Management Information Sheet
Safer Recruitment Procedures and Training
Since 1st January 2010 it has been a statutory requirement for every appointment process for school staff, irrespective of the post, to include reference to Safer Recruitment issues.
The School Staffing Regulations 2009 make it clear that this is the case, and any school or governing body not following the regulations is acting outside the law. The specific Regulation is set out below:
Safer recruitment training
9. With effect from 1st January 2010, the governing body must ensure that -
(a) any person who interviews an applicant for any post under these Regulations has completed the safer recruitment training; or
(b) in the case where -
(i) a selection panel is appointed for that purpose under regulation 15 or 26; or
(ii) the governing body delegates the appointment of a member of staff to two or more governors or one or more governors and the head teacher under regulation 4(1), at least one member of that panel or group has completed the safer recruitment training.
For Head and Deputy headship appointments this is particularly important, as a governor will be expected to ask questions specifically relating to attitudes, motives and behaviours when dealing with children. At Headteacher appointments where no-one on the governing body panel has completed the training, resulting in the panel not being able to fulfil its legal responsibility, the appointment process may have to be temporarily postponed until a panel member has undertaken the training and can show the Lead Officer a certificate as evidence of successful completion.
Governor Services maintains a record of all those who have undertaken the Safer Recruitment training, either at one of our face-to-face sessions or via the online course hosted by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) at www.cwdcouncil.org.uk. Registration for the course is not sufficient evidence. The course must be completed and a certificate printed.
Lead officers for headship appointments can ask Governor Services if the governing body is compliant with the legislation, and if not, can insist that the training be completed before they will allow interviews to proceed.
Our current records show that some schools are not fully compliant. This may be because either the Headteacher or governor who had previously been trained has left the school, and no-one else has successfully completed the training. It may also be because people taking the course online have not informed Governor Services of the outcome, so our records are not fully up to date. Governor Services will be notifying governing bodies where it appears that the requirement is not currently being met.
The face-to-face training has been widely appreciated, with evaluations from governors and headteachers commenting frequently on the usefulness of being able to discuss with other people the issues it raises. We are able to offer the course to other school staff who may be involved in making appointments, but this will have to be at a cost to the school.
For further information contact Governor Services as detailed above.
The School Staffing Regulations 2009 make it clear that this is the case, and any school or governing body not following the regulations is acting outside the law. The specific Regulation is set out below:
Safer recruitment training
9. With effect from 1st January 2010, the governing body must ensure that -
(a) any person who interviews an applicant for any post under these Regulations has completed the safer recruitment training; or
(b) in the case where -
(i) a selection panel is appointed for that purpose under regulation 15 or 26; or
(ii) the governing body delegates the appointment of a member of staff to two or more governors or one or more governors and the head teacher under regulation 4(1), at least one member of that panel or group has completed the safer recruitment training.
For Head and Deputy headship appointments this is particularly important, as a governor will be expected to ask questions specifically relating to attitudes, motives and behaviours when dealing with children. At Headteacher appointments where no-one on the governing body panel has completed the training, resulting in the panel not being able to fulfil its legal responsibility, the appointment process may have to be temporarily postponed until a panel member has undertaken the training and can show the Lead Officer a certificate as evidence of successful completion.
Governor Services maintains a record of all those who have undertaken the Safer Recruitment training, either at one of our face-to-face sessions or via the online course hosted by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) at www.cwdcouncil.org.uk. Registration for the course is not sufficient evidence. The course must be completed and a certificate printed.
Lead officers for headship appointments can ask Governor Services if the governing body is compliant with the legislation, and if not, can insist that the training be completed before they will allow interviews to proceed.
Our current records show that some schools are not fully compliant. This may be because either the Headteacher or governor who had previously been trained has left the school, and no-one else has successfully completed the training. It may also be because people taking the course online have not informed Governor Services of the outcome, so our records are not fully up to date. Governor Services will be notifying governing bodies where it appears that the requirement is not currently being met.
The face-to-face training has been widely appreciated, with evaluations from governors and headteachers commenting frequently on the usefulness of being able to discuss with other people the issues it raises. We are able to offer the course to other school staff who may be involved in making appointments, but this will have to be at a cost to the school.
For further information contact Governor Services as detailed above.