schools’ personnel service breakfast briefing

Schools’ Personnel ServiceBreakfast Briefing

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E-forms

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E-forms

• What are E-forms?

• What changes are we making?

• What forms will be changing to E-forms?

• Where will you find the E-forms?

• Benefits of using SPS E-forms.

• When?

• Demonstration.

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What are E-forms?

• Submit forms on-line.

• View submitted forms and track their status.

• Ability to upload supporting documents as attachments.

• Access Contracts of Employment via the website, enabling you to

view, download and save these directly.

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What forms will be changing to E-forms?

• New Appointment.

• Variation.

• Termination.

• Absence.

• Statutory Leave.

Benefits

• No more separate forms for teachers & support staff.

• Easy to complete.

• No more confusion as to what fields should be completed.

• Data validation.

• Instant online submission.

• Ease of tracking progress.

• Secure access of all information.

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Benefits

• PDF summary of your submission.

• Reference number per submission.

• E-mail confirmation when contracts are available to download.

• Ability to upload other submissions.

• Replaces the need for e-mailed or paper submissions.

• No more passwords…!!

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Where will you find the E-forms?

• On our website.

www.the-sps.co.uk/forms

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When?

1st April 2014

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Online demonstration…

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Question time…

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Essential Training Matters

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Quality Training Consultancy

• Covering key HR issues.

• Within appropriate learning environments.

To support School Leaders in School Improvement

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The brand

Sharper focus on school improvement and value for money

New training courses for 2014/15

Briefings and workshops on reviewing Pay PolicyFacilitated strategic discussion with SLT and/or Governors

More options for in-house ‘bespoke’ sessions

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What’s new in Essential Training?

See all the Essential Training packages

New Governor Training accessible through the site

E-Learning Packages

Webinars

Tutor Support

Teachers’ Forum / Blog

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SPS Future Development: Learning Zone

Cyber Bullying

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Teachers can be victims

too...

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Cyber bullying

Taken from a 2011 survey of 377 Education Professionals, the following statistics make for stark reading

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Cyber bullying – Teachers can be victims too

Respondents were most likely to be subject to abuse from pupils (72% of incidents), parents (26%) & other staff (12%).

Over 75% of respondents stated they believed that education professionals needed more help and that support should be consistent:

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It seems to a subset of the population the teacher is no longer viewed as someone who should be

supported in developing their child’s education, but a person whom it is acceptable to abuse if they dislike

what is happening in the classroom.

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http://uk.ratemyteachers.com/

“ I eventually had a breakdown in the summer holiday needing an emergency doctor to be called out, as I had become suicidal – a fact that none of my staff know as I

was much better by the start of the term. I had intensive support from the mental health unit via my

GP, a new telephone guidance service that really helped me plus medication which was a great help, and still is. ”

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“Mine is not an isolated case and I know of others in a similar position from other authorities who have also suffered this

kind of professional abuse. I believe that the online environment is potentially a massive threat to professional

identity, both from those who might abuse and professionals themselves who might not use social networking sites with

due diligence.”

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Protecting Professional Reputation •Advice on managing on-line activities •Ensuring School Policies reflect changes in on-line potential threats

Reviewing Online Activities at Home•Use of mobile devices •Using technology to contact pupils

Reporting Cyber Bullying or Inappropriate Content•Content involving pupils or Parents•Content involving colleagues

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Cyber bullying – supporting teachers

Provide Confidential Assistance

Identify appropriate Support mechanisms for Teachers

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Cyber bullying – supporting teachers

Teachers can be victims

too...

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Cyber bullying

Question time…

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sps.employmentcheck.org.uk

Recent changes to Disclosure & Barring (DBS)

and their impacts


Online demonstration…

• Applicant only certificates.

• The Update Service.

• DfE Prohibited Teachers List.

• Basic checks.

• References.

• Questions?


