SENSE Learning - Safer Recruitment and Selection Policy

 

Introduction & Purpose

This is SENse Learning's Recruitment and Selection Policy. It covers how we recruit employees and how we engage self-employed associates. SENse Learning is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and follows Safer Recruitment guidance closely to protect the children and young people we work with.

Our approach to recruitment and selection must respond to an increasingly competitive market for the best talent. This policy provides a framework for flexible recruitment and selection that secures the best candidates.

Our Recruitment and HR Team has delegated responsibility for making sure all recruitment and engagement follows this policy.

Associates are engaged under a contract for services. The checks and requirements in this policy that apply to associates arise from SENse Learning's safeguarding duties and its contracts with commissioners. They do not create an employment or worker relationship.

Policy Principles & Values

SENse Learning will implement robust safer recruitment practices. We will identify and reject applicants who are unsuitable to work with children and young people, respond to concerns about an applicant's suitability, carry out all necessary pre-appointment and pre-engagement checks, and make sure every new employee and associate has completed safeguarding training before working with students.

We aim to ensure that no applicant receives less favourable treatment because of any protected characteristic (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation), or because of their social class.

Advertising

SENse Learning always seeks the best candidate. Employee vacancies and associate opportunities are advertised externally using the most appropriate medium, and sometimes internally by email. All adverts are written to avoid discrimination.

At times, management may decide not to advertise a role or opportunity.

Application

Each applicant must submit a truthful CV without knowingly omitting or altering information. Applicants are asked to explain any gaps in their work history and to give any disclosures or details that could be relevant, in line with Safer Recruitment guidance. Each application is assessed against the same criteria as all other applicants for that role or type of work, to decide whether to invite them to interview. Applications should be completed digitally unless a reasonable adjustment is needed, which we will do our best to accommodate.

Self-disclosure form

Applicants complete a declaration form before interview, declaring any unspent convictions, barring, or points on their driving licence. Management will review declarations individually where needed.

The form is kept on the applicant's file, and retained, stored and destroyed in line with data protection law.

Anything disclosed is considered alongside the other checks and discussed with the applicant where necessary.

Selecting applicants for interview

SENse Learning welcomes applications from everyone, including disabled applicants, and will run a fair and accessible process, including making reasonable adjustments where needed.

All applicants are asked in advance whether they have any access requirements for the interview, and we aim to meet them.

Two members of the HR or management team review each application.

Shortlisted applicants are sent an invitation to interview with a Calendly link to book a slot. If an applicant does not book or contact the HR/Recruitment team within 10 days, the invitation is withdrawn, unless there are extenuating circumstances. SENse Learning will take reasonable steps to make sure the applicant has seen the invitation before withdrawing it.

Interview

All applicants for the same type of role or work are asked the same questions, so that they are treated equally. Each interview is conducted by one member of the panel and reviewed afterwards by a second. We use a review and scoring process based on the person specification (employees) or service specification (associates), applying the same criteria to every applicant.

Interviewers do not take part in a recruitment exercise or appointment where they are related to an applicant, have a close personal relationship with them, or could gain financially through the Referral Payment Scheme.

All applicants must declare any family or close personal relationship with anyone working at or through SENse Learning.

The Referral Scheme has its own policy, available on Confluence.

Making an offer

The Recruitment team sends offers of employment or engagement by email. All offers are conditional on meeting Safer Recruitment requirements, including a full work history with any gaps explained, satisfactory references covering the past two years without concerns such as dismissal for gross misconduct, and honesty throughout the recruitment process. Every applicant will be treated with respect and courtesy, whatever the outcome.

Withdrawing an offer

SENse Learning may withdraw an offer of employment or engagement for reasons including:

• not completing SENse Learning's onboarding process, including references;

• any offence, taking into account its seriousness and circumstances (for example, driving offences a Director considers serious);

• any dishonesty during the recruitment process;

• unsatisfactory references;

• failure to meet the standards set out in the Employee Handbook (employees) or the contract for services (associates);

• failure to communicate openly and honestly with SENse Learning; or

• no response to the offer within four weeks.

Confidential information

If a DBS check includes additional information marked "in confidence", it will not be discussed with the applicant. Doing so could compromise a criminal investigation or the safety of another person, and may be a criminal offence under the Police Act 1997.

If this information leads us to withdraw an offer, we will tell the applicant only that, on the basis of the checks and references made, we have had to withdraw the provisional offer.

We treat all references as confidential.

Pre-appointment and pre-engagement checks

Disclosure and Barring checks (DBS)

An enhanced DBS check is carried out for every employee and associate, whatever their role, unless they are on the DBS Update Service. As the organisation requesting the check, SENse Learning pays for DBS checks it carries out.

The enhanced DBS check shows current and spent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings held on the Police National Computer, any relevant and proportionate information held by local police forces, and, where requested, a check of the children's barred list.

