Recruitment, Selection and Pre-Employment Vetting

It is vital that schools and colleges create a culture of safe recruitment and, as part of that, adopt recruitment procedures that help deter, reject or identify people who might abuse children.

Governing bodies and proprietors must act reasonably in making decisions about the suitability of the prospective employee based on checks and evidence including: criminal record checks (DBS checks), barred list checks and prohibition checks together with references and interview information.

The level of DBS certificate required, and whether a prohibition check is required, will depend on the role and duties of an applicant to work in a school or college, as outlined in this guidance.

For most appointments, an enhanced DBS certificate, which includes barred list information, will be required as the majority of staff will be engaging in regulated activity.

 

In summary, a person will be considered to be engaging in regulated activity if as a result of their work they:

• will be responsible, on a regular basis in a school or college, for teaching, training instructing, caring for or supervising children; or

• will carry out paid, or unsupervised unpaid, work regularly in a school or college where that work provides an opportunity for contact with children; or

• engage in intimate or personal care or overnight activity, even if this happens only once