How to Conduct a Safeguarding Audit for Schools

Are you feeling uncertain about whether your school's safeguarding procedures are up to scratch? With Ofsted inspections focusing heavily on safeguarding culture and statutory compliance, you might feel under pressure to get everything right.

A safeguarding audit might sound like another administrative burden, but it's actually your most powerful tool for identifying gaps before inspectors do. When conducted properly, an audit gives you a clear picture of what's working, what needs attention, and how to protect the children in your care more effectively.

Key Takeaways

• A safeguarding audit is a systematic review of your school's policies, procedures, training, and culture to ensure compliance with statutory requirements

• The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) typically leads the audit, supported by senior leaders and governors

• The audit involves reviewing documentation, assessing staff knowledge, evaluating record-keeping, and gathering feedback from pupils and staff

• Schools should conduct audits annually or every two years, depending on local safeguarding partnership requirements

What Is a Safeguarding Audit?

A safeguarding audit is a comprehensive review of how well your school protects children from harm. It is therefore part of your duty of care.

The audit examines whether your safeguarding arrangements meet legal requirements and whether they work effectively in practice. It looks at several key areas. These include your safeguarding policies, staff training records, how you respond to concerns, and the overall safeguarding culture in your school.

Why Safeguarding Audits Matter

Safeguarding audits serve three critical purposes for your school:

1. Pupil safety

• It is easier to keep pupils safe if you can spot vulnerabilities before they become serious problems

• An audit involves a proactive approach that better protects the children in your care

2. Legal compliance

• Schools must follow statutory guidance like Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) (opens in a new tab)

• An audit confirms you're operating in accordance with the law

3. School inspection readiness

• Ofsted evaluates safeguarding on a 'met' or 'not met' basis (opens in a new tab) 

• An audit ensures you’re meeting a crucial area of Ofsted evaluation

Who Is Responsible for the Audit?

The DSL typically takes the lead on conducting the audit. However, safeguarding is a whole-school responsibility.

Senior leaders play a crucial role in providing strategic oversight and ensuring resources are available. Governors or trustees review audit findings and hold leaders accountable for implementing improvements.

Classroom teachers and support staff contribute by providing evidence during the audit. This might include showing how you keep safeguarding records, demonstrating your understanding of procedures, or participating in staff surveys. Your input helps build an accurate picture of safeguarding across the school.

Step-by-Step Guide to Conducting a Safeguarding Audit

Step 1 – Review Current Policies and Procedures

• Check that all policies and procedures are easily accessible for staff

• Make sure your child protection policy reflects the latest version of KCSIE

• Review related policies, such as online safety, behaviour, anti-bullying, and staff codes of conduct

• Check that policies align with your local safeguarding partnership's procedures

Step 2 – Check Staff Training and Knowledge

• Check your training records to ensure that all staff have completed the required safeguarding training

• Provide any new staff with induction training as soon as possible

• Ensure your DSL receives updated training at least every two years (opens in a new tab) and regularly refreshes knowledge in between

• Carry out informal knowledge checks with staff using brief safeguarding quizzes (opens in a new tab) or informal conversations

Step 3 – Evaluate Record-Keeping and Reporting

• Examine how your school logs and tracks safeguarding concerns

• Allow authorised staff to review a sample of safeguarding files to check for sufficient detail, timely referrals to external agencies, and appropriate follow-up actions

• Make sure the DSL keeps notes (opens in a new tab) on discussions, decisions, and rationale for decisions to include instances when referrals were not made

• Look for consistency in how concerns are handled across the school

• Ensure you’re using appropriate confidentiality measures

Step 4 – Assess School Culture and Environment

• Determine whether children and staff feel safe in school and like their concerns are taken seriously

• Conduct anonymous surveys, focus groups, or school council discussions with pupils

• Hold meetings with staff in which you encourage honest discussion

• Walk around the school to see if safeguarding posters are visible or if visitors consistently follow the correct sign-in procedures

Step 5 – Identify Gaps and Create an Action Plan

• Analyse all the evidence you've gathered to identify strengths and weaknesses

• Be honest about areas that need improvement

• Create a practical action plan with specific, time-bound improvements

• For each gap, note the following:

  • What needs to change, e.g. improving the record-keeping process

  • Who's responsible, e.g. the DSL

  • When it should be completed, e.g. within two weeks

• Prioritise urgent issues that could pose immediate risks to children, e.g. missing DBS information for a supply teacher

• Share the action plan with governors and revisit it regularly to track progress

Tools and Templates to Support Your Audit

If a safeguarding audit sounds overwhelming, remember that you don't need to create an audit from scratch. Here are some resources you can use:

• The NSPCC safeguarding self-assessment tool (opens in a new tab)

  • A free, step-by-step guide designed for UK schools

  • This will help you to identify areas for development and support you in making necessary changes

• Local safeguarding partnership websites

  • Many local safeguarding partnerships offer comprehensive audit templates (opens in a new tab)

  • Check your local safeguarding partnership’s website for requirements and deadlines specific to your area

• Safeguarding management software (opens in a new tab)

  • Online systems can streamline the audit process by centralising records, tracking training, and generating reports

  • If you work in a smaller school, simpler spreadsheet-based tools work perfectly well

How Teachers Can Support a Safeguarding Audit

As a classroom teacher, you can provide vital support in your safeguarding audit in the following ways:

• Keep accurate records

  • When you raise safeguarding concerns, include dates, details of what you observed, and actions you took

• Be prepared to answer questions

  • Re-familiarise yourself with safeguarding procedures so that you can explain how you’d respond to specific scenarios

• Demonstrate good safeguarding practice in your classroom

  • Maintain professional boundaries

  • Create a classroom culture where pupils feel safe to speak up

Engage positively with the audit process. View it as an opportunity to strengthen safeguarding, not as a test you might fail.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Outdated policies

  • Don’t wait for Ofsted to call; update policies annually when new KCSIE guidance is released (usually around September) (opens in a new tab)

• Training gaps 

  • Don't assume staff remember everything from their induction three years ago; regular refresher training is essential

• Poor communication

  • Encourage effective and regular communication between staff and DSLs by creating clear, simple reporting procedures that everyone understands

• Tokenistic audits 

  • Avoid treating your audit as a box-ticking exercise; use it to reveal the reality of safeguarding in your school, rather than to present a facade for inspections

What Happens After the Audit?

Once you've completed the audit, the findings should be reported to governors or trustees. They'll review the action plan and may ask questions about specific areas of concern.

Implement the action plan systematically, allocating responsibility for each improvement to specific staff members. Set realistic timelines, but maintain momentum.

Monitor progress regularly through DSL meetings and governor safeguarding reviews. Don't wait until the next full audit to check whether changes have been implemented.

Remember that safeguarding audits are designed to improve practice, not punish staff. They're a tool for continuous improvement that benefits everyone – especially the children in your care.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should schools conduct safeguarding audits?

Most schools conduct a full safeguarding audit each year. However, some local safeguarding partnerships require audits every two years, with a shortened version submitted to the partnership in alternate years. Check your local safeguarding partnership website for advice tailored to your specific area.

Between formal audits, continue to monitor safeguarding through termly DSL reports to governors and regular policy reviews.

What documents are needed for a safeguarding audit?

Key documents include your child protection policy, staff code of conduct, behaviour policy, online safety policy, safer recruitment policy, and single central record. You'll also need training logs, safeguarding records (anonymised for audit purposes), and minutes from safeguarding meetings.

Will I be interviewed during a safeguarding audit?

Possibly, but don't worry. Audits often include informal conversations with a sample of staff to assess understanding. Questions typically cover basic scenarios like what you'd do if a child disclosed abuse, or where to find key policies. These conversations help auditors understand whether safeguarding procedures work in practice.

Do safeguarding audits apply to independent schools too?

Yes. All schools in England, including independent schools, must comply with safeguarding legislation and the KCSIE guidance.

Final Thoughts

Safeguarding audits are an essential tool for protecting pupils and supporting staff. Rather than viewing them as a bureaucratic chore, see them as an opportunity to strengthen your school's safeguarding culture.

Approach the audit process with openness and honesty. The goal is progress, not perfection. 

When you conduct audits systematically and act on findings promptly, you build confidence among everyone. Staff, pupils, parents and inspectors can rest assured that you’re taking safeguarding seriously, and you’re committed to the most important work for any teacher: creating a truly safe school environment.

References

• GOV: Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) (opens in a new tab)

• GOV: Education Inspection Framework (opens in a new tab)

• High Speed Training: Keeping Children Safe in Education: Key Changes (opens in a new tab)

• How Ofsted Inspect Personal Development

• How Often Does Ofsted Inspect Schools?

• Wakefield: School & College Templates & Audit (opens in a new tab)

• TES: Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) (opens in a new tab)

• TES MyConcern (opens in a new tab)

• Essex Schools: Safeguarding audit guidance and tool (opens in a new tab)

• NSPCC Learning: safeguarding and child protection self-assessment tool (opens in a new tab)

• Why Is Duty of Care Important in Schools? (opens in a new tab)