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School lettings: safeguarding

Find out who's responsible for making sure safeguarding arrangements are in place when letting school premises to third parties, including PTAs. Be clear on where you stand with DBS checks, the Prevent duty, setting safeguarding expectations and handling any allegations.

Last reviewed on 25 February 2025See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 10284
Contents
  1. Who's responsible for making sure safeguarding arrangements are in place? 
  2. Who's responsible for safeguarding during the activity or service? 
  3. Set safeguarding expectations for hirers
  4. You're not responsible for conducting DBS checks on third parties
  5. The Prevent duty and school lettings
  6. What to do if you receive an allegation about a third party

Who's responsible for making sure safeguarding arrangements are in place? 

If you're a:

  • Maintained school (including maintained nursery schools), it's your governing board 
  • Academy, free school or alternative provision (AP) academy, it's your academy trust
  • Non-maintained special school, it's your proprietor
  • Pupil referral unit (PRU), it's your management committee

Check if these people have delegated this to you 

While your governing board, academy trust, proprietor or management committee must make sure that safeguarding arrangements are in place, in practice, they might delegate this to you and your senior leadership team (SLT).

Check which tasks they expect you to carry out, and get appropriate legal advice before signing any lettings contracts.

Who's responsible for safeguarding during the activity or service? 

If school staff are directly supervising the activity or service:

Your school’s usual child protection arrangements will apply. 

Your governing board, academy trust, proprietor or management committee should make sure