KCSiE compliance and the GCA RM6376 framework

If you are responsible for safeguarding in a school or trust, you will know how much care goes into checking every adult who works with children. Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) sets the standard for those checks. Ofsted, governors and the Department for Education expect schools to be able to show that the right checks have been completed.

For school leaders, this matters because safeguarding, compliance and day-to-day operations all need to work together. One of the benefits of the Government Commercial Agency (GCA) RM6376 framework is that supplier vetting is aligned to KCSiE, with the supplier carrying out the checks and keeping the supporting records.

This guide explains how vetting works under RM6376, what your school still needs to check, and how the framework can help you ensure compliance while supporting safe, efficient recruitment.

What KCSiE requires for supply staff

KCSiE sets out the minimum checks expected for adults working in schools, whether they are employed directly or supplied by an agency. These checks include:

• Identity verification, including photographic ID and proof of address
• Right to work in the UK
• An enhanced DBS check, with a barred list check where the role involves regulated activity
• Verification of relevant qualifications, especially for teaching roles
• Two satisfactory references, including one from the most recent employer
• A Section 128 check for relevant management roles
• A prohibition from teaching check, where applicable
• An overseas police certificate where the worker has lived abroad
• A Children’s Barred List check

Schools must also maintain a Single Central Record (SCR) that shows these checks have been completed for every adult on site. For agency workers, schools still need to review the information provided by the supplier and record it correctly.

How the RM6376 framework supports compliance

Under RM6376, named suppliers must vet workers in line with KCSiE. This is a requirement of the framework, not an optional extra. Suppliers that do not meet these standards cannot operate on the framework.

In practice, this means that before a worker is put forward to your school, the supplier should already have completed the relevant checks. The supplier keeps the audit trail, including DBS information, ID documents, qualifications and references. They should also provide your school with a vetting summary that supports your own record-keeping.

Suppliers are also responsible for managing re-checks where needed, such as DBS renewals or updated references. This helps reduce the administrative burden on school teams. Your role is not removed, but it is clearer: you need to confirm that the right information is in place and record it properly.

What schools should still verify

Even when you use a framework supplier, your safeguarding responsibilities remain in place. Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) and school leaders should still carry out a few key checks.

Confirm the supplier’s vetting summary

When a worker arrives, ask for the supplier’s vetting confirmation. This is usually a summary showing which checks have been completed, along with dates and reference details. Make sure it matches the person who has arrived, including their name and photo ID.

Maintain the Single Central Record

You should add the worker to your Single Central Record (SCR) using the supplier’s vetting summary as evidence. The SCR must include every adult working on site, regardless of whether they are employed directly or supplied through an agency.

Follow your safeguarding induction

Vetting shows that a worker is suitable to work with children, but it does not replace your school’s own safeguarding induction. You still need to share your safeguarding policy, reporting procedures, behaviour expectations and key contacts, including your DSL. Every supply worker should receive this information when they arrive.

Periodically audit supplier compliance

It is reasonable for schools and trusts to review how suppliers manage vetting. This might include asking about re-check schedules, how concerns are handled, and how compliance staff are trained. These conversations help ensure compliance and support a strong, long-term supplier relationship.

Benefits for Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs)

For DSLs and safeguarding leaders, the framework offers some practical advantages.

1. Creates greater consistency

If you use more than one framework supplier, each supplier is working to the same KCSiE-aligned standard. That makes it easier to manage your internal processes and keep your SCR accurate.

2. Clear escalation route

If there is a concern about missing information or an incomplete check, the supplier is required to address it. That helps schools respond quickly and maintain safety standards.

3. Supports audit readiness

If Ofsted or trustees ask how your school checks agency staff, you can clearly explain that you use named framework suppliers, review vetting summaries before staff start, and record the required checks on your SCR. That creates a more reliable and defensible process.

Nominated workers and vetting

Some schools already know which worker they want to bring in. In those cases, the nominated worker route can be useful. Even though the school identifies the candidate, the supplier still carries out the full KCSiE vetting process before the worker starts.

That means you can bring in someone you know or trust while still using a compliant recruitment route. It also helps reduce recruitment costs in some cases, because the sourcing element is lower, while the compliance and payroll responsibilities remain with the supplier.

Building a strong safeguarding culture

Vetting is an essential part of safeguarding, but it is only one part. A strong safeguarding culture also depends on how adults behave, how concerns are reported, and how clearly expectations are shared across the school.

Schools that use framework suppliers well tend to see vetting as the starting point, not the finish line. They give supply staff a clear induction, explain local procedures and make sure temporary workers feel part of the team while they are on site. That supports safety, consistency and better outcomes for pupils.

At Engage Education, we know that schools need recruitment support that is clear, compliant and practical. As a named supplier on the RM6376 framework, we work closely with schools and trusts to help ensure compliance and support safe staffing decisions. If you would like to talk through how framework vetting fits with your safeguarding processes, book a quick 15-minute call with our team today.

About this framework

Engage Education has been named as a supplier on Government Commercial Agency’s (GCA) RM6376 Supply Teachers and Education Recruitment framework, Lot 1: Teachers and Education Recruitment. The framework runs from the 30th of April 2026 to the 29th of April 2029.

Government Commercial Agency (GCA) is the UK’s central commercial and procurement organisation, connecting public and private sectors to achieve the best outcomes for the UK and its citizens. GCA uses its commercial expertise to create a simpler procurement experience that redirects valuable resources into essential public services, creating value for the nation. GCA replaced Crown Commercial Service (CCS) on the 1st of April 2026.