Safer recruitment

The governing board in a maintained school must ensure when appointing a member of the school workforce that at least one member of an appointment panel has undertaken appropriate training in how to take proper account of the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children when recruiting staff. Academies have responsibilities in relation to the health and safety and protection of their pupils; it would therefore be good practice for appointment panel members in academy schools to be appropriately trained.

Employment checks and references

When making appointments, all schools must take into account the requirements of equalities legislation and best employment practices. With all appointments schools should, prior to appointment, undertake the appropriate pre-employment checks and take up references from the applicant's current or former employer, following up with the author of the reference if there is anything that requires clarification and/or appears to be contradictory or incomplete.

More information about safer recruitment processes can be found in Part 3 of 'Keeping Children Safe in Education (opens new window)' and DfE guidance 'Staffing and employment: advice for schools (opens new window)'.

These helpful templates relating to the Single Central Record can be found in the Safeguarding forms and templates page on this website:

• Single Central Record template
• Single Central Record checklist for practice
• Single Central Record monitoring form