SAFER RECRUITMENT POLICY This Policy applies to the Whole School
The whole school refers to all staff and pupils in the Preparatory School and the Senior School of St Albans High School for Girls. This includes: the Early Years/Foundation Stage (EYFS), Pre-Prep (Key Stage 1), Prep (Key Stage 2); Senior School (Key Stages 3-5). St Albans High School for Girls is an independent, selective day school with approximately 950 pupils between the ages of 4 and 18.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people is an integral factor in the School’s recruitment process and plays an essential part in creating a safe environment for children and young people.
1.2 This policy sets out the duties and responsibilities of all staff within the School in relation to recruiting and vetting staff, contractors and volunteers and for providing a safe learning environment and aims to ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, recommendations and guidance including the statutory guidance published by the Department of Education (DfE), Keeping Safe in Education (KCSIE September 2016), Prevent Duty Guidance (DfE) June 2015, Disqualification Under the Children Act 2006 (DUCA) and any guidance or code of practice published by the Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS).
2. STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
2.1 All employees involved in the recruitment and selection of staff are responsible for familiarising themselves with and complying with the provisions of this policy. To ensure that the school meets its commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people by carrying out all necessary pre-employments checks the use of a Recruitment and Induction Checklist, Appendix 1, should be applied to all recruitment.
3. IDENTIFICATION OF RECRUITERS
3.1 Since January 2010 the School Staffing Regulations require that every recruitment panel for a school- based post must include at least one member with safer recruitment training.
3.2 Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education (DfES 2006) requires that the Headmistress and at least one governor must have completed Safer Recruitment training delivered by accredited trainers. The School follows these statutory requirements and has made a commitment to regularly train members of its Senior Leadership Team.
4. INVITING APPLICATIONS
4.1 Advertisements for posts – whether in newspapers, journals or online – will include the statement:
“The High School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo
1 GL 2016-17 child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service”. 4.2 Prospective applicants will be supplied, as a minimum, with the following:
Job description and person specification The school’s child protection policy The school’s recruitment policy (this document) The selection procedure for the post An application form.
4.3 All applicants will be required to complete an application form containing questions about their academic and employment history and their suitability for the role. Should the application form be incomplete or contain gaps in academic or employment history, a satisfactory explanation must be provided. A curriculum vitae will not be accepted in place of the completed application form.
5. SHORT LISTING AND REFERENCES
5.1 Short listing of candidates will be against the person specification for the post. Suitable applicants will be invited to attend a formal interview at which his/her relevant skills and experience will be discussed in more detail.
5.2 Where possible, references will be taken up before interview, so that any discrepancies can be probed during the selection stage.
5.3 Two references will be sought directly from the referees. References or testimonials provided by the candidates will never be accepted.
5.4 Where necessary, referees will be contacted by telephone or email in order to clarify any anomalies or discrepancies. A detailed written note will be kept of such exchange.
5.5 Where necessary, previous employers who have not been named as referees will be contacted in order to clarify any anomalies or discrepancies. A detailed written note will be kept of such exchanges.
5.6 All referees will be asked specific questions about: whether they believe the applicant is suitable for the job for which they have applied and whether they have any reason to believe that the applicant is unsuitable to work with children and young people and whether they hold any extreme political views or association with extreme organisations. All referees will be sent a copy of the job description and person specification for the role for which the applicant has applied. If the referee is a current or previous employer, they will also be asked to confirm the following: the applicant’s dates of employment, salary, job title, duties, reason for leaving, performance, sickness and disciplinary record; whether the applicant has ever been the subject of disciplinary procedures involving issues related to the safety and welfare of children (including any in which disciplinary sanction has expired), except where the issues were deemed to have resulted from allegations which were found to be false, unsubstantiated, or malicious; and whether allegations or concerns have been raised about the applicant that relate to the safety and welfare of children and young people or behaviour towards children and young people, except where the allegations or concerns were found to be false, unsubstantiated or malicious.
