Teachers may still be asked for a “CRB,” but a new application uses DBS terminology in England and Wales. The route depends on the actual teaching or tutoring duties and the organisation engaging the person.
The term CRB still appears in everyday questions, but CRB was replaced by DBS, so modern guidance normally appears under DBS wording. For tutors, the real issue is matching the check route to how the tutoring work happens in practice: directly with families, through a school, through an agency, or as a self-employed person.
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See the tutor application route
Quick takeaways
- The right route depends on how the tutoring or teaching work is arranged.
- Eligibility matters more than assumptions.
- Self-employed tutors now have a newer umbrella-body route where eligible.
- Parents, schools and agencies may still ask to inspect the original certificate.
How school safeguarding changes the answer
Schools and teaching roles sit inside a safer-recruitment context where the level of check matters and child-workforce considerations are central. That is why school-related searches often point towards Enhanced-level discussions.
Even so, the exact answer depends on the role itself, how regularly the person works with children, and who is employing or engaging them.
- Think about the actual duties, not just the job title.
- Check legal eligibility before submitting a higher-level application.
- Make sure the person reviewing the result sees the original certificate.
School-employed route versus private tutoring route
For tutors working in or with schools, the practical question is usually who starts the application. A school or education employer may handle that as part of recruitment, while independent tutors working directly with families may need a different route.
That distinction matters because the same person could be a school-employed tutor in one setting and a self-employed private tutor in another. The paperwork route is not automatically identical.
When a teacher moves into tutoring
A certificate obtained for one teaching post should not be assumed to fit every later tutoring arrangement. Before relying on it, compare its level and workforce with the new role, inspect the original document and check whether an appropriate Update Service status check is available with the tutor’s consent.
If a teacher starts tutoring privately as well as working for a school, keep the two arrangements separate. The school may initiate a role-based application for its employment, while eligible self-employed work may use a different route. The person’s qualifications and previous school certificate do not remove the need to match the new role correctly.
Continue with the school role assessment
Start the check after the school has documented the correct level.
What schools and tutors should do next
When a school checks a certificate, it is not just counting whether a tutor ‘has one’. The issue date, role wording, workforce and any Update Service status are part of the real decision-making picture.
Do not guess: match the school or teaching duties to the lawful route.
Common questions
Do private tutors always need the same DBS route as school staff?
No. The right route depends on how the tutoring work is arranged and who is requesting the check.
Can self-employed tutors now get Enhanced checks?
Eligible self-employed tutors can now use an umbrella body route for Enhanced checks under the 2026 guidance.
Can parents apply for a tutor’s DBS check on the tutor’s behalf?
No. The tutor must use the correct route themselves, such as an eligible umbrella-body route.
Does online tutoring remove the need to think about safeguarding?
No. The delivery method changes, but safeguarding and suitability questions remain important.
What to do next
Open the application route when the school role and requester are clear.