Applicant only certificateThe DBS introduced applicant only certificates in June 2013 due to a change in the law. It is part of the government’s aim to put the individual in greater control of their own data.

Clear disclosures• Clearance email with disclosure number and issue date sent to Manager

(as indicated by LO at check set-up)• Applicant receives paper copy of disclosure to their home address.

Disclosures with content• Email notifying the manager that they must wait to view the applicants certificate.• SPS do not receive a copy of the certificate.• SPS run a daily report to pick up any disclosures that have been issued.• SPS will telephone Head Teacher once we are notified that a disclosure has content.


The Update ServiceIntroduced on 17th June 2013.

Any applicants who apply for disclosures from this date are eligible to join the update service.

Annual fee of £13 and free for volunteers.

Schools and Academies can not join the update service only applicants can. This is because you as the employer can carry out free online status checks on the applicants certificate with their permission.

You will not be notified of any status changes but you can carry out status checks any time you want with the applicants permission if you want to check the certificate is still up to date.


Who is the Update Service suitable for?

As certificates are portable they can be used for positions that require the same level of check e.g. Enhanced with Children’s Barred List for Teaching Assistants. Certain roles may find this beneficial if they have multiple roles across different organisations for example:

• Supply Teachers.

• Volunteers.

• Peripatetic Teachers.

• Sports Coaches.

• Contractors.


How are SPS using the Update Service?

• SPS are not actively using The Update Service as it was only introduced in June 2013 and has yet to be fully established by the DBS.

• SPS currently require staff to undertake a new DBS check once they have accepted their offer of employment.

• At present the Registered Body are contacted should an applicant is involved in a serious offence since the certificates date of issue. If an Update Service Certificate from another organisation is accepted SPS would not be informed of the offence.

• SPS would not be able to confirm any certificate details of checks accepted as we would not hold them centrally.

• If a school accepts an Update Service certificate and completes yearly status checks on the individual you would need to implement a policy to check all staff.


What do you do if you are presented with an Update Service Certificate?

• You will need to log on to the DBS website www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service and perform a Status Check.

• You can perform status checks and get a result straight away.

• You will need to check the following:

• See the original DBS certificate to check that it is the same level as your required level e.g. Standard, Enhanced, and Enhanced with a Children’s/Adults’/both Barred list check

• See what, if any, information that was revealed about the applicant and consider this as part of your recruitment process.

• You have the individuals permission to carry out the status check


Performing a status check


Interpreting the resultsThe outcome of a valid Status check will be one of the following:

• This Certificate did not reveal any information and remains current as no further information has been identified since its issue. This means that the individual’s Certificate contains no criminality or barring information and no new information is available.

• This Certificate remains current as no further information has been identified since its issue. This means that the individual’s Certificate did contain criminality or barring information and no new information is available.

• This Certificate is no longer current. Please apply for a new DBS check to get the most up to date information. This means that the individual’s Certificate should not be relied upon as new information is now available and you should request a new DBS check.

• The details entered do not match those held on our system. Please check and try again. This means either the individual has not subscribed to the service, the certificate has been removed from the Update Service or you have not entered the correct information.


Interpreting the results• If an individual’s Status check reveals a change to their certificate, you need to have

a talk with them about the reasons why and ask them to apply for a new DBS check.

• Once you have carried out the Status check you will be presented with the result which you can print out and then store safely and securely in line with the Information Commissioner’s Office employment practices code.

• Only keep a record that a satisfactory/unsatisfactory check was made; do not hold on to detailed information.

• Keep records secure. Keep paper records under lock and key and use password protection for computerised ones. Make sure that only staff with proper authorisation and the necessary training have access to employment records.


DfE Prohibited teachers list• From 2nd September 2013 Schools and Academies must ensure that they

now perform a check against the list of prohibited teachers and record the result of this on your Single Central Record.

• To view the list you will need to apply for Employer Access by emailing [email protected] with your School/Academy name, address, DfE number and Head Teachers name and email address.

