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Safer Recruitment Policy

Policy Version

Date Document Version Document Revision History

Document Author/Reviser

19 April 2016 Version 1.0 N/A Emily Haddock

12 January 2017

Version 1.1 In light of advice from Safeguarding Consultant – Kerry Dawson

Jayne Carmichael

25.05.17

Version 1.2 Update in light of LGB & Trust review/approval

Jayne Carmichael

11.6.18 Version 1.3 Update in light of LGB & Trust review/approval

Mark Creighton

This policy will be reviewed every 12 months or in light of a change to local and Government legislation.

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The Dunham Trust’s Vision, Aims and Ethos Together we will Challenge the ordinary Promote individuality Be advocates for change Across our schools we encourage cross-collaboration and the sharing of best practice. We believe that we are able to help our schools and their young people to aspire to, and achieve, success. We are committed to ensuring that every child and young person has a pathway to succeed and that:

gives the best possible start in life

equips them with creativity, spirit and confidence

enables individuals to appreciate life and equip for further learning

supports the child in becoming a responsible citizen and contribute to the local community

celebrates the individual The Dunham Trust aims to contribute positively to the self-improving school-led system in education across this locality. We believe in true collaboration; working in partnership, investing in people and building capacity for long term, sustainable success. There is both the expectation and opportunity for collaboration across individual Trust schools.

The five schools in The Dunham Trust are: Acre Hall Primary School Barton Clough Primary School Elmridge Primary School The Orchards Special School Lime Tree Primary Academy The Dunham Trust is a growing Trust with very clear educational aims and expectations. One of The Trust’s primary aims is to transform the schools within The Trust into sustainable learning communities. We want to create a community of good and outstanding schools with the highest aspirations. The skills and expertise that exist within The Trust will ensure that our academies and young people aspire to, and achieve, success. We achieve this through a well-structured School Improvement Programme which is supported by The Trust’s two Teaching Schools.

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This document sets out the policy and procedures to be adopted by schools within The Dunham Trust in order to ensure that the recruitment process for schools within The Dunham Trust is as safe as possible. This policy should be read alongside the Safeguarding policy. The Trust will take all the necessary steps to prevent people who pose a risk of harm from working with pupils in our schools by adhering to statutory responsibilities to check staff who work with children, taking proportionate decisions on whether to ask for any checks beyond what is required, and ensuring volunteers are appropriately supervised and appropriately checked. The Schools in the Trust will adhere to this culture of safe recruitment and, as part of that, adopt recruitment procedures that help deter, reject or identify people who might present a risk to children. The schools within The Trust will also always act reasonably in making decisions about the suitability of the prospective employee based on checks and evidence including: Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, barred list checks, prohibition checks, overseas/EEA checks and disqualification by association checks together with references and interview information. For most appointments, an enhanced DBS certificate, which includes barred list information, will be required as the majority of staff will be engaging in regulated activity with children. A person will be considered to be engaging in regulated activity if, as a result of their work, they:

Will be responsible, on a regular basis in a school, for teaching, training, instructing, caring for or supervising children; or

Will carry out paid, or unsupervised unpaid, work regularly in the school where that work provides an opportunity for contact with children; or

Engage in intimate or personal care or overnight activity, even if this happens only once.

This policy and its procedures are especially important in the context of Special schools within The Dunham Trust. This is because the Trust knows that pupils with significant disabilities may be more at risk of abuse.

Specifically:

Children with developmental delay have four times the risk across all types of abuse

Deaf and hard-of-hearing children have twice the risk of neglect and emotional abuse and almost four times the risk of physical abuse

Children with speech and language difficulties have five times the risk of physical abuse and neglect, and three times the risk of sexual abuse

Children with learning or orthopaedic disabilities have twice the risk of all types of abuse.

