Safeguarding - As an APSCo Registered Agency, we follow a strict compliance process to ensure all our safeguarding checks are in place. All of our teachers are subject to the same standard and checks, which include:
CV History | References covering 24 months | Right to work in the UK | Teacher Reference Number | Prohibited from Teaching | Enhanced DBS
The safe recruitment of teaching staff is the first step to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in schools. Cover People is committed to safeguarding and promoting safer recruitment practices. The company expects all team members to share this commitment and participate in ongoing safeguarding training.
The aims of the Safer Recruitment policy are to help deter, reject or identify people who might harm pupils or are otherwise unsuited to working with them. Here is an overview of our recruitment procedures.
Safer recruitment and selection procedures
Advertising - all advertisements will make clear the company’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
Teacher Registration - a candidate’s profile includes CV, references, qualification certificates, up to date police checks.
Continuous Professional Development courses
We offer around 30 CPD courses to our teachers most of which are free to access, though a small fee may apply if you are not currently working with us. We are currently expanding this list of courses so watch this space!
Risk and Disciplinary disclosure
We ask candidates to confirm the following two questions:
Confirm that you have never been known to any Children’s Services department or the Police as being a risk or potential risk to children.
Confirm you have never been the subject of any disciplinary investigation and/or sanction by any organisation due to concerns about your behaviour towards children.
We encourage all applicants to provide details of any prior criminal convictions at an early stage in the application process. When a candidate discloses any criminal convictions, Cover People will follow the policy for Disclosing Previous Criminal Convictions.
References
Most candidates have three references on their profiles. Our references include the question – “Do you know of any reason that the applicant should not work with children?”. We would only put forward candidates whose referees all say ‘no’.
We require candidates to have at least one reference from a Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher or member of the senior management team.
References should be completed via referee’s school email addresses so they can be trusted (and can’t be fraudulent). If a reference comes from a non-school email address, the teacher must have a valid DBS or equivalent police check.
Video Interviews
All candidates are interviewed and assessed via video before we put them forward to a school. Our staff have participated in Child Protection and Safer Recruitment training and this is refreshed every two years. This means that the team knows how to look for inconsistencies within a candidate’s CV and previous employment. They will question and challenge any anomalies or gaps they identify in an international candidate’s CV or employment history. They will also ask specific questions designed to highlight potential safeguarding issues.
If any issues regarding disciplinary action or allegations, cautions or convictions come to light, they will be discussed during the interview and shared with the Worldwide Teaching management team before proceeding with the candidate’s application.