Table of Contents
The 2026/27 academic year brings two significant legislative changes that will affect how schools and nurseries manage safeguarding, visitors and site security.
From 1 September 2026, changes introduced through the Crime and Policing Act 2026 will remove the long-standing supervision exemption from the definition of regulated activity. At the same time, organisations across the UK are preparing for the implementation of Martyn’s Law (the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025), which introduces new responsibilities around public safety and emergency preparedness.
While these changes address different risks, they share a common purpose: ensuring schools are proactive rather than reactive when protecting children, staff and visitors.
For school leaders, now is the time to review existing safeguarding and visitor management processes to ensure they remain compliant and effective.
Change 1: Removal of the Supervision Exemption
Perhaps the most immediate operational change for schools is the removal of the supervision exemption from regulated activity.
Until now, many volunteers who regularly worked with children under the direct supervision of a member of staff were not considered to be undertaking regulated activity. This meant schools were unable to request an enhanced DBS check with children’s barred list information for these individuals.
From 1 September 2026, this exemption is removed. As a result, supervised volunteers carrying out activities such as teaching, training, instructing, caring for or supervising children will now be classed as engaging in regulated activity where they do so:
- on more than three days in any 30-day period; or
- overnight, such as on residential visits.
The biggest impact will therefore be felt by volunteers rather than paid staff, whose regulated activity status remains unchanged. Schools will need to ensure affected volunteers have an enhanced DBS check including children’s barred list information before undertaking regulated activity. It remains a criminal offence for a barred individual to undertake regulated activity, or for an organisation to knowingly permit them to do so.
What does this mean in practice?
Many schools rely heavily on volunteers who provide invaluable support, including:
- regular reading volunteers
- classroom helpers
- sports coaches
- music tutors
- governors supporting activities with pupils
- volunteers accompanying residential trips
- nursery helpers and early years volunteers.
Some individuals who previously required only standard identity and safeguarding checks may now require enhanced DBS checks with children’s barred list information.
Schools should not assume all volunteers are affected. Occasional volunteers, for example parents helping at a one-off event or accompanying a day trip, remain outside regulated activity where they do not meet the frequency or overnight thresholds.
Preparing for September
Rather than waiting until the new academic year begins, leaders can start preparing now.
A sensible approach would include:
- auditing all current volunteer roles
- identifying who will meet the new regulated activity thresholds
- reviewing safer recruitment and volunteer onboarding procedures
- updating safeguarding and volunteer policies
- planning DBS applications for those affected
- ensuring accurate records are maintained for all visitors and volunteers.
Many schools already have these processes in place, but this legislative change provides a valuable opportunity to review them against current guidance.
Change 2: Preparing for Martyn's Law
Alongside safeguarding reforms, schools also need to consider a broader aspect of keeping people safe: protecting premises from the threat of terrorism.
Martyn’s Law, formally known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, introduces a new legal framework requiring those responsible for qualifying premises and events to consider how they would prepare for and respond to a terrorist incident.
The legislation will be regulated by the Security Industry Authority (SIA), with an implementation period allowing schools time to prepare before legal duties commence.
Although not every school will fall within the scope of every requirement, many educational settings regularly host activities involving large numbers of pupils, staff, parents and visitors. Assemblies, sports days, performances, open evenings, community events and nursery celebrations all highlight the importance of understanding who is on site and having robust emergency procedures.
Martyn’s Law is about ensuring organisations have proportionate, well-considered plans that improve preparedness should the worst happen.
What should schools be thinking about?
School leaders should begin reviewing several key areas, including:
- visitor access and sign-in procedures
- contractor management
- emergency response plans
- lockdown procedures
- evacuation arrangements
- staff training
- communication processes during incidents
- accurate records of everyone on site.
Many schools already undertake regular fire drills and safeguarding exercises. Martyn’s Law extends this culture of preparedness by encouraging schools to think through a wider range of security scenarios.
One common theme: knowing who is on site
Although these two pieces of legislation focus on different areas, they share a common operational challenge.
Schools need confidence that they know:
- who is entering the site
- why they are there
- whether the appropriate checks have been completed
- where they are during their visit
- when they leave.
Maintaining accurate visitor records is no longer simply good administration, it is an increasingly important part of safeguarding, compliance and emergency planning.
Using technology to support compliance
As expectations continue to evolve, many schools are looking at how technology can reduce administration while strengthening safeguarding.
A digital visitor management system can help schools consistently apply visitor processes, record DBS and safeguarding information where appropriate, produce accurate visitor logs and support emergency evacuations through real-time information about who is on site.
CPOMS VisitorSafe is designed with these challenges in mind, helping schools streamline visitor and volunteer management while supporting safeguarding practice and site security. Rather than replacing safeguarding practices, technology provides leaders with greater visibility, consistency and confidence that procedures are being followed.
Looking Ahead
Neither of these legislative changes should be viewed simply as another compliance exercise.
The removal of the supervision exemption strengthens protections around adults who regularly work with children, while Martyn’s Law reinforces the importance of being prepared for a wide range of security risks.
Together, they encourage schools to review their existing processes through a single lens: how do we know the right people are on our site, at the right time, with the right checks in place, and how prepared are we if something unexpected happens?
For schools that begin planning now, September 2026 presents an opportunity not only to meet new legal requirements, but also to strengthen the culture of safeguarding and security that underpins every successful educational setting.
If you’re reviewing your visitor and volunteer processes ahead of September 2026, it’s worth considering whether your current systems provide the visibility and audit trail these new requirements demand. To learn more about how CPOMS VisitorSafe and our further solutions can help your setting prepare for these changes, book a free demo now.