The procedures and standards as laid down in this policy will be used by all those involved in the recruitment process within the schools in the Trust. It has been written taking full account of the Trust’s responsibilities as set out in the document: ‘Keeping Children Safe In Education, Statutory guidance for schools and colleges’ (DfE September 2016). The Trust has also taken full account of the statutory guidance

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contained in the document: ‘Working Together To Safeguard Children: A Guide To Inter-agency Working To Safeguard And Promote The Welfare Of Children’ (DfE March 2015) and the DfE advice contained in the document: ‘What To Do If You’re Worried A Child Is Being Abused: Advice for practitioners’ (DfE March 2015) Procedures Job Description and Person Specifications At the start of the recruitment process the postholder’s responsibilities will be clearly defined, in addition to the qualifications and experience needed to perform the job. To affirm a school’s commitment to safer recruitment, the Trust will ensure that the statement of intent below, is included on all person specifications, job advertisements and application forms. Safeguarding Recruitment Statement The Dunham Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Staff and governor appointments will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment clearances and checks including a Disclosure and Barring Service check. The Trust will require that all of its employees have an enhanced DBS certificate, which will include barred list information. This will be stated clearly in the job description and person specification relating to that post. In addition to obtaining the enhanced DBS certificate, anyone who is appointed to carry out teaching work will require a range of appropriate checks to ensure they are not prohibited from teaching. If a school in the Trust allows an individual to start work before the DBS certificate is available, then the school will ensure that the individual is appropriately supervised and that all other checks, including a separate barred list check and the appropriate risk assessments, have been completed. All job descriptions will provide details of the main duties and responsibilities of the post. This will also include the post holder’s specific responsibility towards the promotion and practice of safeguarding the welfare of all children, including those that they come into contact with, through their job. All person specifications will also provide the following details needed for the post:

Qualifications

Professional Qualifications and Registrations

The relevant skills and competencies.

Applicants for posts will be told that during the selection process that the following issues relating to the safeguarding of children will be explored:

Motivation to work in schools and with children

The ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with children

Emotional resilience in working with children with challenging

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behaviours

Attitudes to the use of authority and the maintenance of discipline. As with any other requirement on the person specification, the person specification will state how these issues will be tested – E.g. in the application form, via an interview, or other process during the selection process. All of the points on the person specification will be evidenced either in a candidate’s application form or through the interview and selection process or other process during the selection process. The Advertisement Advertisements for all vacancies will demonstrate the school’s commitment to safer recruitment and vetting procedures, protecting every potential applicant from unfair practice and ultimately safeguarding children. Promoting commitment to safeguarding and child protection can act as a deterrent to would-be abusers. Application Packs The importance of safeguarding and protecting children in the school will be promoted as much as possible throughout the recruitment process in order to deter unsuitable candidates. All school application packs will include: • Application from; CVs will not be accepted • Job Description • Person Specification Upon request (then given to successful applicants as part of pre-employment induction): • School Prospectus • School Safeguarding and Child Protection Policies • DBS – A Guide for Applicants • Rehabilitation of Offenders Act Policy • Self-disclosure (Disqualification by Association) Interview Process The interview panel will contain a senior member of staff and/or a Local Governor/Trustee who has successfully completed safer recruitment training provided by an accredited provider. The interview process will allow time for any discrepancy (ies) in a candidate’s application or references to be scrutinised and clarified. With this in mind, all candidates will have their qualifications verified, employment gaps explained, criminal record disclosed, references checked and their attitude towards children discussed at

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interview. This means that when a candidate is successful, any issues surrounding their application and references will have been fully explored before they are offered the post. Every interview will be carried out on a face-to-face basis. References

These will always be requested prior to interview and ideally received prior to interview. One of the referees will be the candidate’s current or most recent previous employer. Open references will not be accepted in any circumstances. There are occasions when previously agreed references are acceptable, for example in the situations of academy conversion and redundancy.

References will be provided on a reference pro-forma provided by the school, on behalf of the Trust, which ensures that certain questions are asked about all candidates. The reference pro-forma will ask about the candidate’s relationship with children in their current or previous role and if they have ever been involved in any disciplinary action concerning children. When references are received prior to interview, the interview panel will follow up any discrepancies or issues at interview and so are able to make a decision with reference to all the facts available at the time. Obviously, this relies entirely on the speed referees return them and this may not always allow for them to be seen prior to interview.

