Enhanced DBS check for teacher training
An Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check is a compulsory requirement of any offer to study on courses where trainees may be placed in a position of trust working with children and/or vulnerable adults.
How to apply for an Enhanced DBS check
Stage 1: Complete the online application form
If you receive and accept an offer for a teacher training course at the University of Reading, we will set up a user account for you on the KnowYourPeople (KYP) platform which is run by a company called First Advantage. KnowYourPeople (KYP), First Advantage is the online provider that we use for DBS application processing.
You will receive an email with a link to activate your account and further instructions. Please note, the email will come from noreply@knowyourpeople.co.uk and it may arrive in your junk or spam folder. The subject line of the email will be 'KnowYourPeople - Account Activation'. Once you have activated your account and set your password, you will be able to log in and complete your DBS application on the KnowYourPeople (KYP) platform.
Important note:
Please follow the instructions carefully and complete the online application form fully and accurately. If your application contains any errors, missing information, and/or inconsistencies, your Enhanced DBS check could be delayed or withdrawn.
Please note:
- If you receive and accept an offer more than 6 months before the start of the course, the email from KnowYourPeople (KYP) will usually be sent to you in April at the earliest. The DBS check should not be carried out more than 6 months before the start of the course.
- If you receive and accept an offer less than 6 months before the start of the course, the email from KnowYourPeople (KYP) will be sent to you shortly after you have accepted your offer.
- If you are a non-UK national and require a visa to enter the UK, the email from KnowYourPeople (KYP) will be sent to you at a later stage. Please refer to our guidance for non-UK national offer holders for further details.
- If you receive and accept an offer for an employment-based or salaried course, your Enhanced DBS check will be carried out by your training school or employer. Please contact them for further advice.
Stage 2: Pay for the check
Once you have completed all sections of the application, you will be asked to confirm that all the information you have provided in your application is complete and true and you will then be asked to pay for your check. The cost of the check is £56.84.
Stage 3: Identity document verification
As part of the application process for the Enhanced DBS check, you will need to select at least three valid identity documents on the KnowYourPeople (KYP) platform. The originals of the identity documents you select will need to be verified by the Admissions Support Team at the University.
Please note:
- If you provided your identity documents for the DBS check when you attended your interview at the University, please select the identity documents you provided at your interview on the KnowYourPeople (KYP) platform. The Admissions Support Team will then use the identity documents you provided at your interview to complete the identity verification stage for your DBS application.
- If you attended an interview with one of our Lead Partner Schools, you will be invited to attend an Induction and Needs Assessment session at the University during the spring or summer term and you will be asked to bring your identity documents for the DBS check to the Induction and Needs Assessment session. Please select the identity documents that you provided, or are intending to provide, at the Induction and Needs Assessment session on the KnowYourPeople (KYP) platform. The Admissions Support Team will then use the identity documents you provide at the Induction and Needs Assessment session to complete the identity verification stage for your DBS application.
If you were unable to provide the required identity documents for the DBS check at your interview or your Induction and Needs Assessment session, or if any of the identity documents you provided have expired or are not valid, you will need to arrange an appointment with the Admissions Support Team to bring the required identity documents to the Admissions Office at the University for verification.
Please be aware that the University receives a high number of DBS applications, and we carry out the ID verification process for each DBS application as quickly as we can.
Stage 4: Application is processed by the Disclosure and Barring Service
Once we have completed your ID verification, the Enhanced DBS check will be carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service. The check involves a number of stages and the University cannot influence the amount of time that the check takes once it is in progress. Please refer to the stages of the DBS checking process for further details.
You can track the progress of your application on the KnowYourPeople (KYP) platform or by using the DBS tracking service. Please note, your application form reference number can be found on the KnowYourPeople (KYP) platform.
Stage 5: Check complete and certificate issued
Once the check is complete, the Disclosure and Barring Service will send your Enhanced DBS certificate to you in the post. Please note, the certificate will be sent to the address that you entered as your current address on your application.Please keep your Enhanced DBS certificate safe as your placement schools/settings will often ask to see the certificate.
It is not possible to obtain a replacement certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service so, if you lose the certificate, you will have to apply and pay for a new Enhanced DBS check.
Do I need to show my Enhanced DBS certificate to the University or my placement schools/settings?
Please keep your Enhanced DBS certificate safe as your placement schools/settings will often ask to see the certificate.
You do not normally need to show your Enhanced DBS certificate to the University as we can usually obtain confirmation of your Enhanced DBS clearance on the KnowYourPeople (KYP) platform. However, we may ask to see the certificate if we are unable to obtain confirmation of your Enhanced DBS clearance on the KnowYourPeople (KYP) platform.
My DBS certificate shows details of a previous conviction or caution. What should I do?
Please contact the Admissions Support Team as soon as possible for advice and we will explain what you need to do next.
I have an existing Enhanced DBS certificate. Will this be acceptable or will I need to apply for a new Enhanced DBS certificate through the University?
If you have an existing Enhanced DBS certificate and it is registered for the DBS Update Service, we may be able to accept your existing Enhanced DBS certificate through the DBS Update Service provided that all of the necessary criteria are met. Please refer to our guidance on acceptance of DBS clearance through the Update Service for further details.
What is the DBS Update Service and how do I register for it?
Please refer to the DBS Update Service and the DBS Update Service applicant guide for further details.
What is the Transgender application route?
The DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) offers a sensitive application route for transgender applicants. This route offers a confidential checking service which gives transgender applicants the option not to have any gender or name information disclosed on their DBS certificate that could reveal their previous gender identity.
Do I need to provide a letter of good conduct (overseas criminal record check)?
If you have lived outside the UK for six months or more in the past five years, you will need to obtain and provide a letter of good conduct from the country, or countries, you have lived in during that period. The letter(s) of good conduct will need to be provided in addition to the Enhanced DBS check and must be provided before you can enrol for the course. Please refer to our guidance on applying for a letter of good conduct for further details.
Safeguarding Policy
You may also like to read the Institute of Education's Safeguarding Policy.
Questions?
Please contact the Admissions Support Team if you have any questions about the Enhanced DBS check.