Recruitment and Selection Policy
Policy Statement:
Beautiful Beginning Academy is dedicated to providing equal and fair opportunities to all potential staff members. Our commitment to equality and the prohibition of discriminatory and favouritism practices is central to our recruitment and selection process. We base our appointments on merit and ability, ensuring that every individual is considered fairly.
Responsibility and Formal Approval:
1. Recruitment decisions will be a joint responsibility of the Head of School, Head of Departments, and the HR Department.
2. Any Manager wishing to recruit staff must complete a Recruitment Request Form, outlining the reasons for the recruitment. Formal approval for recruitment will be sought through this process.
Scope:
This policy governs the recruitment and selection of all staff positions within Beautiful Beginning Academy.
Principles:
1. All staff involved in recruitment must be aware of their responsibilities under relevant legislation.
2. Our school is committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities.
3. All staff involved in recruitment should approach the process with a positive attitude towards equality.
4. Recruitment interviews should be conducted without bias, with questions strictly related to the job and its requirements.
Documentation and Confidentiality:
1. Applicant documentation will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
2. Applicants will have the right to receive feedback on their applications.
Recruitment Process:
1. Recruitment and selection should only begin after a thorough evaluation of the role’s necessity against departmental needs and budget constraints.
2. Recruitment will be solely based on an applicant’s abilities and merit, measured against job-specific criteria.
3. Job descriptions and person specifications will be used to inform applicants about the requirements and their roles.
4. A Request for Recruiting New Staff Form should be submitted by the Head of Department to HR, justifying the role.
Selection Process:
1. All recruitment will be guided by agreed job descriptions and person specifications.
2. Recruitment must be evidence-based, assessing candidates against agreed selection criteria, and considering their knowledge, skills, competencies, experience, and qualifications.
3. All decisions made during the selection process must be documented.
4. Shortlisting must involve at least two individuals, including HR, for the interviewing process.
5. Interviews should typically include at least two-panel members for junior and middle positions and at least three panel members for senior roles. The recruiting manager must be part of the panel.
6. Interview questions must be directly related to the job requirements as outlined in the person specification.
7. The panel will collectively decide on the most suitable candidate for the post.
Employment Contract:
1. All records from the recruitment process must be provided to HR, who will retain them for feedback requests or potential litigation.
2. Offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory references and other appropriate checks, such as police and medical checks.
Background Checks:
After the selection process, the school will conduct the following vetting process for successful candidates:
– Police check
– Address verification
– Verification of qualifications
– Reference checks
Induction of New Staff:
All new staff will undergo a comprehensive induction process, overseen by HR, to ensure a smooth transition into the school. The induction process will be monitored through the completion of the Induction Checklist, which is to be filled out by HR and the Head of Department or immediate line manager of the new staff within the specified time frame.
Monitoring and Review of Policy:
HR will be involved at various stages of the recruitment process to monitor compliance with and the effectiveness of the recruitment and selection and Equal Opportunities Policies.
Relevant Documentation:
– Recruiting New Staff Form
– Reference Request Form
– New Starter Form
– Induction Checklist
This Recruitment and Selection Policy aims to ensure a fair, transparent, and equal opportunity-based process for hiring staff at Beautiful Beginning Academy. It will be periodically reviewed and updated to remain in line with best recruitment practices.