Want to use a teaching recruitment agency but unsure about their Safer Recruitment practices? Read on to find out how you can verify that your teaching agencies are doing the correct checks:
As education recruiters, the safety and well-being of children and young people are of paramount importance to us at Apple A Day Supply. We understand the crucial role we play in creating a secure and nurturing school environment. One of the fundamental ways we achieve this is through the rigorous practice of Safer Recruitment. In this blog post, we will delve into why Safer Recruitment practices must be followed to ensure child safety and how schools can be sure that teaching agencies are doing the correct checks.
The Significance of Safer Recruitment
Education recruiters, such as Apple A Day, play a critical role in the education system. We bridge the gap between qualified educators and schools seeking their expertise. In doing so, we also bear a significant responsibility to ensure that the Teachers and Teaching Assistants (TAs) we place are not only competent but also safe and suitable to work with children and young people.
Child Safety is Non-Negotiable
The safety of children is non-negotiable. We understand that the individuals we place within schools in Wiltshire, Bath and Somerset have the potential to influence and shape young minds. It’s not just about academic proficiency; it’s about fostering a safe, inclusive, and inspiring learning environment. This is where safer recruitment comes into play.
Complying with Legal Obligation
Apple A Day, like any organisation working with children, has a legal obligation to adhere to safer recruitment practices outlined in KCSIE (Keeping Children Safe in Education). The law demands that anyone involved in roles that entail contact with or responsibility for children, undergo a thorough recruitment process. So how do you know that these vital checks are being done to a high standard?
At Apple A Day, we take this responsibility extremely seriously and are audited every year by APSCO Compliance+. This accreditation provides an uncompromising quality benchmark and demands that we go beyond statutory safeguarding standards and aim for excellence. It’s a source of pride for us to have achieved a 100% audit score in August 2023 and means that you can be confident that our compliance standards are high and will stay high.
Our Safer Recruitment Process
The foundation of our safer recruitment practices lies in our comprehensive approach to selecting and placing Teachers and TAs. This approach encompasses several key components:
- Detailed Application Form: All applicants for supply teaching and short-term contracts are required to complete our detailed application form, including a full work history. Our compliance team ensures that any gaps in an application form are addressed before moving on to the next stage.
- In-Depth Screening: Apple A Day conducts meticulous background checks and investigations, including reference checks, to verify a candidate’s qualifications and experience.
- Safeguarding Training: It’s crucial that Teachers and Teaching Assistants possess the knowledge and skills to handle safeguarding issues. At Apple A Day, we ensure that all our candidates have up-to-date Safeguarding certificates and offer training with TES, including Safeguarding, Prevent, and FGM.
- Thorough Interviews: We interview all our teachers and TAs. Our interviews go beyond assessing a candidate’s teaching abilities; they delve into their understanding of safeguarding, equality, and diversity, and their commitment to creating a safe learning environment.
- Self-Disclosure: Encouraging candidates to openly disclose any previous criminal convictions or concerns about their suitability.
The Ripple Effect of Safer Recruitment
By rigorously following these Safer Recruitment practices, Apple A Day contributes to a safer educational landscape in Wiltshire, Bath, and Somerset. We ensure that only those individuals who are not only academically proficient but also committed to creating safe, inclusive environments for pupils are placed into your schools.
Ensuring child safety in schools is a shared responsibility, and education recruiters like Apple A Day Supply play a pivotal role in this process. Safer recruitment practices are essential in creating a secure and nurturing environment for our children. Schools can be confident in the safety and suitability of the teachers and TAs they receive by partnering with agencies like Apple A Day, who are committed to rigorous safer recruitment standards and are regularly audited. Together, we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive in a safe and supportive educational setting.
