I received a letter from Ofsted last week, to inform me that from September with the new EYFS that managers now would be checked by the registered provider rather than themselves. It got me thinking, what if a manager has been dismissed? I’ve already raised questions about references, how would any employer know? Now that Ofsted have taken away the failsafe, whereby when you submitted the suitable person form, they would be able to tell you. Now that’s gone!
You could argue that ISA would be able to help, but actually how many people have submitted information and had nothing come of it, or if the reasons for dismissal doesn’t relate to safeguarding issues, how would you ever find out.
You interview people, ask for references, maybe have them in for a trial session. Always a 6 month probationary period so that you can actually see how they work. Mentor and be there for them, you get the references back, they tell you the most helpful things such as name, dates of employment and what their role was, no mention of any concerns, disciplinaries etc…..
Then when it all goes wrong, Ofsted will say well you should have managed them, you should have checked them…… yes thanks for that Ofsted and during all of that there was a little note sat on a computer that would have informed the provider of that.
kidsactiv8 