Safer Recruitment - FREE online training

Here: Safer recruitment in education - e-learning | CWDC

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This course is for people recruiting in the schools sector, previously accessed via the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Service (previously NCSL).

From 1 January 2010 it is mandatory that any appointments of school staff are made by a recruitment panel that should include at least one person who has been trained in safer recruitment. Ofsted will request evidence as part of their inspections that each recruitment panel meets this requirement.

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I've just done it as I'm also a school governor and end up on interview panels.

Having completed (and passed) the training, I think it might also be useful for those of you applying for jobs.
You will see:
- what schools are looking for in your applications and at interview
- why you should be completing an application form, not just sending a cv
- what is required from referees

Give it a go; it takes about 4 hours and it's something else to add to your cv. The certificate is valid 5 years.

Having spent all day interviewing potential AHTs, I never realised how quicklt this would have to be applied.

I'm shattered and I've got to go and do a Health & safety for Governors" training starting at 7pm. I'll sleep well tonight!

I've done it too (although it only took me 1.5 hours due to my background in recruitment, I suspect - she said boastfully) and I would agree with elsiegee that it could be very interesting for anyone wanting a job in a school to have a look at.
Have to say though, that I didn't agree with all of it, and neither did the other governors who did it

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Originally Posted by witch

I've done it too (although it only took me 1.5 hours due to my background in recruitment, I suspect - she said boastfully) and I would agree with elsiegee that it could be very interesting for anyone wanting a job in a school to have a look at.
Have to say though, that I didn't agree with all of it, and neither did the other governors who did it

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I enjoy giving interviews and would like to do more. What does this requirement entail?

The Ofsted requirement is that at least one member of every interview panel in a school holds the certificate for this training, regardless of the post...and that that member of the panel is part of the recruitment process from advert to offer.

Like witch, I'm not sure I agree with all of it, BUT there was much that was useful and if ticks Ofsted's boxes all the better. The points on ensuring consistency of approach to all candidates regardless of background are important general interview techniques anyway. It certainly raises your general awareness of Safeguarding issues and Safeguarding is one of the most important things for Ofsted now.

Mine *had* to be a full day course to cover both Safer Recruitment and the LA policies surrounding it.

We got somebody from the LA in to our school to train all of our governors on the staffing committee, there was noway we could expect some of them to use a computer never mind sitting still for 4 hours!

If I get the time I may complete this myself.

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Originally Posted by Sylv3r

We got somebody from the LA in to our school to train all of our governors on the staffing committee, there was noway we could expect some of them to use a computer never mind sitting still for 4 hours!

If I get the time I may complete this myself.

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just goes to show, not all governors are fossils (are we witch! :D) ;)

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Originally Posted by elsiegee40

The Ofsted requirement is that at least one member of every interview panel in a school holds the certificate for this training, regardless of the post...and that that member of the panel is part of the recruitment process from advert to offer

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That doesn't quite seem to be the opinion of a colleague of mine, who has suggested that so long as the information is disseminated down to the interview panel from, for example, SLT, then that is all that is required. Having read the web site and your post, I think the person is wrong, but it's not my place to tell them so, although I will quietly say to myself "told you so" when they don't tick that OFSTED box.

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Originally Posted by elsiegee40

just goes to show, not all governors are fossils (are we witch! :D) ;)

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No, we're not!
Actually our governors are doing pretty well - out of 20, about 12 have done the training now.

The most interesting bits for me were the consistency issues - all schools are now told to use application forms ONLY - not CVs so that they ensure consistency in both information gained and questions asked. So as a CV writer, my job has now changed a bit - advising people who want a school job means that they will have 'sections' that they can transcribe onto an application form, and I am getting more questions relating directly to the information requested on said forms.
I have looked again, and you definitely need someone trained on all interviews - the LA, our School Improvement Partner and Ofsted all say so.

Interesting remark about training all governors on the Staffing Committee - this implies that only they do the interviewing? Not true for us, any governor with a particular interest in a subject or some helpful knowledge can be asked to interview.

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Originally Posted by witch

...you definitely need someone trained on all interviews - the LA, our School Improvement Partner and Ofsted all say so.

Interesting remark about training all governors on the Staffing Committee - this implies that only they do the interviewing? Not true for us, any governor with a particular interest in a subject or some helpful knowledge can be asked to interview.

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I'll confirm that "dissemination" is not enough; someone trained must be on the panel throughout the selection process from advert to appointment.

Like witch, it's not just just the Staffing committee on interview panels... I'm chair of Health & Safety and Land & Property committees. I'm regularly asked to be on panels as are other non-Staffing governors