Employment Gaps

At interview, gaps in employment history will be discussed with the candidate. If there are gaps in their history, the candidate will have to declare the reasons for their break from work. Valid reasons for gaps in employment may be: the candidate did not need to work, travelling, bringing up a family, caring responsibilities, family bereavement, or a period of sickness. As there could be more sinister reasons for an absence, it is important to ensure that the candidate provides as much detail as possible, in order for the panel to make an informed decision and are in receipt of all relevant information. The panel will discuss patterns of repeated change in career or employers at interview, ensuring that the reasons for this are fully explored and satisfy the interview panel. Rehabilitation of Offenders Disclosure

Posts within schools are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means as a prospective employer, schools in the Trust will require short-listed candidates to disclose any unspent and spent convictions during the application stage. Having a criminal background will not in itself be used as a reason to not shortlist a candidate. Having a criminal conviction will not necessarily bar a person from working

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with children and will not be used to discount applications. If they are successful they will be required to complete an enhanced DBS Disclosure application form. Once the Enhanced DBS Disclosure Certificate is returned, any conviction information will need to match up with the candidate’s original disclosure declaration on their application form Commitment to Safeguarding Children

Person specifications will allow a school in the Trust to explore a potential candidate’s views and expectations in relation to working with children. As noted above, the recruiting panel will seek to identify the candidate’s experience or views on the following points:

Motivation to work with children

Ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with children

Emotional resilience in working with challenging behaviour

Attitudes to the use of authority and maintaining discipline.

Asking questions that require candidates to draw on their experience of interaction with children will give a good impression of the candidate’s understanding of the points above. It will enable the panel to probe issues that the candidate may not voluntarily raise, allowing the panel to be aware of issues, or lack of knowledge, that a candidate may have, or when the candidate refuses to discuss their motivation to work within a school environment, or with children.

Pre-employment checks Any offer of employment to any post at the school will be subject, where applicable, to the following checks:

Self-disclosure through the application form/Disqualification by Association

Enhanced DBS

Barred List

Prohibition From Teaching

Section 128 (management posts)

Overseas

EEA

Proof to Work in UK

Fitness for work

References A school will request and have returned two references for every candidate, including internal ones; one of these references will be from their current or most recent employer. If a candidate for a teaching post is not currently employed as a teacher, the Trust will also check with the school, college or local authority at which they were

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most recently employed, to confirm details of their employment and their reasons for leaving. Schools in the Trust will always check reference questionnaires to ensure that all specific questions have been answered satisfactorily. The referee will be contacted to provide further clarification as appropriate: for example, if the answers are vague. References will also be compared for consistency with the information provided by the candidate on their application form. Any discrepancies will be taken up with the candidate. Trust schools will consider carefully any information about past disciplinary action or allegations when assessing the applicant’s suitability for the post. As the post requires working in an environment with children, it is important to have a reference, if available, from an employer or voluntary agency demonstrating the candidate’s previous work experience, paid or unpaid, of working with children. Verification of Candidate’s Identity It is vital that the school has verified the identity of its employees and has evidence to prove this. The ID check will then go on to staff personal files and be logged on the school’s Single Central Register (SCR). Enhanced DBS check This will show the school previous convictions held on file for a potential employee. Having a conviction will not necessarily bar someone from working in a job with children. The severity, nature, circumstances and timing of the conviction will need to be taken into consideration. Candidates will need to be given the opportunity at the application stage to declare any unspent or spent convictions they may have. Any declaration they make will be compared with the returned criminal record disclosure. We will also check that a candidate to be employed as a teacher is not subject to a prohibition order issued by the Secretary of State for Education, using the Employer Access Online service. Additional other checks will be carried out as outlined in pre-employment checks above.

Overseas Criminal & EEA Record Disclosures Staff who have lived outside of the UK will undergo the same checks as all other staff, including full-enhanced DBS checks. If a potential employee has lived abroad for a period of time or who comes from another country prior to working in the UK, then a DBS check may not give a full picture in respect of any criminal record they may have. In these cases, an overseas Criminal and EEA Record Disclosures will need to be applied for as well as a UK DBS Disclosure. We will use the application processes for obtaining overseas criminality information from various countries available from the Home Office.

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Medical Clearance We will wish to verify the candidate’s mental and physical fitness to carry out their work responsibilities. A potential employee will be asked to complete a medical questionnaire, which is then assessed by the Trust’s Occupational Health Service provider. In the event of any uncertainty, depending on the answers given by the candidate, t an appointment with the Occupational Health Service provider to confirm fitness can be facilitated. In such circumstances, a potential employee is confirmed as medically cleared once confirmation has been received from the Occupational Health Service declaring them fit for their proposed post.

