An inquiry into sex offenders in schools has led to tighter rules

The NASUWT says increasing numbers of local authorities are asking schools to check existing teachers' records.

It says this is a "gross over-reaction" which could cause distress to dedicated members of staff.

The Department for Education says new staff must be vetted - but schools need not make retrospective checks.

False allegations

Chris Keates, NASUWT general secretary, said the checks would cause a financial burden to schools, as each costs �34, and councils insist that schools foot the bill.

She added: "There is real potential for teachers to suffer as a result of these checks.

"Someone who has already been through the trauma of a false allegation could find that soft information is still on police files and the whole sorry problem will be dragged up again."

The union said it had heard from a teacher who was reported to the police by a neighbour who spotted him naked in his own home.

Although never prosecuted or cautioned, the information was released under subsequent CRB checks and the teacher was refused employment.

Ms Keates said it was important to regulate the type of information the police held on file, and that it was "unacceptable" to ban a teacher from working with children where the police had taken no action and there was no evidence of a threat to children.

Derby City Council has ordered more than 100 schools to check existing members of staff, including teachers, cleaners and cooks.

Council spokeswoman Carol Mee said: "Anyone who has been in the job for more than a few years won't ever have been checked so we thought we should do something about that.

"We have not taken the decision lightly. If it upsets a few people but stops something really nasty happening to kids then it's worth it."

'Not complacent'

Education Secretary Ruth Kelly ordered an inquiry into sex offenders working in schools, after several cases emerged in the media of sex offenders who had been approved to work as teachers.

It led to a tightening of the rules on who can work with children.

Schools are now required to complete CRB checks on all newly-appointed school employees, and Ms Kelly said anyone who had been cautioned for a sex offence would automatically be banned from working in schools.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education and Skills said it was important not to start from the position that every teacher could pose a threat to children.

"Just because a teacher has been in a school for some time, it does not mean they won't have been vetted prior to appointment.

"Teachers who started work after the CRB guidance came into operation in 2002 should already have been subject to CRB checks. And those who started work before 2002 should have had relevant checks such as police checks and employer references.

"But we are not complacent and neither should employers be. If a school has concerns over any existing member of staff, they can and should get a new CRB check."