Are CRB checks required for Governors and/or Volunteers?

Ofsted have clarified the position for volunteers which include Governors

Volunteers Checks are required for those who have regular and unsupervised access to children and young people. The definition of supervision is currently being considered under the terms of the Protection of Freedoms Bill and will be the subject of guidance from the Department for Education when the bill becomes law next year.

However, schools and colleges have been advised by CRB and in Safeguarding children and safer recruitment in education that a risk assessment should take place when volunteers are recruited. Schools and colleges should be able to provide such risk assessments and be able to explain the rationale for those who have been checked and those who have not. The key criterion for checking volunteers is regular and unsupervised contact with children.

School Governors do not require a CRB check unless they will have regular and unsupervised access to children and young people.

However, it should be noted that refusal by a School Governor to have a CRB check carried out is a disqualification factor as detailed in the School Governors Guide to the law (GTTL)

Schedule 6 of the Constitution Regulations covers the disqualifications of governors. This includes  'If a governor refuses to allow an application to the Criminal Records Bureau for a criminal records certificate'

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/schools/for-schools/safeguarding-children

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/governance/b0065507/gttl