Safer Recruitment

Little Wonderland Nursery Ltd is committed to providing the best possible care and learning to all children and safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We are also committed to providing a happy and supportive working environment to all its members of staff. The nursery recognises that, in order to achieve these aims, it is of fundamental importance to attract, recruit and retain staff who will share this commitment.

The aims of Little Wonderland Nursery Ltd recruitment policy are as follows:

To ensure that the best possible staff are recruited on the basis of their qualifications, experience, abilities and suitability for the position

To ensure that no job applicant is treated unfairly on any grounds including race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or religious belief, sex or sexual, orientation, marital or civil partner status, disability or age

To ensure compliance with all relevant recommendations and guidance

To ensure that the nursery meets its commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people by carrying out all necessary pre-employment checks

Recruitment & selection procedure

All applicants for employment will be required to complete an application form containing questions about their academic and employment history and their suitability for the role.

A Curriculum Vitae will not be accepted in place of the completed application form.

Applicants will receive a job description and person specification for the role applied for.

The applicant may then be invited to attend a formal interview at which his/her relevant skills and experience will be discussed in more detail.

If it is decided to make an offer of employment following the formal interview, any such offer will be conditional on the following:

The receipt of two satisfactory references (one of which must be from the applicant's most recent employer) which the nursery considers to be satisfactory;

The receipt of a PVG check.

Checking professional registers (SSSC)

We advise that anyone appointed to a post involving regular contact with children or young people must be medically fit. It is the Nursery's responsibility to be satisfied that employees of the nursery have the appropriate level of physical and mental fitness before an appointment is confirmed.

The nursery is aware of its duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. No job offer will be withdrawn without first consulting with the applicant, considering medical evidence, considering reasonable adjustments and suitable alternative employment.

Verification of identity and address

All applicants who are invited to an Interview will be required to bring the following:

Passport; and

Birth Certificate

Driving Licence

A letter from bank, building society or utility bill which shows applicant's address

The nursery asks for the date of birth of all applicants (and proof of this). Proof of date of birth is necessary so that the nursery may verify the identity of, and check for any unexplained discrepancies in the employment and education history of all applicants. The nursery does not discriminate against applicants on the grounds of age.

 

 

Verification of qualifications

The candidate must bring all relevant certificates (preferably originals to the interview). If certificates are not provided, the nursery manager will contact the awarding body for verification.

 

Checking professional registers

The nursery manager will check an applicant's current or past registration with SSSC or any other relevant regulatory body.

 

The SSSC is able to provide employers seeking information about applicants on:

• Information about the qualifications held by the applicant
• Whether the applicant's registration is subject to any conditions
• Whether the applicant is currently the subject of investigation by the SSSC or in the midst of conduct procedures.

All applicants who are registered with the SSSC will be asked to bring their certificate of registration to the interview.

 

References

All offers of employment will be subject to the receipt of a minimum of two references which are considered satisfactory by the nursery manager / owner. One of the references must be from the applicant's current or most recent employer. If the current/most recent employment

does/did not involve work with children, then the second referee should be from the employer with whom the applicant most recently worked with children. Neither referee should be a relative or someone known to the applicant solely as a friend.

All referees will be asked whether they believe the applicant is suitable for the job for which they have applied and whether they have any reason to believe that the applicant is unsuitable to work with children. All referees will be sent a copy of the job description and person specification for the role which the applicant has applied for.

 

If the referee is a current or previous employer, they will also be asked to confirm the

following:

• The applicant's dates of employment, job title/duties, reason for leaving, performance,
• sickness and disciplinary record
• Whether the applicant has ever been the subject of disciplinary procedures involving issues related to the safety and welfare of children (including any in which the disciplinary sanction has expired)
• Whether any allegations or concerns have been raised about the applicant that relate to the safety and welfare of children or young people or behaviour towards children or young people
• The nursery will only accept references obtained directly from the referee and it will not rely on references provided by the applicant.

 

The nursery manager will compare all references with any information given on the application form. The Nursery Management will contact referees to ensure references are true and accurate.

 

Criminal records check

For all positions, the nursery requests a PVG check.  An enhanced

disclosure will contain details of all convictions on record (including those which are defined as"spent" under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974) together with details of any cautions, reprimands or warnings held on the Police National Computer.

An enhanced disclosure will also reveal whether an applicant is barred from working with children or vulnerable adults or those considered unsuitable to work with children or vulnerable

adults. An enhanced disclosure may also contain non-conviction information from local police records which a chief police officer thinks may be relevant in connection with the matter in question.

 

Policy Adopted: July 2024 -S.Sneddon

Reviewed July 2025 - S.Sneddon

Reviewed July 2026 - S.Sneddon