The DBS application is made online. The ID documents required are confirmed with the applicant by email during onboarding. More information is available at http://www.gov.uk .

Applicants must complete the required declarations honestly and accurately, complete the online application and provide the required ID. Employees and associates must tell the HR team and the DSL immediately if they become subject to criminal proceedings.

Associates must register with the DBS Update Service and keep their registration current. This speeds up onboarding and allows annual rechecks. Registration must be completed within 30 days of the certificate being issued. If it is not, the associate will need to pay for a new DBS certificate (around £50) so it can be added to the Update Service. [See decision 1 in the summary on reimbursing the annual subscription.]

HR is responsible for DBS checks before appointment or engagement, administering the process, checking ID and processing checks with the DBS. This includes:

• updating systems with DBS disclosure information in line with this policy, and advising on next steps if a disclosure is made during the application process;

• advising on next steps when a DBS certificate shows disclosures or a bar from working with children or vulnerable adults; and

• escalating concerns to the relevant manager, such as an associate repeatedly failing to complete a recheck.

If you already have a DBS certificate. If you have an enhanced DBS certificate covering the child workforce, or the adult and child workforce, issued within the last year, we may accept it provisionally to complete onboarding while we process a new certificate. We can only do this if your work with the organisation that applied for it ended less than three months ago.

Storing DBS information

We do not keep copies of DBS certificates unless there is a dispute about the result. We keep a confidential record of:

• the date of the check;

• the level and type of check, including child and adult;

• the certificate reference number;

• whether the certificate is on the Update Service; and

• the certificate's expiry date.

Overseas checks

Anyone who has lived or worked outside the UK for more than six months in the last five years must have the same checks as everyone else, including an enhanced DBS check with children's barred list information.

We will also make further checks so that relevant events outside the UK can be considered. Where this information is not available, we will check suitability in other ways or carry out a risk assessment to decide whether to proceed.

The process for overseas criminal record checks varies by country. Some countries allow only the individual to apply; others allow an organisation to apply on their behalf.

Right to work in the UK

Employees must have a right to work check in line with Home Office guidance. Associates must provide evidence that they are entitled to work in the UK. SENse Learning cannot provide visa sponsorship.

QTS and QTLS

SENse Learning works with teachers holding QTS or QTLS, recognising that these reflect different specialisms across age groups. Referrals for associates with QTLS will initially be for students aged 14 and over. SENse Learning may later offer referrals for younger students, depending on the student's needs.

Active Society for Education and Training (SET) membership is a legal requirement for QTLS holders to keep their qualified teacher status in England. If membership lapses, the DfE no longer recognises QTLS as equivalent to QTS. Associates without SET membership may still be offered referrals for students under 14, but we strongly recommend keeping membership current.

Disqualification from working with children

SENse Learning uses the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) Employer Access Service to check for prohibition, direction, restriction and children's barred list status.

Before appointing or engaging teachers, we check their qualifications, qualified teacher status and eligibility to teach.

Concerns

Where references, DBS checks or any other check raise concerns about an applicant's history, SENse Learning will assess whether they are suitable to work with children and young people.

We will discuss concerns with the applicant and our Safeguarding team, sensitively and with empathy. We may put an offer on hold while we consider everything thoroughly.

Where necessary, we may share information with the relevant authorities, such as the DBS, professional bodies or the police.

References

We use our own online platform for references. Applicants receive a link to add their referees' details before interview. References must cover all work in at least two years within the last five years, whether employed, self-employed or voluntary, and any gaps in that period. At least two references must come from different employers or clients, including the current or most recent one. Please include your most recent work with children. Where possible, we take up references before interview, unless the applicant asks us not to contact a current employer or client at that stage, which HR will respect.

The reference guidance sent to applicants sets out who is an acceptable referee.

Onboarding cannot be completed until all references have been received, checked and verified. Applicants cannot work with any SENse Learning student until this is done.

We will not share the contents of a reference with the applicant without the referee's written consent, except where the law requires it.

SENse Learning may withdraw an offer of employment or engagement at any time if any check, including references, DBS disclosures or right to work evidence, is unsatisfactory in SENse Learning's reasonable judgement.

Online checks

In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026, SENse Learning carries out online searches to identify any publicly available information that may indicate an applicant is unsuitable to work with children.

Online searches are carried out before any applicant is passed or offered work. We review public information that relates directly to the applicant's professional capacity or that poses potential reputational risk.

Driving licence

SENse Learning works with vulnerable young people, and many referrals involve travelling between students' homes or taking students on outings. These standards are designed to be consistent, transparent and proportionate to the safeguarding risks.

Licence requirements

A valid UK driving licence is required for any role or referral that involves travel between student locations or transporting students, unless the role description or referral states otherwise.