Verification of Qualifications Any essential qualifications required to perform a particular job, such as QTS, as stated in the person specification, will need to be evidenced. A copy of original certificates will be taken and placed on their personal file and logged on the SCR. This should ideally be confirmed at the interview stage. Verification of Professional Registration Some posts require a professional registration with a regulatory body. This will be evidenced and placed on file, if the person specification states it as an essential prerequisite. Right to Work in the UK It is a legal obligation that every employer in the UK verifies whether a potential employee has the right to work in the UK. In order to do this, there will be a check on essential documents such as driving licenses, passports, and NI Numbers. Employment History When checking an application form it is important to note any gaps in employment or noticeable patterns when the candidate changed their employment. At interview, any gaps will be discussed and satisfactory explanations given and recorded. Conditional offer of employment The full range of pre-employment checks will be made clear to candidates at interview. Any offer of employment will be a conditional offer, subject to satisfactory clearances being received and checked by the school. Only when all of these checks are completed and returned will an offer of employment be confirmed. A candidate will not be offered a post unconditionally. Details of the

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outcomes of these checks will be kept in the successful candidates’ file as well as the information kept in the SCR as detailed below. In exceptional circumstances, where it is in the best interests of the school for a candidate to start prior to all of these checks being completed, a rigorous risk assessment will be carried out by a Head of School to ensure that no child is put at risk. DBS Renewals or Re-Checks It is recognised that the DBS Disclosure is a record, or a snapshot, of convictions on the day they are issued and subsequently, staff may have new convictions that they may or may not have made the school aware of, albeit that the staff Code of Conduct requires them to do so. Therefore it is school policy that staff will be required to complete a Disqualification by Association questionnaire at the start of each academic year, which includes a declaration about any new convictions relevant to them. This process will apply to all people engaged in regulated activity as defined above. If we have concerns about an existing staff member’s suitability to work with children, we will carry out all relevant checks as if the person were a new member of staff. Similarly, if a person working at the school moves from a post that was not regulated activity, into work which is regulated activity, the relevant checks for the regulated activity will be carried out. We will always act on our legal duty to refer to the DBS anyone who has harmed, or poses a risk of harm, to a child or vulnerable adult; where the harm test is satisfied in respect of that individual; where or not the individual has received a caution or conviction for a relevant offence, or if there is reason to believe that individual has committed a listed relevant offence; and that individual has been removed from working (paid or unpaid) in regulated activity, or would have been removed had they not left. Where a teacher’s employer, including an agency, dismisses or ceases to use the services of a teacher because of serious misconduct relating to safeguarding, or might have dismissed them or ceased to use their services had they not left first, we will consider whether to refer the case to the Secretary of State. Other personnel Visitors We will not request DBS checks and barred list checks, or ask to see DBS certificates, for visitors (for example children’s’ relatives or other visitors attending a sports day). However, we will use our professional judgment about the need to escort or supervise visitors.

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Independent Supply Teachers Independent supply teachers are seldom used within The Dunham Trust. On such cases where independent supply teachers are used, with regard to checks to be carried out, independent supply teachers will be recruited and treated in the same way as any other member of staff in the school. This will include all the appropriate pre-employment checks carried out before their employment is confirmed. Independent Supply teachers will have their DBS Disclosure re-checked every 12 months. This is due to the casual and ad-hoc nature of their work, which may mean they do not actively work in schools for a few months at a time. If an independent supply teacher is predominantly based at our school, we will organise the recheck. If the independent supply teacher is mobile and only works at our school a few days for weeks at a time, the teacher will need to organise their re-check and fund it themselves. Peripatetic Tutors and Agency Staff (including Agency Supply Teachers and staff from other agencies or educational institutions)

We will ensure that the same standard of checks for all staff even if they are not employed directly by the school, but through an agency is carried out. With this in mind, all outside providers or agencies will be requested to provide evidence of the same pre-employment checks that we would complete if we were directly employing the staff ourselves. This will be given in writing and in advance of the individual starting work at school and will be agreed as part of any contract between the school and provider e.g. a teacher supply agency.

If evidence is not provided, then the school will not allow the peripatetic tutors or agency staff to have unsupervised access to children. On an exceptional basis, a risk assessment will be undertaken but this will not be considered the norm. . Evidence of checks from external providers will be recorded on the Single Central Register. If a school in the Trust uses supply teaching agencies, then it will only use agencies that have been awarded the Quality Mark by the DfE. This mark is only given to agencies who demonstrate robust recruitment and selection procedures ensuring that their employees are DBS-checked, have a full face-to-face interviews, and all the appropriate pre-employment checks and child protection inductions are carried out.

