DSL Autumn Term Toolkit 2025 — September Safeguarding Checklist

Before Pupils Arrive — Summer Preparation

Complete before the first day of term, ideally during August INSET or the week before pupils return

Policies and Procedures

Child Protection Policy reviewed, updated to reference KCSIE 2025, and approved by the governing body/trustees Online Safety Policy reviewed and updated to reflect the expanded Four Cs (now includes misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy theories) Staff Code of Conduct reviewed and re-issued Whistleblowing policy reviewed and accessible to all staff Peer-on-Peer Abuse policy reviewed (now covers image-based abuse, online sexual harassment) All policies published on school website (statutory requirement)

Personnel and Roles

DSL and Deputy DSL(s) confirmed and names published in Child Protection Policy and on school website DSL and Deputy DSL names and photos displayed in each school building (required) Safeguarding governor confirmed and governor register updated Any new DSL or DDSL has completed DSL training in the last two years SENCO has been briefed on new pupils with EHCPs and SEN support plans (safeguarding overlap)

Safer Recruitment and Staffing

DBS checks confirmed for all new staff, supply staff, and regular volunteers before they begin work Single Central Record (SCR) updated for all new starters Right-to-work checks completed for all new employees Prohibition from teaching orders checked via DfE Employer Access for all new teachers At least one safer recruitment trained person was involved in all recent appointments

First Week Back — Staff Induction and Briefing

Complete during INSET day(s) and the first week of term

All Staff Training

All staff have read Part 1 of KCSIE 2025 and signed a record of this (not a substitute for a verbal or online update briefing) All staff briefed on changes in KCSIE 2025 (misinformation/conspiracy theories added to Four Cs; AI guidance) All staff briefed on updated Child Protection Policy and any changes from last year All new staff completed safeguarding induction (before working unsupervised with pupils) All staff know who the DSL and Deputy DSL(s) are and how to report a concern All staff briefed on current local safeguarding priorities and any themes emerging from LADO/MASH over summer

Pupil Welfare

Children on Child Protection Plans or Child in Need Plans: plans reviewed before term starts, allocated social worker contacted to confirm current status Looked After Children (LAC): Personal Education Plans (PEPs) updated, virtual school head notified of any changes Any pupils whose whereabouts are unknown after summer: LA Children Missing from Education (CME) team notified New Year 7 (or equivalent) pupils: information transferred from primary schools, including any safeguarding information

Referral Contacts Confirmed

MASH/children's social care emergency and duty numbers confirmed and saved Local Prevent coordinator contact confirmed LADO contact confirmed and saved Educational Psychologist and CAMHS referral pathways confirmed

KCSIE 2025 — Specific New Requirements

Items relating specifically to the changes introduced in KCSIE 2025 (in force 1 September 2025)

Note: KCSIE 2025 changes are mainly technical. These items are the additions that require active school action. Full detail at our KCSIE 2025 guide.

Online Safety — Updated Four Cs

Online Safety Policy updated to include misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theories under the "content" category of the Four Cs Staff briefing on conspiracy theory content as a safeguarding indicator added to annual training PSHE/Computing curriculum includes media literacy and critical thinking skills — not just filtering

Generative AI in Schools

All generative AI tools used with pupils identified and listed Each AI tool assessed against DfE's Generative AI product safety expectations (gov.uk) DPIA completed for each AI tool used with pupils, with DPO sign-off Staff guidance issued on appropriate use of AI tools with pupils

Filtering and Monitoring

DfE "Plan technology for your school" self-assessment completed and recommendations reviewed Filtering system reviewed against DfE filtering standards (including pupil BYOD devices on school WiFi) Monitoring alerts are being received and reviewed by the DSL (test that monitoring is active) DPO involved in and has confirmed filtering and monitoring governance arrangements

First Half-Term — Ongoing Oversight

Review before October half-term break

Attendance and Exploitation Monitoring

Attendance data reviewed — unexplained patterned absences flagged as potential exploitation indicator Any persistent absentees with no confirmed reason referred to Attendance Officer and MASH if county lines or exploitation pattern suspected CME register reviewed — all unknown pupil whereabouts reported to LA

Case Management

All active safeguarding cases reviewed — are actions being followed up? Child Protection Plan review meetings attended (statutory) Looked After Children: PEP reviews completed, progress monitored Early Help cases reviewed — escalate where concerns have increased

Quality Assurance

DSL has reviewed safeguarding records completed by staff — are records good quality, timely, and child-centred? DDSL has shadowed DSL on at least one referral or case management meeting this half-term Governor safeguarding visit scheduled — safeguarding governor to carry out termly scrutiny Any low-level concerns about staff behaviour recorded and reviewed — pattern analysis carried out

Annual Training Requirements — Quick Reference

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All Staff

Read Part 1 of KCSIE: annually and at induction
Safeguarding awareness update: annually
Online safety update: annually

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DSL and Deputy DSLs

DSL training: every 2 years minimum
Refresher CPD: ongoing, at least annually
Multi-agency training: as recommended locally
Prevent awareness (WRAP or equivalent): current

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Governors and Trustees

Safer Recruitment training: at least one governor
Safeguarding awareness: annually
Prevent: awareness level training
Termly governor safeguarding scrutiny

Key Contacts — Complete and Keep on File

MASH/Childrens Social Care (Duty)

MASH (Emergency Out-of-Hours)

Local Authority LADO

Local Prevent Coordinator

CME (Children Missing from Education) Team

Educational Psychologist

CAMHS Referral / IAPT

School Police Liaison Officer

National numbers: NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000 • Childline: 0800 1111 • CEOP: ceop.police.uk • Anti-Terrorist Hotline: 0800 789 321 • Emergency: 999

Related Safeguarding Resources

→ KCSIE 2025 Plain-English Guide
→ AI Safeguarding: Schools Guide
→ Misogyny & Incel Culture in Schools
→ Professional Portal for DSLs
→ MASH Finder — Find Your Local Hub
→ Prevent Duty Resources