5.7 The School will only accept references obtained directly from the referee and it will not rely on references or testimonials provided by the applicant or on open references or testimonials.
2 5.8 The School will compare all references with any information given on the application form. Any discrepancies or inconsistencies in the information will be taken up with the applicant and the relevant referee before any appointment is confirmed.
5.9 The School may at its discretion make telephone contact with any referee to verify the details of the written reference provided.
5.10 School employees are entitled to see and receive, if requested, copies of their employment references.
6. INTERVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS
6.1 Selection techniques will be determined by the nature and duties of the vacant post, but all vacancies will require an interview of short listed candidates. Interviews will always be face-to-face. Telephone interviews may be used at the short listing stage but will not be a substitute for a face-to-face interview (which may be via visual electronic link).
6.2 At the interview, the identity of the candidate will be verified by checking original documents such as ID documents (passport, driving licence) and certificates to ensure the person is who he or she claims to be.
6.3 Candidates will always be required:
a. To explain satisfactorily any gaps in employment b. To explain satisfactorily any anomalies or discrepancies in the information available to recruiters c. To declare any information that is likely to appear on a DBS disclosure d. To demonstrate their capacity to safeguard and protect the welfare of children and young people.
6.4 We are committed to involving children and young people in the recruitment and selection process where appropriate. This may be by lesson observation, group activities or observed conversations.
6.5 All offers of employment will be subject to the receipt of a minimum of two references which are considered to be satisfactory by the School. One of the references must be from the applicant’s current or most recent employer. If the current / most recent employment does / did not involve work with children, then the second reference should be from the employer whom the applicant most recently worked with children. Neither referee should be a relative or someone known to the applicant solely as a friend.
7. EMPLOYMENT CHECKS
7.1 All applicants who are invited to an interview will be required to bring with them evidence of identity, right to work in the UK, address and qualifications as set out below and in the list of valid identity documents at Appendix 2 (these requirements comply with DBS identity checking guidelines): One document from Group 1; Two further documents from either Group 1, Group 2a or Group 2b, one of which must verify the applicant’s current address; and Original documents confirming any educational and professional qualifications referred to in their application form.
7.2 Where an applicant claims to have changed their name by deed poll or any other means (e.g. marriage, adoption, statutory declaration) they will be required to provide documentary evidence of the change.
7.3 The School asks for the date of birth of all applicants (and proof of this) in accordance with KCSIE. Proof of date is necessary so that the School may verify the identity of, and check for any unexplained discrepancies in the employment and education history of all applicants. The School does not discriminate on grounds of age. 3 GL 2016-17 7.4 To ensure that the School meets its commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people all successful candidates will be required to complete an application for a DBS certificate using the DBS Revised and Enhanced Identification Checking Guidelines (effective from 2014). A satisfactory certificate in line with current child protection legislation must be received before the successful candidate is allowed to take up the post.
7.4 The School will apply for enhanced disclosure from the DBS and a check of the Children’s Barred List in respect of all positions at the School which amount to “regulated activity” as defined by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. Any position undertaken at, or on behalf of the School will amount to “regulated activity” if it is carried out: Frequently, meaning once a week or more; or Overnight, meaning between 2:00 am and 6:00 am; or Satisfies the “period condition”, meaning four times or more in a 30 day period; or Provides the opportunity for contact with children.
7.5 Roles which are carried out on an unpaid /voluntary basis will only amount to regulated activity if, in addition to the above, they are carried out on an unsupervised basis. It is for the School to decide whether a role amounts to “regulated activity” taking into account all the relevant circumstances. However, nearly all posts at the School amount to regulated activity.
7.6 The DBS now issues a DBS disclosure certificate to the subject of the check only, rather than to the School. It is a condition of employment with the School that the original disclosure certificate is provided to the School within one week of it being received by the applicant. Employment will remain conditional upon the original certificate being provided and it being considered satisfactory by the School.
