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Delays to DBS criminal record checks have held up the start dates of school staff this term, with some workers waiting months for the all-clear.

The Disclosure and Barring Service aims to complete 80 per cent of enhanced checks 鈥� required by all school staff 鈥� within 14 days.

Although it met its target for education staff in June and July, figures seen by Schools Week show it missed it this August, despite receiving fewer applications.

The delays are at stage four of the process, which requires police forces to search their records.

Matthew Cave, the headteacher of Four Acres Academy in Bristol, is still waiting for DBS checks for three members of support staff who applied on August 21, more than three weeks ago.

He said he had 鈥渘ever had to push a start date back like we are now. I don鈥檛 remember ever having a problem鈥�.

鈥淥ne of them is our new caretaker 鈥� so that鈥檚 a real pain. We鈥檙e cobbling it together between us. Some of the cleaners have stepped up. I鈥檓 doing some of the unlocking and locking.鈥�

Police force reports ‘significant increase’ in applications

Historic data on police performance with DBS checks shows variation between areas. However, the data ceased publication in 2021.

Jon Barr, from the NAHT union鈥檚 Bristol branch committee, said colleagues have been contacting him since April reporting 鈥渙ngoing delays鈥�.

This is despite the Department for Education and Avon and Somerset Police 鈥渢elling us that the staffing situation was resolved. It鈥檚 incredibly frustrating for school leaders.鈥�

Avon and Somerset Police said there had been a 鈥渟ignificant increase鈥� in applications since last summer.

This had 鈥渁 knock-on effect in terms of processing times. For example, last month we received 22 per cent more applications than had been forecast.鈥�

The police said it hoped people would 鈥渦nderstand we received an exceptionally high number of applications and this is an important process that must be carried out thoroughly鈥�.

CRB Direct, an agency that helps people apply for checks, 鈥渁ppear to have been caused by a larger number of applications from people looking to move jobs or start a career in roles鈥�.

The force said it had recruited six research officers to help manage the workload, resulting in a 鈥渟ignificant reduction in the number of checks waiting to be processed鈥�.

Supply teacher ‘unable to work’ amid months-long delay

A supply teacher based in Hertfordshire, who did not give her name, said her DBS, which she applied for at the beginning of July 鈥渉as been stuck at the police search stage since July 6鈥�.

She taught full-time last year, but her move to supply work required a new check.

鈥淚t has been more than 60 days now and has been escalated, meaning they get another 14 days. It鈥檚 ridiculous鈥� this is the longest I鈥檝e waited.鈥�

She was 鈥渦nable to work鈥� without the check, replying this month on her final pay check from her full-time job last year.

鈥淚 will struggle from the start of October as I鈥檓 a single mum. DBS did not care when I told them this.鈥�

Supply agencies have also reported delays. Athona Education told Schools Week its checks were now taking six weeks on average, compared to one or two in early 2023.

Agency waits 5 months for head’s check

Jeanette Holder, its managing director, said it 鈥渉ad a number of placements at the end of last term where the start date was constantly pushed back, but thankfully our candidates haven鈥檛 lost any placements as of yet鈥�.

She said the 鈥渨orst delay鈥� was five months for a DBS check for a headteacher.

Mike Donnelly, from Premier Teachers, said the system had 鈥渙nly just freed up鈥�, and that 鈥渁round 10 staff had very delayed ones鈥�.

In June and July this year, 81.3 per cent and 82.2 per cent of enhanced DBS checks for the education sector were completed in two weeks, meeting the organisation鈥檚 80 per cent target.

However, despite far fewer applications, only 76.2 per cent in August were completed within two weeks.

Across the whole of last academic year, 80.7 per cent of enhanced checks for the education sector were completed within 14 days, and the average turnaround time was 9.9 days.

The proportion of enhanced checks for all sectors processed within 14 days fell from 87 per cent in 2020-21 to 78.4 per cent in 2022-23.

A DBS spokesperson said it was 鈥渕eeting targets鈥� while issuing more than 100,000 enhanced checks a month in the education sector.

Some checks would take longer to complete. 鈥淗owever, it is imperative 鈥� in the interests of upholding a robust checking process 鈥� that the relevant police forces are able to interrogate their own systems to ensure all relevant information is disclosed.鈥