Schools and colleges should have regard to the Department for Education's (DfE's) guidance on statutory policies about what they need in this area.

The Schools HR team has provided guidance in a range of areas detailed below. Some information is only available to users who have signed up to access all documents via WF Traded Services. For details on accessing all information fill in form at the bottom of this page and someone will be in touch. 

Users who have access to WF Traded Services will be able to access the Schools HR team's guidance, including the information below.

• LBWF guidance for schools (updated in September 2018)
• Keeping Children Safe FAQs
• Current Employees - Staff Disqualification Declaration Form
• New Starter - Staff Disqualification Declaration Form

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

The Local Authority (LA) and each school needs to ensure particular rigour and vigilance when recruiting and employing people to work with children (aged under 18) and adults considered vulnerable. 

The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) merged in 2012 to become the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). CRB checks are now called DBS checks.

The Department for Education (DfE) has produced separate information for schools converting to academies on specific Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) requirements. All academies are registered as independent schools and, as such, the governors and staff must have received an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

When logged into WF Traded Services you can access:

• Schools DBS policy which is applicable to Waltham Forest job applicants and employees only
• Children's Barred List (CBL) Form. 

Disqualification and Prohibition Checks

Schools and colleges should be aware of and follow departmental advice around teacher misconduct: the prohibition of teachers.

The advice provides information on the professional conduct panel decision-making criteria. The panels are held as a result of teacher disciplinary action and for the purpose of the regulation of teacher conduct.

When logged into WF Traded Services you can additional access guidance on:

• Current Employees - Staff Disqualification Declaration Form
• New Starter - Staff Disqualification Declaration Form
• Prohibition Order - Guidance
• Prohibition Order - Appendix A

Safer Recruitment

All schools and colleges should have regard to the statutory guidance on safeguarding children and safer recruitment in education. It sets out what schools and colleges must do to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18.

The Department for Education (DfE) has also produced statutory guidance to help schools make and manage staff appointments. This is accompanied by supplementary advice which provides information about:

• the option for schools to ask for details about a teacher's capability during the last 2 years of their teaching career;
• the requirement to provide this information;
• the requirement for schools to obtain enhanced criminal records checks with barred list information for staff engaged to work in regulated activity; and
• the requirement for schools to ensure appointees to teaching positions are not subject to prohibition orders.

Schools should follow the model recruitment policy and procedure produced by the Schools HR team to ensure that all of the requirements around safer recruitment are met.

School Staffing Regulations 

The School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 (and amendments in 2012 and 2013) underpin the Department for Education's (DfE's) guidance on managing staff employment in schools.

When logged into WF Traded Services you can additional legislation information

• The School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009
• The School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 - correction slip
• The School Staffing (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012
• The School Staffing (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

Single Central Record (SCR)

Following amendment to the School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 the Schools HR team have produced a guidance document for schools to put in place with immediate effect and revised the Single Central Record (SCR) information and template spreadsheet.

Under the School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 as amended in April 2013 all new teachers are now required to be checked for prohibition orders. The Prohibition Order Guidance contains all the information necessary to assist schools in ensuring that they are complying with these changes. The guidance includes all the instructions to enable schools to carry out the compulsory checks for teachers joining from 1 September 2014 onwards.

When logged into WF Traded Services you can view the above changes that have been incorporated into a Single Central Record template.

• Single Central Record guidance
• Single Central Record template
• Single Central Record self checklist

If you have any queries, please contact the Schools HR Team

Email: Schools HR Helpdesk 
Telephone: 020 8496 4430