Recruitment and Selection Process

The safe recruitment of staff in schools is the first step to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in education. The school 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, good inter-agency co-operation and the recruitment and retention of competent, motivated employees who are suited to, and fulfilled in the roles they undertake.

 

This school recognises the value of, and seeks to achieve a diverse workforce which includes people from different backgrounds, with different skills and abilities. The school is committed to ensuring that the recruitment and selection of all who work within the school is conducted in a manner that is systematic, efficient, effective and promotes equality of opportunity. The school 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.   

 

All posts within the school are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore all applicants will be required to declare spent and unspent convictions, cautions and bind-overs, including those regarded as spent and have an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. 

 

The Disclosure and Barring Service has published a Code of Practice and accompanying explanatory guide. This School is committed to ensuring that it meets the requirements of the Service in relation to the processing, handling and security of Disclosure information.

 

The school will implement robust recruitment procedures and checks for appointing staff and volunteers to ensure that reasonable steps are taken not to appoint a person who is unsuitable to work with children, or who is disqualified from working with children, or does not have the suitable skills and experience for the intended role.

 

The following pre-employment checks will be required:

 

Receipt of at least two satisfactory references

Verification of the candidate’s identity

A satisfactory DBS disclosure

Verification of the candidate’s medical fitness

Verification of professional status where required e.g. QTS status 

The production of evidence of the right to work in the UK

 

References

 

Two employment references will be required of all shortlisted applicants. Reference requests will specifically ask:

 

About the referee’s relationship with the candidate;

Whether the referee is satisfied that the candidate has the ability and is suitable to undertake the job in question;

Whether the referee is completely satisfied that the candidate is suitable to work with children, and, if not, for specific details of the concerns and the reasons why the referee believes the person might be unsuitable.

 

Referees will also be asked to confirm details of:

 

The applicant’s current post, salary and sick record;

Performance history and conduct;

Any disciplinary procedures in which the disciplinary sanction is current or where a disciplinary sanction has expired, and the outcome of those; and

Details of any allegations or concerns that have been raised that relate to the safety and welfare of children or behaviour towards children, and the outcome of those concerns.

 

Please see the privacy notice for job applicants by following this link: https://www.wdf.school/303/privacy-notices