Safe recruitment in Education

[AndreaPaparazzi]

Hi all.

Can you tell me where your children’s schools and nurseries get their supply teachers, nurses and support staff from?

Do you ask that question?

Agencies, mostly. Some schools have a pool of regular (still agency) supply staff they use as first preference, people who are familiar with the school etc. Obviously everyone has to have a valid DBS check anyway.

I've not actually asked that question myself but have been involved at governance level in both a nursery and primary school setting and that's my understanding. I think it's a fair question to ask of the provider though. As should go without saying, safeguarding is a huge priority in schools and EYFS so they will (should!) have a ready answer.

All staff working in schools, however sources, are DBS checked. School governors are staff who recruit are trained in safer recruitment (or should be!) You can certainly ask if the established follower safer recruitment policies and you should be able to check this via their recruitment policies. These should include peripatetic and agency staff.

If the establishment follows..

We get our temporary staff from agencies.

Safer Recruitment is a lot more than DBS checks.

The four stages are:

Deter - the school and agencies should advertise their commitment to safeguarding on their website and other materials.

Reject - flag up candidates who are unsuitable

Prevent - take up references and carry out a DBS check.

Observe and supervise - induction and appraisal once they have started work.

My school doesn’t use supply teachers.

Myself, chair of governors and another member of staff are safer recruitment trained.

Why do you ask ?