Visitor safety and safeguarding protocols

Understand what to include in your safeguarding and safety protocols for visitors. Plus, see examples of other schools' visitor policies and protocols to help develop your own.

Last reviewed on 6 June 2023
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School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 10431
Contents
  1. Create your own safeguarding protocols for visitors
  2. Know when to check ID and confirm DBS checks
  3. Have a clear process for when staff spot an unidentified visitor
  4. Make it clear that staff should speak to you if they're worried about a visitor
  5. You're not required to have visitors sign in and out
  6. See examples from other schools

Create your own safeguarding protocols for visitors

Other than specific requirements for DBS checks, Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) doesn’t outline specific requirements for visitor protocols.

Instead, it's up to schools to set processes for identifying and supervising visitors to make sure appropriate safeguarding measures are in place. Use your professional judgement as a headteacher to decide what’s necessary. 

Read more about visitors in school on page 76 of KCSIE.

If you’re a maintained school, check with your LA as it may set its own requirements.

Include arrangements for visitors in your safeguarding policies

This requirement is explained in paragraph 304 of KCSIE.

It's up to you to decide whether to have a separate visitor policy

Read next

Also in "Managing safeguarding"