Official guidance aims to minimise the number of checks being sought All school staff should be subject to the same, highest level of vetting as teachers, school leaders have said. They say there is the possibility of another Soham-like failure of the system in England. They argue this is heightened by the drive for “extended” schools that open for longer as a community resource. The comments come in the submission by the Secondary Heads Association (SHA) to the inquiry into the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. A former Department for Education and Skills permanent secretary, Sir Michael Bichard, is investigating the lessons to be learned.