Recruitment

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SAFER RECRUITMENT GUIDANCE

INTRODUCTION

The safe recruitment of staff in schools is the first step to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in education. BHS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. It is recognised that this can only be achieved through sound procedures and the recruitment and retention of competent, motivated employees who are suited to and fulfilled in the roles they undertake.

BHS is committed to ensuring that the recruitment of all who work within our organisation is conducted in a manner that is systematic, efficient, effective and promotes equality of opportunity. The purpose of this policy is to set out the minimum requirements of the BHS safer recruitment process to ensure we:

• attract the best possible applicants to vacancies;
• deter prospective applicants who are unsuitable for work with children or young people;
• identify and reject applicants who are unsuitable for work with children and young people.

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

The Governing Body of BHS will ensure that statutory requirements for the appointment of its entire staff will be met. BHS will uphold its obligations under law and national collective agreements to not discriminate against applicants for employment on the grounds of age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or creed.

IDENTIFICATION OF RECRUITERS

The Governing Body has delegated responsibility to the Headteacher to have responsibility for all appointments. Governors may be involved in staff appointments, but the final decision will rest with the Headteacher (except in the appointment of a new Headteacher). The Headteacher may delegate the selection process of staff outside the leadership team to other leaders in the school, but remains responsible for the appointment. BHS will ensure that at least one recruiter has successfully received accredited training in safer recruitment procedures.

ADVERTISING & INVITING APPLICATIONS

Advertisements for posts – whether in newspapers or online – will include the statement: “Brompton Hall School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The suitability of all prospective employees or volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)”

Prospective applicants will be supplied, as a minimum, with the following:

• Job description and person specification;
• BHS’s Safer Recruitment policy (this document), the Child Protection Policy and the Safe Working Policy;
• A BHS application form. All prospective applicants must complete, in full, a BHS application form. CVs will not be accepted. Applicants should be aware that providing false information is an offence and could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal if the applicant has been selected, and possible referral to the police and other professional regulatory bodies.

The selection process will include:

• Shortlisting of the selection of candidates for a shortlist will be made against the person specification for the post.
• Collection of references:
  • Where possible, references from two referees will be taken up before the interview process, so that any discrepancies can be probed during the interview process.
  • References will be sought directly from the referee. References or testimonials provided by the candidate will never be accepted.
  • One of the two referees must be the present or most recent employer.
  • 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 exchanges.

Referees will always be asked specific questions about:

• The candidate’s suitability for working with children and young people;
• Any disciplinary warnings, including time-expired warnings, that relate to the safeguarding of children;
• The candidate’s suitability for this post.

THE INTERVIEW PROCESS

Selection techniques will be determined by the nature and duties of the vacant post, but all vacancies will require an interview of shortlisted candidates. Interviews will always be conducted face-to-face and include a question related to safeguarding.

Candidates will always be required:

• to explain satisfactorily any gaps in their employment history;
• to explain satisfactorily any anomalies or discrepancies in the information available to recruiters;
• to declare any information that is likely to appear on a DBS disclosure;
• to demonstrate their capacity to safeguard and protect the welfare of children and young people.

On the day of the interview to bring in:

• proof of identity;
• current DBS certificate, if available;
• proof of qualifications.

NOTIFICATION OF THE OUTCOME OF THE INTERVIEW PROCESS

The Headteacher usually conveys the outcome of the interview process to all interview candidates by telephone. The Headteacher informs the preferred candidate of this status and that the offer of employment is subject to satisfactory references, DBS clearance, Occupational Health Screening and, in the case of NQTs, successful completion of their initial teacher training. Until satisfactory DBS clearance has been received the preferred candidate will not be permitted to commence employment. It may be possible to negotiate a provisional start date with the preferred candidate. The checks outlined below must all be completed before an appointment is confirmed however.

EMPLOYMENT CHECKS

All successful applicants are required:

• to provide proof of identity;
• to complete a DBS disclosure application and receive satisfactory clearance;
• to provide actual certificates of qualifications;
• to complete a confidential health questionnaire;

to provide proof of eligibility to live and work in the UK. In the event that a DBS disclosure is made, the Headteacher must complete a risk assessment to establish whether the person is suitable to work with young people. The Headteacher must inform the preferred candidate of the outcome of the risk assessment.

EMPLOYMENT OFFER

Once all pre-employment checks have been satisfactorily completed, an offer of employment will be made and the contract of employment issued.

RECORD RETENTION/ DATA PROTECTION

BHS will retain all interview notes on all applicants for a 6-month period, after which time the notes will be destroyed. The 6-month retention period will allow the school to deal with any data access requests or recruitment complaints. Under the Data Protection Act 1998, applicants have a right to request access to notes written about them during the recruitment process. Applicants who wish to access their interview notes must make an access request in writing to the Headteacher within 6 months of the interview date.

PERSONAL FILE RECORDS

BHS will retain the following information which will form part of the personal file. For the successful candidate:

• Application form
• References
• Disclosure of convictions form
• Proof of identification
• Proof of academic qualifications
• Evidence of medical clearance from Occupational Health (where applicable)
• Evidence of the DBS clearance (i.e.: the notification form from EPM or the DBS certificate reference number, NOT the actual DBS form or certificate)

SINGLE CENTRAL RECORD OF RECRUITMENT VETTING CHECKS

In line with DfE requirements, BHS will keep and maintain a single central record (SCR) of recruitment and vetting checks which will include ISA registration details. The SCR will record all staff who are employed at the school, including casual staff, supply agency staff whether employed directly or through an agency, volunteers, governors, and those who provide additional teaching or instruction for students but who are not staff members, e.g. representatives from employer sponsors, etc. The SCR will indicate whether or not the following have been completed:

• Identity checks
• Qualification checks for any qualifications legally required for the job
• Checks of right to work in the United Kingdom
• List 99 checks
• DBS Enhanced Disclosure
• Further overseas records where appropriate

The SCR will also indicate who undertook the check and the date on which the check was completed or the relevant certificate obtained. In order to record supply staff provided through an agency on the record, the school will require written confirmation from the supply agency that is has satisfactorily completed the checks described above. The school does not need to carry out checks itself except where there is information contained within the disclosure. However, identity checks must be carried out by the school to check the person arriving is the person the agency intends to refer to them.

PROBATIONARY PERIODS

All staff who are new to the employment of North Yorkshire will be subject to the North Yorkshire probationary period.

INDUCTION & ONGOING SAFEGUARDING REQUIREMENTS

All staff who are new to BHS will receive full induction training that will include the school’s safeguarding policies and guidance on safe working practices. Regular meetings will be held during the first three months of employment between the new employee(s) and the appropriate manager(s). All staff will be required to update their DBS disclosures every three years.