When someone reports nudes or semi-nudes involving a pupil, record what was reported, who reported it and when, then follow the school's safeguarding route promptly. Ordinary staff mustn't investigate or collect imagery to complete the record. Keep the attributed account, unknowns, DSL decisions and follow-up separate within authorised safeguarding records. If there's immediate danger, contact emergency services. Otherwise use the DSL or deputy and local children's social care and police procedures without waiting for dashboard completeness.
This Q&A is for DSLs, deputies, school leaders and relevant SENCos in England. It addresses a report received from a person; the filtering and monitoring guide covers machine alerts. England's Keeping children safe in education 2026 is statutory guidance in force from 1 September 2026. UKCIS's March 2024 advice on sharing nudes and semi-nudes is non-statutory. Read the full guidance alongside local procedure; this recording aid doesn't replace safeguarding training.
Should staff ask to see or receive the imagery?
No. Ordinary staff should never ask a pupil to show, send or recreate imagery. Don't view, copy, save, forward, print or upload it, including screenshots, into a school record, marketing material or an AI tool. Listen calmly, take the report seriously and avoid blame. Record what the person says without investigating or testing their credibility. UKCIS's initial-response advice explains these boundaries.
Device searching, seizure, viewing and deletion need particular care. The DSL follows UKCIS sections 2.10 and 2.11 and the school's procedures, with the DfE searching, screening and confiscation guidance where applicable. This article gives no general instruction to search a device, retain it, view content or delete evidence. If imagery has already reached a member of staff, seek DSL advice promptly without circulating it further.
What can the first record contain without an image?
Record the minimum necessary identifiers, the report's time and route, the recorder, the person's attributed account and the immediate action taken. Distinguish the time of reporting from any reported event time. Preserve the person's words where relevant, without adding graphic descriptions or asking for extra detail to fill fields. Record uncertainties explicitly and retain the authorised source reference.
Wholly invented administrative entry, with no pupil or customer data: report received in person; receipt time recorded in the restricted source record. Account: a pupil reports that imagery has been shared. Imagery not requested or viewed. Consent, sharing scope and adult involvement: unknown. DSL informed through the school's immediate reporting route; receipt acknowledged. DSL response and next review: to be recorded by the responsible safeguarding lead.
That entry documents a report and its handover. It doesn't establish what an image contains, who created it or whether consent was given. Unknown adult involvement cannot be recorded as none. A later clarification needs its source, author and time; retain the original account through the school's correction and audit procedures.
Who decides the response and any external sharing?
The DSL leads the response using the full UKCIS advice, KCSIE and local procedures. Record their decision, rationale, consultations, action owner and review point. Neither a form nor this Q&A determines a referral threshold. Avoid blanket rules that every incident stays internal or that every report follows an identical route. Urgent action proceeds while the record is being completed.
Working together to safeguard children 2026 sets the statutory multi-agency framework. DfE's September 2026 statutory information-sharing guidance governs the organisations it covers. Follow applicable sharing duties and local routes: record the purpose, recipient, necessary information, decision-maker and rationale, using secure channels. Data protection doesn't prevent necessary safeguarding sharing; lawful, proportionate handling still matters.
Can attendance or SEND information change the question?
Extend the invented entry with two separate records: an attendance entry is missing, and an agreed communication adjustment offers a quieter place to speak. An authorised DSL asks the attendance lead to check the register and the SENCo to confirm that the communication arrangement is available, sharing only what each needs for that task. The question becomes whether the pupil can access support and whether staff know where they are. A missing entry remains unresolved until checked.
Neither record proves harm, consent, credibility or the contents and reach of imagery. SEND must never become a proxy for risk. The DSL owns the response under local procedure and records when the checks must return, with earlier escalation if circumstances require it. The post-report support review covers subsequent delivery of protective and support arrangements.
Where should the record and follow-up stay?
Restrict narratives, sensitive metadata and even the existence of the concern to authorised people with a need to know. Don't reproduce them in general dashboards, SEND plans or behaviour records. Context links don't grant access. Keep support instructions limited to what the receiving adult needs.
Where enabled and authorised, Student Radar Safeguard supports concern recording and DSL-led casework with actions and a chronology. It can't establish harm, score risk, diagnose, decide thresholds or make autonomous referrals. Never upload the imagery as supporting evidence. Before handing over, check that the DSL has received the report and every open action has an owner and review point. The chronology audit guide supports the separate task of checking record quality.
Sources and further reading
- UKCIS: Sharing nudes and semi-nudes, updated March 2024; non-statutory education advice, including initial response and sections 2.10 and 2.11.
- DfE: Keeping children safe in education 2026, statutory guidance for England, in force 1 September 2026, particularly Part five.
- DfE: Working together to safeguard children 2026, published 18 March 2026; statutory multi-agency guidance for England.
- DfE: Information sharing to safeguard children and young people, September 2026 statutory guidance; the information-sharing duty commenced 30 September 2026.
- DfE: Searching, screening and confiscation, July 2022 guidance; publication page updated 19 July 2023. Read alongside UKCIS and local procedures.