Bishop Ramsey School, as a part of Veritas Educational Trust, is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and requires all staff and volunteers to demonstrate this commitment in every aspect of their work. The aims of our Safer Recruitment procedures are to help deter, reject or identify people who might abuse children or are otherwise unsuited to working with them.
Information For Applicants
All applicants for all posts will be provided with:
- A job description outlining the duties of the post, including safeguarding responsibilities
- A person specification which will include a specific reference to suitability to work with children
- An Application form, which all applicants for employment will be required to complete, containing questions about their academic and full employment history and their suitability for the role (in addition all applicants are required to account for any gaps or discrepancies in employment history).
Shortlisting and Reference Requests
References will be requested at the selection stage directly from the referee. They will be asked:
- the referee’s relationship with the candidate
- details of the applicant’s current post and salary
- performance history and conduct
- any disciplinary action involving the safety and welfare of children, including any in which the sanction has expired
- details of any substantiated allegations or concerns relating to the safety and welfare of children
- whether the referee has any reservations as to the applicant's suitability to work with children. If so, we will ask for specific details of the concerns and the reasons why the referee believes the applicant may be unsuitable to work with children.
Interviews
At least one member of each interview panel will have completed Safer Recruitment Training. The selection process for every post will include exploration of the applicant's understanding of child safeguarding issues.
Pre-Employment Checks
All staff will require an enhanced DBS. Prohibition and Overseas checks will also be completed if necessary.
For shortlisted applicants, online searches will be done as part of due diligence checks.
Policy Statement on the Recruitment
of Ex-Offenders
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Code of Practice Requires that the school sends a copy of its Policy on the Recruitment of Ex-offenders to all job applicants. A Model policy statement is given below.
In accordance with the DBS Code of Practice, this policy is made available to all job applicants at the outset of the recruitment process. The DBS Code of Practice can be viewed here
As an organisation which uses the Disclosure and Barring service, the Governing Body of the school complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice and undertakes not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure based on conviction or other information revealed.
We meet the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020), which requires you to disclose convictions and cautions except those which are ‘protected’ under Police Act 1997 – Part V and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975 (2013 and 2020). Guidance on the filtering of ‘protected’ cautions and convictions which do not need to be disclosed by a job applicant can be found at Ministry of Justice. A DBS check will therefore be carried out before appointment to any job at the school is confirmed. This will include details of convictions and cautions (excluding youth cautions, reprimands or warnings) that are not ‘protected’ as defined by the Ministry of Justice. A criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining a position.
- We are committed to the fair treatment of applicants on all protected grounds and in relation to all history of offending.
- We promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential and welcome applications from a wide range of candidates, including those with criminal records. We select all applicants for interview based on their competencies, qualifications and knowledge.
- Application forms and recruitment information will contain a statement that job applicants will be required to disclose their criminal record if they are invited to interview and a DBS check will be carried out if they are offered the job. The information will only be seen by those who need to see it as part of the recruitment process.
- At interview, or in a separate discussion, we ensure that an open and measured discussion takes place on the subject of any offences or other matter that might be relevant to the position. Failure to reveal information that is directly relevant to the job sought could lead to withdrawal of an offer of employment.
- We undertake to discuss any matter revealed in a Disclosure with the person seeking the job before withdrawing a conditional offer of employment.
- We ensure that people at the School and/or in the Trust who are involved in the recruitment process have access to professional advice to identify and assess the relevance and circumstances of offences. We also ensure that they have received appropriate guidance in the relevant legislation relating to the employment of ex-offenders, e.g. the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar somone from working at the school. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offences.