As with any external provider coming on to the school premises, we will verify the identity of individuals and individuals who will be asked to show documents such as a passport or driver’s license along with company ID, if relevant. The school will be given the names of expected guests or outside providers in advance of their arrival at the school. The school will be ensure that the named individual is who they say they are.

Members of Local Governing Bodies and Trustee’s In accordance with current guidance members of local governing bodies and Trustees’ are required to undergo a DBS check prior to taking up their roles.

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Volunteers Volunteers will always be supervised by a staff member, where their volunteering activities bring them in to contact with children either in schools or on activities outside of school and will therefore not be require to undergo a DBS check. If a volunteer becomes a paid employee, then the checks as described above for employees will be carried out. Building and maintenance contractors Building and maintenance contractors must try and work outside of a school’s daily hours; if this is not practicable, pupils will not be allowed in areas where they are working for health and safety reasons, so there will be little opportunity for workers to be unsupervised with pupils. However, it is difficult to say that there will never be times when contact with a pupil occurs. To accommodate for this, all contractors who may come into contact with pupils on site during opening hours at the school must have a current DBS Enhanced Disclosure which does not include a barred list check. This clearance will be stated in any contract agreed and/or tendered between the school and paid for by the chosen contractor. The school can act as an umbrella body, but a charge will be levied on the company and work will not commence before the Disclosure has been received. In such events, contractors will not have unsupervised contact with pupils and will be escorted around school premises by the site manager or a member of the school’s office or senior leadership teams. If a contractor working at the school is self-employed, we will obtain the DBS check, as self-employed people are not able to make an application directly to the DBS on their own account. Also, we will always check the identities of contractors and their staff on arrival at the school.

Any contractor or maintenance worker coming on to the school premises will have to verify their identity, providing documents such as a passport or driver’s licence along with company ID, where relevant. The school will take all the necessary steps to be absolutely certain that the named individual is who they say they are. Members and Trustees of Dunham Education Trust and Governors All Members, Trustees and Local Governors will need to obtain a DBS check, not including barred list information. They will also need to have their identities checked. Further checks as the Chair of the Trust considers appropriate may be undertaken where, by reason of the individual’s living or having lived overseas, obtaining an enhanced DBS certificate is not sufficient to establish his/her suitability to work in a school.

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Students from a Local School or College These students will be supervised at all times during their placement and will not need an enhanced DBS check. The schools in the Trust will ensure that each student is suitable for the placement environment. Once again an ID check will be carried out to establish that the student from another school who has arrived for the placement is who they say they are. This will be evidenced with the use of a Trust proforma which gathers photographic ID as well as local school/college authority. Trainee Teachers or Teaching Assistant Training Students The school, University or College will provide evidence in writing to the school (in the same way as a Supply Agency would do) that they have carried out all the same checks that the school would have done if they were their own staff (including DBS Disclosure with a barred list check, identity check etc.). Where trainee teachers are joining the school from other Trust Schools, staff can be reassured that these checks will have been robustly carried out. Where trainee teachers are salaried by the school, we will undertake all the necessary checks as trainee teachers are likely to be engaging in regulated activity, an enhanced DBS certificate (including barred list information) will be obtained. The Single Central Record (SCR) This is an important document and will be kept in a digital format. Arrangements will also be made to store a copy securely at an off-site location, to protect the data in the event of a fire or other serious event. As required by legislation, all schools in the Trust will keep an accurate SCR of all staff. The information that will be recorded will cover the following people:

All staff (including supply staff, and teacher trainees on salaried routes) who work at the school

All Members of the Trust, Trustees and Governors. There is no requirement for the school to record details of fee-funded trainees on the SCR. The SCR will record whether the following checks have been carried out or certificates obtained, and the date on which each check was completed/certificate obtained:

An identity check

A barred list check

An enhanced DBS check/certificate

A prohibition from teaching check

Section 128 (for management posts)

Disqualification by Association

Further checks on people living or working outside the UK

A check of professional qualifications

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A check to establish the person’s right to work in the United Kingdom. For supply staff, the SCR will also include whether written confirmation that the employment business supplying the member of supply staff has carried out the relevant checks and obtained the appropriate certificates, whether any enhanced DBS check certificate has been provided in respect of the member of supply staff, and the date that confirmation was received. We will keep a copy of DBS certificates for no longer than it takes to complete the necessary checks after which it will be disposed of confidentially. . We will keep copies of other documents used to verify the successful candidate’s identity, right to work and required qualifications in the individual’s personnel file.