8. VETTING CHECKS
8.1 All staff appointments to our school are subject to an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure & Barring Service (a DBS certificate) in line with current legislation. This requirement also applies to all supply staff, volunteers and contractors (see ‘Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education’ chapter 4.74 – 4.76 and the Protection of Freedoms act 2012 ‘regulated activity’)
8.2 DBS checks will be requested for applicants with recent periods of overseas residence and those with little or no previous UK residence. These applicants may also be asked to provide further information, including a criminal records check from the relevant jurisdictions. The applicant will not be permitted to commence work until the overseas information has been received and is considered satisfactory by the School.
8.3 All staff are expected to notify the Headmistress of any cautions or convictions accrued whilst in the employment of the school.
9. CHILDCARE DISQUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
9.1 The Childcare Act 2006 (the Act) and the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2009 (the Regulations) state that it is an offence for the School to employ anyone in connection with our early years provision (EYP) or later years provision (LYP) who is disqualified, or for a disqualified person to be directly involved in the management of EYP or LYP. EYP includes usual school activities and any other supervised activity for a child up to 1 September after the child’s 5th birthday, which takes place on the school premises during or outside of the normal school day; LYP includes provision for children not in EYP and under the age of 8 which takes place on school premises outside of the normal school day, including, for examples breakfast clubs, after school
4 clubs and holiday clubs. It does not include extended school hours for co-curricular activities such as sports activities.
9.2 All applicants to whom an offer of employment is made to carry out a relevant role in EYP or LYP will be required to complete a Self-Declaration Form confirming whether they, or anyone in their household, meet any of the criteria for disqualification under the Regulations. Employment with the School in any relevant role will be conditional upon completion of the Self-Declaration Form and upon the applicant not being disqualified.
9.3 The School also reserves the right at its absolute discretion to withdraw an offer of employment if, in the opinion of the School, any information disclosed in the Self-Declaration Form renders that person unsuitable to work at the School.
10. CONTRACTORS AND SUPPLY STAFF
10.1 We require contractors and supply agencies to comply with ‘Safer Recruitment’ practices and we require written confirmation that these checks have been completed before employees of the Contractor or Agency can commence work at the School. We require the DBS certificate reference number for each worker in order that this can be recorded on the Single Central Record.
10.2 In addition, we seek to verify the identity of each agency worker when they arrive on site and these checks are also recorded.
11. THE SINGLE CENTRAL RECORD
11.1 The School is legally required to undertake the above pre-employment checks and to record information of the checks on a Single Central Record which includes all employees, supply staff, relevant consultants (those involved in regular activity), governors and volunteers. The central record indicates whether or not the following have been completed: Identity checks Barred list check (as relevant for those engaged in regulated activity) DBS certificate (previously an enhanced CRB disclosure) Qualification checks for any qualifications legally required for the job, e.g. those posts where a person must have QTS Prohibition from teaching check European Economic Area (EEA) check - teacher restrictions imposed in Europe Prohibition from management check where appropriate Checks of permission to work in the United Kingdom and; Further overseas criminal records checks where appropriate (see ‘Safeguarding Children & Safer Recruitment in Education’ (DfES 2006) paragraphs 4.65 – 4.71 for advice on staff who have lived or worked outside the United Kingdom)
12. INDUCTION
12.1 All staff who are new to the school receive induction training including safeguarding policies, guidance on safe working practices and health and safety information. The purpose of the induction is to: Provide training and information about our policies and procedures Support individuals in a way that is appropriate for the role for which they have been engaged Confirm the conduct expected of staff within the school Provide opportunities for a new member of staff or volunteer to discuss any issues or concerns about their role or responsibility Enable the person’s line manager or supervisor to recognise any concerns or issues about the person’s ability or suitability at the outset and address them immediately
This policy is reviewed annually by the Senior Leadership Team. This policy updates that of 2016. The Governors will monitor its effectiveness at a policies audit committee. 5 GL 2016-17 Last reviewed: June 2017
Next review: June 2018
Appendix 1
RECRUITMENT AND INDUCTION CHECKLIST
Recruitment checklist Action Date Completed completed by (initial) Identify need for vacancy / new role
Recruitment approved by Head or Bursar
Draft job description and person specification
Does the position amount to "regulated activity" Yes / No
Advertisement placed externally job board / paper
Identify interview panel members and plan interview day, including the development of interview questions and tasks. (At least 1 panel member to be trained in Safer Recruitment. Safeguarding questions to be developed and asked to assess suitability to work with children and radical political view points)
Vacancy placed on School website Staff notified via email Documents uploaded onto website: job description & person specification application form equal opportunities monitoring form recruitment, selection and disclosure policy child protection policy school information
Receive and log completed application form & covering letter send email confirming receipt, request confirmation of DfES number Check that a full employment history has been provided. If not, or if any gaps in the candidate's employment history seek explanation from the candidate. Check that a written record of the applicant's explanation for any gaps has been retained by the School.
