Summer term update
We hope you have had a lovely Easter break and are feeling refreshed and ready for the Summer term ahead.
We have a few things we want to share with you....
Online recruitment solution
Our new online recruitment solution launched back in November, and we currently have over 270 schools recruiting with us via the new system.
You have the option of using the online solution purely as an advertising platform, with adverts published on the Birmingham City Council website as well as WMJobs.co.uk, or you can take advantage of the full applicant tracking system* for no extra charge, where applicants can apply online and the system will request references and generate any interview invite letters along with any unsuccessful letters to applicants.
We have had great feedback so far:
‘I have found the new HR recruitment system very easy to use once I had a look around the system and with your guidance. It is so much easier than having do it manually.
I love the way the system sends letters out and reference requests with a couple of clicks, it's amazing! I fumbled around at first trying to get used to the way the cases are laid out i.e. just having a list of numbers with no names can be a bit confusing but overall it's going to be such a time saver for us.’
If you’ve not yet registered for an account, please email us at schoolsadverts@hrforschools.org.uk
*Please note, the full applicant tracking system utilises the standard BCC application form and cannot currently accommodate other versions of application forms. If you cannot accept the standard BCC application, then please proceed as using us as an advertising platform.
Teaching Regulation agency (TRA) update
The TRA have announced that from April 2024 (date to be confirmed), you will no longer use Employer Access to check a teacher’s record or carry out a standalone check of the children’s barred list.
Instead, you will visit the dedicated check a teacher’s record or check the children’s barred list pages.
Check a teacher’s record
This new service allows you to search for a teacher using their last name and date of birth. You no longer need their teacher reference number (TRN).
A check of a teacher’s record should be carried out as part of your usual pre-employment check for teaching staff logged on your SCR. The check details their qualifications and also tells you if they:
- failed their induction or probation
- have been prevented from teaching by the Teaching Regulation Agency or General Teaching Council for England
- have been found guilty of serious misconduct but not prevented from teaching
Here you can also ‘claim’ a teacher to show they are employed by your school.
Check the children’s barred list
You will use this new service to carry out a standalone check of the children’s barred list.
The children’s barred list contains details of people who are not allowed to work with children and is usually carried our as part of a new enhanced DBS check.
You should only carry out a standalone check of the children’s barred list if a new employee either:
- will start working with children whilst awaiting the result of their enhanced DBS check – this should be logged in a written risk assessment
- where portability has been used
DBS website update
From June 2024, for those of you that use our service for requesting your DBS checks, our URL will be changing to: www.matrixscreening.com/schoolshr
Make sure you update any favourites or links to our previous URL as this site will no longer be accessible.
Don’t currently use our DBS service? Complete our new organisation request form, and we can get you set up to access the system.
Flexible working
Offering flexible working opportunities can help schools to recruit, retain and motivate teachers and leaders.
If can also help improve staff wellbeing and promote equality of opportunity in the workforce.
Support is available from .gov to implement flexible working and there are further flexible working resources including non-statutory guidance, case studies and a flexible working toolkit. Full guidance on flexible working can be found on our website.
Single Central Record (SCR) briefings
We will be running ‘an introduction to the Single Central Record’ briefing sessions on a monthly basis – we are now taking bookings for our first session to be held on 29 April 2024.
These sessions are great for members of staff responsible for the single central record and who are either newly appointed or are looking for a refresher on the single central record and all of the pre-employment checks it requires knowledge of.
We also offer a single central record audit service – for more information please contact us at SCRCompliance@hrforschools.org.uk
Sponsoring a migrant worker
The Home secretary has announced that from April 2024, the minimum salary threshold for sponsored workers will rise to £30,960 for any new entrants or roles that are on the Immigration Salary List or £38,700 for all other roles.
Alongside this, as part of a wider crackdown on illegal working, the Home Office have now also published updates to its Code of Practice for Right to Work scheme where it lays out details of increased fines for civil penalties handed out to employers who breach the scheme and potentially allow illegal working within their organisation. Civil penalties have increased from £15,000 to a maximum of £45,000 per illegal worker for the first breach and up to a maximum of £60,000 for repeated breaches.
To avoid a civil penalty, you must conduct a right to work check for all employees, either manually or online, before employment commences. If you require any further information on sponsoring an employee or general right to work guidance, please contact us at righttowork@hrforschools.org.uk