Safer recruitment statement: what to publish on your school website
A statement on your vacancies page and job adverts about your commitment to safeguarding, telling shortlisted candidates that online searches may be carried out.
Check this on my websiteWho it applies to
- Published on
- The school's own website
- School type
- Academies and maintained schools
- School stage
- All stages, from early years to sixth form
- Does not apply to
- No school types are excluded
When it's due
Keep it up to date
There's no fixed date. Update it whenever something changes.
What's needed
Add a safer recruitment statement to the vacancies page on your website and your job adverts, stating your commitment to safeguarding children and that shortlisted candidates may have online searches done.
What it must contain
2 parts- States the school's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of childrenShould: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
- Tells shortlisted candidates that online searches may be done as part of due diligence checksShould: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.
What the official sources say
Set out in 1 official source:
Keeping children safe in education
The advert should include: • the school or college’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and make clear that safeguarding checks will be undertaken,
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ para 291, under heading 'Advert', page 74
Schools and colleges should inform shortlisted candidates that online searches may be done as part of due diligence checks.
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ para 301 (Shortlisting), page 76
Questions schools ask
Do schools have to put a safer recruitment statement on job adverts?
For academies and maintained schools, it's recommended in official guidance, but isn't a legal requirement in itself.
What does a safer recruitment statement need to say?
States the school's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children; Tells shortlisted candidates that online searches may be done as part of due diligence checks.
When do we need to update our safer recruitment statement?
Keep it up to date. There's no fixed date. Update it whenever something changes.
Where does the requirement for the safer recruitment statement come from?
It is set out in Keeping children safe in education.
Recent changes to the official guidance
The official sources for this requirement don't publish dated change notes. We check them for changes ourselves.
We last checked these sources on 21 September 2026.
Is this on your school's website?
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Official sources last checked 21 September 2026 · register version 1.0.4