This record will be complete for all staff and volunteers. It will be kept in a secure location, under the control of a responsible member of staff and will be available to be reviewed by Ofsted Inspectors. For every entry, the date and initials of the validating member of staff will be included, to provide a clear audit trail.

Training and Professional Development

Schools in the Trust will run an induction programme for all new staff and volunteers. This will include:

Policies and procedures in relation to safeguarding and promoting welfare, child protection, anti-bullying, antiracism, physical intervention and restraint, and internet safety

Safe practice and the standards of conduct and behaviour expected of staff and pupils at the school

How and with whom any concerns should be raised

Other relevant personnel procedures e.g. disciplinary, capability whistleblowing and staff Code of Conduct.

Trustees, Governors and senior leaders will also participate in appropriate training, including that organised by an accredited provider to ensure they are skilled in assessing all job applications with particular reference to safeguarding matters. Recruitment & Selection Checklist The Trust’s recruitment and selection checklist should be followed in all circumstances when making an appointment to a role with the Trust, see appendix 1.

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Appendix 1 Chair of the Interview Panel -

Recruitment and Selection Checklist Completed By

Quality Assured

By

Date Completed

Actions

1. Post Identified Complete ‘Vacancy Approval form’ To be approved and signed by CEO, Finance Director and HR Director.

2. Interview Arrangements & Timetable

Identify interview panel - at least two interviewers one of which must be safer recruitment trained

Identify Chair of the interview panel (Chair must be safer recruitment trained)

Identify a relevant member of staff to ensure consistency, assign all recruitment and selection steps to relevant personnel to ensure:

o Relevant paperwork is completed

o Application forms are checked for any gaps in employment and candidates asked to account for any gaps at interview

o References are checked and any concerns can be either chased with the referee, an alternative referee sought and/or any concerns can be raised with the candidate at interview

o References are scrutinised to ensure that dates and information are consistent with application forms

Agree date for interview panel to meet and agree:

o Interview date/s o Short listing date o Closing date o Live date o Authority to appoint o Issues o Criteria/standards –

shortlisting criteria established

o Questions/assessment (robust – skills, knowledge required in the job description are fully tested)

Agree date for short listing panel to

Interview Questions A safeguarding question must be asked, for example, 1. How have you applied your safeguarding training in the school context? 2. Can you describe how you have used your safeguarding responsibilities across the school context? 3. From a safeguarding perspective, have you ever been concerned about a child, and what did you do?

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meet

3. Application Planning

Person Specification

Job Description

Application Form (standard Trafford application forms for Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff)

Job Advert to include safer recruitment statement below: (the above to be sent to HR Director to sign off before advertised)

Are appropriate references made to safeguarding duties in the job description/ person specification?

Safer Recruitment Statement – to be included in all job adverts XXXSCHOOLXXX is a member of The Dunham Trust, which is a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) of five schools based in Trafford. The Trust’s core aim is to provide quality experiences and make a significant contribution to the children in its care. The Trust provides a successful platform for staff networking, professional development and collaboration across its schools through its teaching school alliances and its MAT networks. The central Trust team includes two National Leaders of Education who are highly experienced and able to provide strong leadership and support to schools. We encourage applicants to visit our school and Trust websites and read our School Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy [add hyperlink] and Trust Child Protection and Safeguarding Statement.

The Dunham Trust and XXXSCHOOLXXX is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Staff and volunteer appointments will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment clearances and checks including a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

4. Vacancy Advertised

Allowing a 2 week window of advertising

Eteach

Greater Jobs

5. Applications Received – Scrutinised

Any discrepancies/anomalies/gaps in employment noted to explore if candidate considered for short-listing

Are all shortlisted applications signed by the applicant? Please pay particular note to digital copies received. If an application form is not signed, it can be signed at interview. For any applicant that has made a disclosure,

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opportunities to discuss the disclosure must be made before interview to ensure a fair recruitment process and the shortlisted panel must not be informed of the disclosure to avoid prejudice.