Complete shortlisting assessment form Copy all applications (green coloured paper) and prepare a pack for each panel member for shortlisting purposes
6 Action Date Completed completed by (initial) Invite shortlisted candidates to interview Prepare an individual interview schedule Prepare teaching task form (with support of teaching staff) Prepare and send an email inviting each candidate to interview (attach interview schedule & teaching task)
Send rejection letter to candidates not invited to shortlist
Send reference request letter and form (if references sought at this stage - no questions can be asked about health or disability)
Interview Day - received from applicant and copied: identity and address documentation (hardcopy of photo ID and proof of right to work in the UK, preferred Passport) proof of qualification (original documentation only) (Is there a need to verify the authenticity of the documentation provided?)
Complete appointment assessment form – collating interview notes, observed lesson feedback and completed in-tray documentation
Written Conditional Offer made to: ______Offer letter and job description sent including; details of registering for online DBS disclosure check Medical Fitness Questionnaire Staff Registration Form Pre-Appointment Checklist Childcare Disqualification Self-Declaration Form (for relevant roles in Early or Later Years Provision only) Request verification of professional qualifications if not already received
7 GL 2016-17 Action Date Completed completed by (initial) Offer accepted by applicant, document received: Receipt of signed/dated confirmation of offer letter Receipt of D.O.B to initiate on-line DBS check completed Medical Fitness Questionnaire completed Staff Registration Form completed Childcare disqualification Self-Declaration Form (for relevant roles in Early or Later Years Provision only) Verification of professional qualifications Initiate following checks where appropriate: Initiate DBS Check on receipt of Applicants D.O.B Initiate overseas checks for individuals who have lived abroad for a period of more than 3 months since the age of 18 Initiate prohibition order check with Employer Access online (for relevant roles confirm applicant is not subject to a direction under section 142 or 128 Initiate European Economic Area (EEA) check (for relevant roles)
Send rejection letters to unsuccessful applicants
Childcare Disqualification Self-Declaration Form - Check whether it discloses any information which could result in disqualification. If it does, consider whether the appointment can proceed and/or whether a waiver application is necessary or whether the offer should be withdrawn
Original DBS disclosure certificate seen by Headmistress – initial a copy (noting date initialled by Head on Central Register) and then file Disclosure reference number: ______If appropriate, complete DBS disclosure assessment form Does the DBS disclosure contain any information about the applicant being subject to a direction under section 142 of the Education Act 2002 or section 128 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 which prohibits, disqualifies or restricts them from teaching or being involved in the management of an independent school? If yes, can the appointment proceed?
