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This guide takes you through configuring the Safeguarding Audit module to run your school’s annual Section 11 safeguarding review. The module ships with default content drawn from Section 11 checklists used by multiple Local Authorities, giving you a robust starting point that you can adapt to your LA’s specific requirements.
Initial setup must be carried out by a user with the Administrator role.

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Quick Start

Follow these four steps to enable the module and get your team into the audit.
1

Enable the Safeguarding Audit module

Go to Administration > Modules and enable the Safeguarding Audit module. It will appear in the left-hand navigation menu once active.
2

Assign a Safeguarding Manager

Still in Administration, go to Users and assign the Safeguarding Manager role to yourself or another suitable member of staff — typically your Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). You can assign the role to more than one person.
Until at least one Safeguarding Manager is assigned, Administrators receive a weekly reminder that this step has not been completed. Assigning the role removes that alert.
3

Open the Safeguarding Audit

Reload your page and select Safeguarding Audit from the left-hand navigation menu. You will see the full set of pre-loaded Safeguarding Areas and Safeguarding Items.
4

Explore the default content

Browse the Safeguarding Areas and Safeguarding Items. The default content combines Section 11 checklists from multiple LAs to provide comprehensive coverage. Try confirming and unconfirming a few items and adding notes, so you understand the workflow before tailoring it to your school.

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Further Setup

A Safeguarding Manager can customise the module to reflect your LA’s requirements and your school’s specific context. Open the management panel by selecting Manage from the dropdown menu in the top-right corner of the screen.

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Reviewing and customising the default items

The pre-loaded content is intentionally broad. Before your first review cycle, go through the default items with your DSL and:
  • Disable any items that are not applicable to your school (for example, items specific to a nursery if you do not have one).
  • Archive any items that are permanently out of scope for your school. Archived items are hidden from the audit but can be restored at any time.
  • Add any items required by your Local Authority that go beyond the defaults, via Manage > Safeguarding Items > Add Item.

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Adding items required by your Local Authority

Every LA formats its Section 11 return slightly differently. If your LA requires specific evidence areas not covered in the defaults:
  • Go to Manage > Safeguarding Items and select Add Item.
  • Assign the new item to an existing Safeguarding Area, or create a new area first via Manage > Safeguarding Areas > Add Area.

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Assigning Safeguarding Owners

Safeguarding Owners are the staff members responsible for reviewing and confirming individual areas and items during the year. They receive weekly email reminders about anything that is unapproved, not OK, or overdue.
  1. Go to Administration > Users and assign the Safeguarding Owner role to each relevant member of staff.
  2. Return to Manage within the Safeguarding Audit and assign each Safeguarding Area or Safeguarding Item to its owner.
Safeguarding Managers can reassign owners directly from within the module without returning to Administration > Users — the Administrator role is only needed for the initial role grant.

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Setting review dates

Each Safeguarding Item defaults to an annual review cycle. You can adjust dates to fit your school’s safeguarding calendar or your LA’s required submission timeline.
  • Open any item and update its Review Date. You can set a date up to 18 months ahead.
  • When a Safeguarding Owner confirms an item as OK, the review date automatically rolls forward one year from the date of confirmation — or from the existing review date if confirmation occurs within four weeks of the item being due.
Review dates are colour-coded: red for overdue, amber for due within the next four weeks, and green for items further ahead. This makes it easy to see at a glance where the annual review is falling behind.

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Running the Annual Review

With setup complete, Safeguarding Owners work through their assigned areas across the review year.

Safeguarding Owners

Log in regularly throughout the year and review your assigned items. Confirm each item as complete with the date of confirmation, add descriptive notes, and attach any relevant evidence. You receive weekly email reminders about items that are unapproved, not OK, or overdue.

Safeguarding Managers

Monitor overall review progress from the Safeguarding Audit dashboard. At the end of the review cycle, use the Print button to produce a complete audit report — a ready-made evidence document for your LA return, governor review, or Ofsted preparation.
The name of the Safeguarding Owner for each area and item is displayed as a mailto link, making it easy for anyone to contact the right person directly from the audit screen.
Your Local Authority may have a specific format or portal for the Section 11 safeguarding return. Check with your LA before adapting the default content to ensure that a comprehensive school-based review in Clever School Systems will be accepted in place of, or alongside, any LA-specific submission process.
For Multi-Academy Trusts and Local Authorities, certain Safeguarding Areas can be managed centrally to ensure consistent standards across schools. Locally assigned Safeguarding Owners are still notified about those items and can contribute to the coordinated review.