors need to be recorded on the SCR.  The SCR is a safeguarding document that records key details about staff, regular volunteers and contractors who have unsupervised access to children.

Using External Expertise to Enhance Online Safety Education

This document is referred to in the Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance in reference to visitors.  It specifies that consideration should be given to:

• Ensuring legal compliance when requesting data from an external visitor.
• The policy on collection and retention of a visitor's data and how this procedure is communicated to a visitor.
• Which background checks are appropriate.
• Briefing the visitor prior to the visitor on any requirements to show recognised proof of of identity on the day of the visitor.

Document Checks

You may wish to check our identity by looking at our passport or driving license and you may also wish to check our DBS if you think there may be times we will not be accompanied on the visit, however, there is no need to take a copy or write down the details - you may wish to make a record that the ID and DBS have been seen and verified and by whom.

In general, schools should not copy or retain DBS certificates or ID unless it is for employment verification or part of a governor appointment (or associate members).
Please be assured that all of our staff hold enhanced DBS certificates.

Confidential Waste

We would ask you to review our guidance about Managing Confidential Waste alongside this guidance when destroying copies of ID and other documents containing personal data.