Original Overseas checks seen by Headmistress – initial a copy and then file
Check that no prohibition order has been issued by the Secretary of State https://www.gov.uk/teacher-misconduct-regulating-the- teaching-profession#prohibition-orders
8 Action Date Completed completed by (initial) Send reference request letter and form (if not already completed at shortlisting stage) NB: the reference request letter asks all referees to state any known reason why the candidate is unsuitable to work with children and that there should be no material misstatement or omission relevant to the suitability of the applicant
First reference received & shown to Headmistress /Bursar Are there any gaps, inconsistencies or anomalies in the information provided? Make direct telephone inquiry of first referee to verify the reference (advisory only) Reference approved Yes / No
Second reference received & shown to Headmistress /Bursar Are there any gaps, inconsistencies or anomalies in the information provided? Make direct telephone inquiry of second referee to verify the reference (advisory only) Reference approved Yes / No
Proceed with the recruitment? Yes / No
Send to applicant: Contract of Employment Induction Information
Prepare a Starter Form via FROG and send – IT & PAYROLL
Give Pat Babbage copy of: Offer letter Staff Registration form
Add staff member to Central Register
Set up new personnel file
Received from applicant: signed Contract of Employment
Induction checklist
9 GL 2016-17 Induction process Date Completed completed by (initial) Confirm when the new member of staff has: undertaken training on the School's child protection policy
been informed of the identity of the Designated Safeguarding Lead
undertaken training on the Staff code of conduct
been given a copy of part one of Keeping Children Safe in Education to read
confirmed that they have read and understood part one of Keeping Children Safe in Education to read
undertaken child protection training in accordance with LCSB requirements
all other school based training as required and relevant to the role, detail below:
Date registered on New Staff database
10 Appendix 2 LIST OF VALID IDENTITY DOCUMENTS
Group 1: Primary identity Current valid passport Biometric residence permit (UK) Current driving licence (photo card)(full or provisional UK / Isle Man / Channel Islands and EU) Birth certificate (UK & Channel Islands: issued at the time of birth (within 42 days of date of birth; full or short form acceptable including those issued by the UK authorities overseas, such as Embassies, High Commissions and HM Forces) Adoption certificate (UK and Channel Islands)
Group 2: Trusted government documents Current driving licence (on-line record) (full or provisional UK / Isle Man / Channel Islands and EU) Current driving licence (photo card)(full or provisional) all countries Current non-UK driving licence (valid for up to 12 months from the date the applicant entered the UK) Birth certificate (UK & Channel Islands: issued at any time after the birth by the General Registrar Office / relevant authority i.e. Registrars Marriage / civil partnership certificate (UK and Channel Islands) HM Forces ID card (UK) Fire arms licence (UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man)
Group B: Financial and social history documents Mortgage statements (UK or EEA) (not more than 12 months old) Bank /building society statement (UK and Channel Islands) (not more than 3 months old) Bank /building society account opening confirmation letter (UK) (not more than 3 months old) Credit card statement (UK or EEA) (not more than 3 months old) Financial statement, e.g. pension, endowment, ISA (UK) (not more than12 months old) P45 /P60 statement(UK and Channel Islands) (not more than 12 months old) Council tax statement (UK and Channel Islands) (not more than 12 months old) Work permit / visa (UK: valid up to expiry date) (not more than 12 months old) Letter of sponsorship from future employment provider (non UK /non EEA only; valid only for applicants residing outside of the UK at the time of application; must be valid at time of application) Utility bill (UK; not mobile telephone bill) (not more than 3 months old) Benefit statement e.g. child benefit, pension UK) (not more than 3 months old) A document from a central or local government /government agency / local authority giving an entitlement e.g. from the Department of Work and Pensions, the Employment Service. HM Revenue & Customs, Job Centre Plus, Social Security(UK and Channel Islands) (not more than 3 months old) EU national ID card (must be valid at time of application) Cards carrying the PASS accreditation logo (UK and Channel Islands; must be valid at time of applications) Letter from Head or College Principal (for 16-19 year olds in full time education. This is only used in exceptional circumstances if other documents cannot be provided; must be valid at time of application)
11 GL 2016-17