6. Short-list Prepared

Short listing panel to meet

Short listing to take place, using: o Short listing screening

record o Candidate application form o Person specification o Job description

7. References Seeking

Sought directly from referee on short-listed candidates

Ask recommended specific questions

Include statement about liability for accuracy (standard Trafford request forms)

Use of a professional email address, personal email contacts are not permitted. Is the role of the referee clear and appropriate?

8. References on Receipt

Checked against information on application; scrutinised; any discrepancy or issue noted to take up with referee and or applicant (at interview if possible)

9. Invitation to interview

Email invitation to include: o Date o Time o Location o Task requirements (if

applicable) o Interview panel (job titles) o Request to confirm

attendance

10. Interview Preparation

Interview information pack to support interview panel, consisting of:

o Interview schedule including timings

o Candidates application form o Candidates references

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o Person specification o Job description o Copies of interview panel

questions, 1 per candidate for annotation

11. Interview

Explores applicants’ suitability for work with children as well as for the post

All interview panel paperwork to be fully completed, including:

o Full set of notes for each panel member

o Completed the form fully with their name, the name of each candidate, their notes and a score for each question and an overall score

o Interview panel paperwork is stored:

Successful applicant in personnel file

Unsuccessful applicant with other school records

12. Conditional Offer of Appointment

Offer of appointment is made conditional:

o Offer letter template is sent o References, if not obtained

and scrutinised previously o On satisfactory completion

of the following pre-appointment checks (those required for SCR) and, for non-teaching posts, a probationary period (6-month probationary period to be applied for all non-teaching staff)

o Completed identity and qualification of successful applicant verification (by scrutiny of appropriate original documents; copies of document taken and placed in personnel file)

o Medical clearance o New starter paperwork is

sent to HR Shared Service to be checked for accuracy, specifically to check continuous service dates from application

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form/references o Allocate a line manager o Ensure that line managers

are clear of their responsibilities in monitoring probation periods, ensuring review meetings and appropriate paperwork is completed at months 1, 3 and 5

o Ensure that the School has adopted a Probationary Policy (recommend using Trafford Procedure)

New starter paperwork is uploaded: o Appointment Form o HMRC New Starter Form o Bank Details o Application Form

13. GMSS will issue (via the portal)

Appointment Offer letter

Statement of Particulars

TO BE DOWNLOADED FROM THE PORTAL

Issue Staff Identification Badge/Pass

Issue Building Fob/Keys

Check First Month Salary

Update Staff SIMS

14. Induction begins – Assign induction lead person and follow Induction Checklist

Add to SCR

Completed By

Quality Assured

By

Date Completed

Identity

Teacher reference number - if applicable

Qualifications

Permissions to work in the UK if required

DBS Certificate – where appropriate satisfactory DBS certificate received

Volunteers are not subject to an enhanced DBS if their work is supervised at all times. If there is any doubt that a volunteer may be working in an unsupervised manner, an

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enhanced DBS check must be completed.

DBS barred list – person is not prohibited from taking up the post

Health – the candidate is medically fit

Prohibition from teaching (for teaching posts)

Prohibition from management (free schools and academies only) an employee, a trustee of an academy/free school, a governor on any governing body in an academy/free school that retains or has been delegated any management responsibilities

Overseas and EEA checks (those who have lived, worked or qualified overseas)

Disqualification from childcare (applies only to those providing early years or later years childcare – people deployed to Under 5’s or until age 8, out of school hours)

Qualified Teacher Status (for teaching posts in maintained schools)

Staff who are directly involved in the management of early years provision, this will include the Head Teacher, members of the school’s leadership team and any other manager, supervisor, leader, volunteer responsible for the day-to-day management of the provision.

Statutory induction (for teachers who obtained QTS after 7 May 1999)

Child protection training and other induction such as Health and Safety, Safe Working Practice/Code of staff behaviour

Additional points to consider

That the School adopt the Council’s Recruitment and Selection Procedure, or review

their current procedure to consider including;

o Pre-employment medical clearance for all staff

o Reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability at

interview/successful applicants on appointment

o Shortlisting prior to interview

o A section on genuine occupational qualifications (GOQ’s)

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