• New requests for access will be suspended from 10th March until early April. Access to the lists is via http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/teachermisconduct

• The new service will additionally provide with information relating to an individual's employment details, initial teacher training qualifications and induction history.


DfE Prohibited teachers list


DfE Prohibited teachers listThe service enables employers and potential employers to view the record of any teacher with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or any teacher with an active restriction (including any teacher with QTLS to whom this applies) and allows you access to the following lists:

• Teachers who have been prohibited from teaching.

• Teachers who may be the subject of a suspension or conditional order imposed by the GTCE (prior to its abolition) that is still current.

• Teachers who have failed to successfully complete their induction or probation period.

This check is in addition to the normal barred list check which is part of the DBS checking process.


Online basic checksWhat are Basic Checks?

• Online Basic Checks are completed by Disclosure Scotland and contain information on Unspent Convictions over the past 5 years.

• Basic Disclosures are available to anyone in the UK and for any purpose.• Can help you to make safer recruitment decisions.

Who can they be used for?

• Any positions which are ineligible for a DBS check.• Changes in November 2011 made some positions ineligible for DBS checks i.e.

access to sensitive data. Basic checks can be used for certain roles in this case e.g. where Governors do not meet the criteria for an enhanced check you are now able to complete a Basic Check.


Online basic checks – What are the benefits?

• Fully integrated with Employment Check and Applications are set up on the Employment Check website.

• No paper applications to complete unlike our competitors.• No postage costs.• Access anywhere by PC, Laptop or iPhone.• Forms are auto validated to prevent data errors.• Flexibility with Documents that can be used to verify applicants identity.• Results certificates are sent directly to the Employment Check Team reducing the

risk of the certificate being doctored.• Email confirmation of results will be sent to the nominated manager from the

Employment Check system.• Quicker Results – we are currently getting results back in an average of 2 weeks

online, paper forms take on average 6 weeks.


References• Online Referencing will soon be available via the Employment Check system.• This will be displayed as an additional tab at the top of your Liaison Officer Screen.• You can complete your references and DBS checks on one system.• No duplication - you will be able to create multiple employment checks for

applicants simultaneously.• Easy to manage.• The reference template will be set up using best practice standards.


References• Tracking your checks – you will be able to track the progress of each reference and

not just the person.• User Friendly.• Automatic chases directly from the system – you do not manually have to chase for

outstanding.• References will be colour coded so you can see at a glance good and bad references

e.g. green for good and red for bad.• Automatic notification of completed references.• Completed references can be downloaded in to PDF format.

[email protected]

01622 605709

Question time…


HR Hot Topics

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• Zero Hours / Casual Contracts

• Flexible Working

• Strike Action

• Teachers’ Pay Consultation

• Website – Updated Job Descriptions

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Hot topics

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What is an employee?

Employee – full employment rights

• Enjoy protection from unfair dismissal.

• Entitled to notice period.

Worker – some rights

• Wider group; includes casual and agency staff.

Self-Employed – few rights

• May include casual workers.

Employment Status

Mutuality of

Obligation

Control

Personal Service

Remuneration

Tax and NI

Notice

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Determining employment status

• Right to request flexible working to be extended to ALL employees.

• Requirement to “deal with the application in a reasonable manner”.

• Employer to notify the employee of its decision within a "decision period" of three

months of the application.

The 26-week qualifying period for employees to make a request is to be retained and employees will still only be able to make one request in any 12-month period.

7 legitimate reasons to reject a flexible working request still apply.

ACAS have consulted on a draft statutory Code of Practice setting out principles that employers should follow when managing requests ACAS Response to consultation.

Implementation date for 2014 to be confirmed

Flexible working – Key changes

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• Ask your team to share their plans!

• Use existing resources in a flexible way.

• Organise alternative activities.

• If in any doubt, call your SPS Consultant for guidance.

Strike action – What to do!

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Question time…

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Thank You
