ITT Safeguarding Policy

Providers have a responsibility to ensure that trainees have the health and physical capacity to teach and will not put children and young people at risk of harm. The activities that a teacher must be able to perform are set out in the Education (Health Standards) (England) Regulations 2003. Providers are responsible for ensuring that only trainees who have the capacity to teach remain on the programme.

People with disabilities or chronic illnesses may have the capacity to teach, just as those without disabilities or medical conditions may be unsuitable to teach. Further information on training to teach with a disability is available from the DfE website.

Successful applicants offered a place on an ITT programme may be asked to complete a fitness questionnaire prior to commencing the programme. ITT providers should not ask all-encompassing health questions but should ensure that they only ask targeted and relevant health-related questions, which are necessary to ensure that a person is able to teach.

Tes Institute has a policy on DBS and other safeguarding checks which can be found on the VLE.

Any queries about DBS checks should be referred to the DBS at customerservices@dbs.gsi.gov.uk or on 03000 200 190.

Individuals who are unsuited to working with children may not have any previous convictions and providers should be vigilant during the selection process. Providers or employing schools have a duty to ensure that trainees are properly managed and supervised and that, if they have concerns, information is referred to the police and the DBS.

Trainees from overseas who teach in schools in England should be subject to criminal record checks, including a check of the children’s barred list. The Home Office has published guidance on criminal record checks for overseas applicants.

The Department for Education has published statutory guidance on the application to schools of the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2009 and related obligations under the Childcare Act 2006. ITT providers should have regard to this statutory guidance when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Under the 2018 Regulations, schools are no longer required to establish whether a member of staff providing, or employed to work in, childcare is disqualified by association; however, all staff, including trainees, are expected to inform the school Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) immediately where they become aware that their relationships and associations, both within and outside of the workplace (including online), may, in their reasonable judgement, have implications for the safeguarding of children in the school. The DSL will take appropriate action, which may include recommending the school put a risk assessment in place.

Further advice on the childcare disqualification arrangements can be obtained from the Department for Education by emailing mailbox.disqualification@education.gov.uk or on 01325 340 409.

All applications are reviewed for both eligibility and suitability. The education and employment chronology is also checked to ensure there are no gaps or unaccounted-for periods of time greater than 3 months, as part of the safeguarding checks. If there is a gap of less than 3 months, the application may still be accepted but further information may be requested for clarification.

Strengths and weaknesses are identified in each application and any possible conditions are also noted. If an application is incomplete, applicants may be contacted and asked to provide further information before an assessment can take place.

Successful applicants are invited to attend an interview day, which will take place at the relevant school (a representative of Tes Institute will participate in a sample of interviews across the partnership). Candidates are asked to bring their identification documents with them to the interview, so that their identity can be checked. At least one of the interview panel members must have undergone recent Safer Recruiting Training. 

Applicants should note that, as part of Tes Institute’s safeguarding checks, searches of their public social media posts and/or online presence (e.g. information found on Google) will be made at the shortlisting stage.

Tes Institute will undertake a 100 percent quality and compliance check on all applicants who have been recommended by the Lead Partner that they be offered a place on the Programme and ensure that it has a complete set of documentation for each applicant recommended to be offered a place on the programme backing up and supporting the recommendation.

When an offer has been made to a candidate, and the offer accepted, the Lead Partner will ask the candidate to attend at the school so that the Lead Partner can take copies of the applicant’s original identity and qualifications documents and sign to confirm that the original documents have been seen. The Lead Partner will upload all documents to the Tes Institute portal in line with Tes Institute’s compliance checks process.

If Tes Institute agrees a recommendation for a place offer, Tes Institute will have lead responsibility between the making of the place offer by the Lead Partner and the start date for the Programme, for following up and ensuring that all remaining eligibility and suitability criteria and other conditions for entry to the Programme have been met. DBS and other safeguarding checks are carried out in accordance with Tes Institute’s Safeguarding Checks Policy. Tes Institute will confirm that safeguarding checks have been made but in line with the Government’s ITT criteria, DBS certificate numbers will not be shared with the Lead Partner or partner schools.

Once the candidate has confirmed acceptance of the offer, they will be asked to sign a Trainee Agreement, setting out their responsibilities as a trainee, prior to starting the Programme.

Where a trainee is scheduled to start the Programme but does not have a completed DBS check in place, the School where the trainee is to be placed must carry out a risk assessment and submit the completed and signed risk assessment, together with written confirmation that the trainee will be supervised in school at all times, to Tes Institute prior to the trainee starting in school. In addition, all other safeguarding checks for the trainee must have been completed successfully.

If any of a trainee’s safeguarding checks are delayed for reasons outside of Tes Institute’s control, the trainee may be delayed or prevented from entering the Programme at Tes Institute’s and the School’s discretion, should those safeguarding checks not be completed in time for the start of the Programme.
 

Tes Institute works with its partner schools to ensure that its trainees are fully aware of:

• their safeguarding responsibilities, including their responsibilities under Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 (KCSIE) and the Prevent Duty as set out in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015;
• the school’s Safeguarding Policy and procedures for reporting safeguarding concerns;
• the guidance on sexual violence and harassment between children;
• the name and contact details of the Designated Safeguarding Lead in each of the trainee’s placement schools;
• the need, as in all areas of safeguarding, to be vigilant and follow the safeguarding procedures for reporting concerns.

Safeguarding guidance referred to in KCSIE includes:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-to-do-if-youre-worried-a-child-is-being-abused

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sexual-violence-and-sexual-harassment-between-children-in-schools-and-colleges

All schools and colleges are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (the CTSA 2015), in the exercise of their functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. This duty is known as the Prevent duty. Trainees must familiarise themselves with the Prevent duty as part of their safeguarding obligations.

