To wonder at OFSTED's logic...

[MrsSchadenfreude]

DH helps out at cubs and is a school governor. He has a current CRB certificate for both. He was asked to be a member of the after school club - they meet off the school premises, he only goes to these meetings, has nothing to do with children, just the admin of the club.

He needed another check done for this. Ofsted have said that he is an "unsuitable person" and they cannot clear him for this. The reason they gave was that he lived overseas and has no verification from the town police where we lived. He wasn't asked to provide this for either of his other two checks, and explained to Ofsted that he had "special" status where we were living overseas, and the town where we were living would have no trace of him.

Isn't the CRB check that he had to be a school governor enough? Wouldn't you think?

[MrsSchadenfreude]

bump!

[dilemma456]

Message withdrawn

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Yes it was. He was working at an international organisation - he explained all this on the form. Ofsted didn't ask him to provide a letter from his employer, just told him he was unsuitable.

[SecretSlattern]

You have to have a CRB for each thing you are involved in, I think. So even if after school club happens in the school, it is a different role to the governor one. You will see on the crb the role to which the crb applies.

I think that is right, but I might be wrong lol. YANBU to be baffled by their logic though!

[CarGirl]

Actually I think Ofsted is just a cover for a job creation scheme!

[saadia]

I was in a similar situation. Am starting PGCE this Sep and as part of the checks I have to get clearance from the Egyptian police for when I lives there 20 YEARS AGO.

It just seems so bizarre but anyway I have applied for it at the Egyptian Consulate.

There is a document called a Certificate of Good Conduct which you can get (there are details on the CRB website) either through CRB office or that country's embassy/consulate.

[scaryteacher]

You can get from Tervuren Mrs S; I have to get one this summer as well. It is odd though that he passed on the other two...and he would have had no reason to get a good conduct cert if he wasn't involved with kids whilst here.

[scaryteacher]

The special status thing isn't odd at all Dilemma; he could have been a diplomat, in which case there would be record, as there is diplomatic immunity; or if he was seconded national expert to a large international HQ from the British Govt, as my dh is, then there wouldn't be any record either.

[MrsMellowdrummer]

I think the system's changing soon isn't it, so that you just apply once, and then organisations will register to check your status. The new body will update relevant employers etc if your status changes for any reason. Sounds much more sensible (and time/cost efficient!) to me.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Scary, yes, we could, but his point is, he is volunteering for this - why should we put ourselves to a lot of unnecessary faff and expenditure?

And we are moving to Paris shortly (I have a job at another international organisation) , so I think he will just leave it.

And if they ask for certificates from other places we have lived, we will certainly let it drop - we were living in Nigeria in the early 1990s!

[sayithowitis]

I think there are two types of CRB check, a regular one and a sort of 'extra thorough' one. can't remember its name. Maybe he needs one of the extra thorough ones to work for the after school club? Most people who work in a school have to have that type. As to whether it is OTT, I don't know. maybe if the system had been in place prior to Soham, two little girls would still be here?

[NannyBeth]

Ofsted is a royal PITA yes.

However, it isn't unusual for them to ask for a Cert of Good Conduct (though its only for places lived in, in the past 5 yrs). I know, its irritating but its how they work unfortunately.

If you are moving shortly, I wouldn't be bothered if I were you! Enjoy Paris!!

[scaryteacher]

I'm trying to work out what is in Paris, apart from the place I have to send my passport for renewal.

Not too far from civilisation here then!