All applicants must disclose any current penalty points or endorsements when they apply, and provide a DVLA check code so we can verify their licence. Employees and associates must tell SENse Learning within five working days of any new endorsement, conviction or change to their licence status.

Eligibility based on endorsements

A clean licence is preferred. Where there are endorsements, eligibility is assessed against the offence code, total points and how recent the offence was.

A manager may depart from these thresholds in either direction where the circumstances justify it, and will record the reasons.

See our Driving for Work Policy for more information about endorsements.

Vehicle and documents

Associates who transport students must provide and maintain their own vehicle, and must:

• have access to a reliable vehicle suitable for passengers;

• hold and maintain a clean UK driving licence for the appropriate class of vehicle;

• hold business-use insurance covering the services they provide through SENse Learning and the business mileage they undertake (normally Class 1 business insurance);

• hold breakdown cover, either as part of their insurance or separately;

• make sure the vehicle is taxed and has a valid MOT; and

• keep the vehicle in a roadworthy condition.

Before transporting any student, associates must give the HR team a copy of their driving licence and motor insurance, including breakdown cover. HR will carry out an MOT check. Documents must be provided again each year.

Independent travel and safeguarding

For safeguarding reasons, including lone-working protocols and protecting students' addresses, associates must travel to student locations independently. The only exception is where the person accompanying them holds a valid DBS check registered with SENse Learning.

Ongoing review

Licence status is rechecked annually through the DVLA, and at any time SENse Learning becomes aware of a change. Final decisions on eligibility, including borderline cases, rest with a manager.

See our Driving for Work Policy for more information.

Remaining on our books

SENse Learning is not obliged to offer associates referrals, and associates are free to accept or decline any referral offered. If we cannot match an associate with a student straight away, they remain on our books unless they ask to be removed.

Associates should keep their availability up to date so our referrals team has current information when matching students. To be removed from our books, email hr@sense-learning.com.

Procedures

Before recruiting or engaging

• Before recruiting, SENse Learning will review the job description and person specification (employees), or the service specification (associates), so that they are up to date and accurate.

• The person specification relates directly to the job description. Criteria that are desirable rather than essential will be highlighted.

• A new job description and person specification, or service specification, will be created for any new role or type of work.

• Roles and opportunities may be advertised internally, externally or both. In extenuating circumstances, management may waive the need to advertise.

• All applicants complete questions about their education and work history and their suitability for the role or work.

• Any gaps in work history must be satisfactorily explained.

• At least two people shortlist, to ensure fairness and consistency and prevent bias.

• Our due diligence during recruitment may include online and social media searches.

• The panel agrees objective, relevant and measurable criteria for selecting for interview, based on the person or service specification.

• The panel scrutinises each application, reviewing work history, identifying any gaps, and checking whether the applicant has recently worked abroad.

Safer recruitment

SENse Learning follows Safer Recruitment guidance throughout, including online and social media due diligence and two years of references.

Applicants must give a full work and education history, including months and years as a minimum, explain any gaps, and complete any personal declarations required.

All employees and associates must read Part 1 of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 ("Safeguarding information for all staff") in full during onboarding.

Offers

After interview, the Recruitment Lead sends a conditional offer of employment or engagement to the successful applicant by email. Unsuccessful applicants are also told the outcome by email.

Any offer is conditional on:

• verification of the applicant's identity, and right to work (employees) or entitlement to work in the UK (associates);

• at least two satisfactory references covering two years of work, one from the most recent employer or client;

• a clear enhanced DBS certificate, and a clear overseas check where applicable; and

• clear TRA checks, where required.

Offers lapse after one week unless there are extenuating circumstances and an extension has been requested.

If an applicant declines or does not respond to an offer, or an associate's engagement ends, they will need to interview again if the opportunity is still available.

Training

Employees

Employees complete SENse Learning's induction and mandatory training, including safeguarding, GDPR and first aid, and attend training days as set out in their contract of employment.

Associates: requirements before working with students

To be offered referrals, associates must hold current training in the following, and keep it up to date:

Associates must also complete SENse Learning's pre-engagement briefing, which covers our safeguarding reporting procedures, student portal and the requirements of the contract for services.

Associates can complete SENse Learning's online courses free of charge, or provide evidence of equivalent training from another provider that SENse Learning accepts.

[Payment for completing the requirements: see decision 2 in the summary.]

Associates: updates and CPD

SENse Learning will send associates safeguarding updates at least annually, and whenever local procedures change significantly. Associates must read these, as they are needed to meet statutory safeguarding requirements.

SENse Learning also runs online CPD sessions during the year. These are open to associates, and attendance is optional.

The HSE recommends an annual first aid refresher. As self-employed professionals, associates may wish to include this in their own CPD, at their own cost. It is not a requirement.