Each trainee on a Tes Institute teacher training programme signs a Trainee Agreement when registering for the programme which contains a Code of Conduct, detailing the trainee’s responsibilities as a trainee. The wording of the Code of Conduct is set out below.

Trainees are expected to comply with the terms and conditions of their Trainee Agreement with Tes Institute, including the Tes Institute Code of Conduct, throughout the period of their Tes Institute ITT programme, including their school placement experience.  The trainee is also expected to comply with their placement school’s code of conduct and any additional requirements.

All trainees are expected to behave responsibly at all times and not to engage in any activity which might bring the good name of Tes Institute, fellow trainees or staff into disrepute.

Any act or omission, which affects adversely the rights of any other member of the Tes Institute or associated partners, or which disrupts the orderly and responsible conduct of any Tes Institute activity, or which breaches any Tes Institute policy or procedure, shall constitute a breach of discipline, triggering the implementation of Tes Institute’s Disciplinary Policy.

Tes Institute may suspend a trainee from the Programme at any time and with no prior warning if the trainee has, in the sole opinion of Tes Institute, behaved in such a way as to either: put at risk themselves, a pupil, a fellow trainee, a member of school staff, a member of Tes Institute or anyone else they come into contact with through the Programme or: bring the Programme or Tes Institute into disrepute. This might include, but is not limited to:

• a criminal conviction or charge;
• a breach of professional safeguarding protocols;
• a breach of professional standards;
• financial irregularity;
• a breach of confidentiality;
• lying or cheating through the application, recruitment, selection and registration process;
  cheating or plagiarism during the Programme;
• failure to notify Tes Institute of a material or significant factor which would impact on the trainee, Tes Institute or any school partner.

Such suspension will be notified to the trainee in writing and will automatically trigger Tes Institute’s disciplinary procedure. At the conclusion of the disciplinary procedure, the suspension may be lifted or may be made permanent, at which point the trainee will not be allowed to return to the Programme.

Trainees should uphold the reputation and standing of the teaching profession. They should act with honesty and integrity in all aspects of their work. They should provide complete and accurate information and authentic documents with respect to their professional status, qualifications and experience and should avoid direct conflict between their private interests and their professional work. Trainees should complete the application form for any Tes Institute programme, together with any associated documentation, fully and honestly. If at any time Tes Institute becomes aware of any misrepresentation or omission made by the trainee during the application, recruitment and selection process, or during their Programme, which would have, if known at the relevant time, impacted on Tes Institute’s decision to offer a place to the trainee on the Programme, Tes Institute’s Disciplinary Policy will be invoked. Depending on the seriousness of the misrepresentation or omission, the trainee may be suspended immediately.

Recognising the unique and privileged relationships that exist between trainees and the students entrusted to their care, trainees should conduct these relationships in a way that is professional, respectful and appropriate. Trainees must respect confidential information relating to colleagues, students and families gained in the course of any school experience they may undertake, unless the well-being of an individual or a legal imperative requires disclosure.

Trainees should note that their conduct is expected to be thoroughly professional at all times, in the online environment, at onsite workshops, and in school, including breaks and lunch times, and also before and after school, especially but not excluding when they are close to the school site.

Trainees are expected to take responsibility for their professional behaviour and learning. It is the trainee’s responsibility to familiarise themselves with, and adhere to, the policies and procedures of Tes Institute and the programme upon which they are enrolled. In addition, each school will have its own rules, regulations and requirements, which are normally expressed in a staff handbook. Trainees are expected to read these and abide by them.

The responsibilities of the trainee will be to:

• comply with the Code of Conduct at all times;
• familiarise themselves with the requirements and expectations of the programme;
• familiarise themselves with all policies and procedures, including safeguarding policies and procedures, as well as the contact details of the Designated Safeguarding Lead in each of their placement schools;
• complete and submit all required assessments on time;
• complete all required documentary evidence and keep all records up to date in the VLE;
• consult regularly with key personnel involved in their Programme, including, where applicable, the pathway tutor and in-school mentors;
• prepare appropriately for lessons and meetings with tutors and mentors;
• play a key role in the evaluation and reflection of their own professional practice and be proactive in finding out about anything which they are unsure of;
• be proactive rather than reactive and develop a positive and enthusiastic approach;
• demonstrate high standards of professional behaviour and demeanour at all times;
• manage their other time commitments, and to make such other alternate arrangements as necessary, to ensure they have sufficient time in which to make the necessary progress towards achieving programme learning outcomes within the expected and required timescales;
• engage fully with all aspects of the programme, attending all online and onsite days and School Experience, where applicable.

Where a safeguarding issue, or serious situation involving a trainee, arises during a trainee’s programme, the trainee’s school will be responsible for implementing its policies and procedures as appropriate. Tes Institute, in accordance with its duty of care towards the trainee, will liaise with the school and the trainee to ensure that the trainee is being supported where required, for instance that they understand any investigation process and their rights in relation to the process. In addition, Tes Institute can implement certain actions in discussion with the trainee and school, for instance moving a trainee from one school placement to another, where appropriate.

If Tes Institute removes a trainee from their programme because the trainee has harmed or poses a risk of harm to children, or if Tes Institute would have removed the trainee had they not left the programme, Tes Institute will seek guidance from the DBS and inform the DfE by contacting itt.safeguarding@education.gov.uk
 

Policies and procedures follow the statutory guidance from the DfE:

• Working together to safeguard children 2018
• Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023
• Prevent Duty - Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015

Personal data collected and stored by Tes Institute as part of a trainee’s application and enrolment process are handled in accordance with all applicable data protection legislation. Please see https://www.tes.com/terms/privacy-policy for further details.