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Appointment of Teachers/Safety Checking New Teachers V3

 

 

 Applies to: Applicants for all teaching positions.

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Purpose

  • To ensure there is a robust and transparent process for the management of staff vacancies.

  • To ensure that all teaching vacancies are filled by appropriately skilled and qualified staff members who are: safe to work with tamariki; understand the needs and development of tamariki and know how to act to ensure these are met; actively contribute to our culture of child protection; be prepared to make child safety at our centre their top priority.

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The Person Responsible must hold a current practicing certificate issued by the New Zealand Teachers Council and hold a Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) or equivalent. All teachers must hold a current practicing certificate issued by the New Zealand Teachers Council and hold a Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) or equivalent or be in training to gain this qualification.

 

References:

  • State Sector Act 1998;

  • Employment Relations Act 2000;

  • Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) Procedure;

  • Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014;

  • Vulnerable Children (Requirement for Safety Checks of Children’s Workers) Regulations 2015;

  • Safer Recruitment Safer Children - Guidance for choosing safe people to work with children;

  • This procedure is to be read in conjunction with the Ministry of Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, Regulation 47, Criteria GMA7.

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Policy/Procedure:

 

Windsor Montessori Preschool is committed to:

 

  1. Being a good employer under the provision of the Employment Relations Act 2000 and the State Sector Act 1998

  2. Equal Employment Opportunities being applied throughout the appointment process

  3. Ensuring the best applicant is appointed to the job

  4. Fair and consistent procedures being applied throughout the appointments process

  5. Confidentiality being maintained

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Procedure

All applicants for teaching positions must:

  • Hold a Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) or equivalent or be enrolled in training

  • Hold current registration as a teacher, and current Practising Certificate, with the New Zealand Teachers Council, or be in training working towards this registration

 

  1. Permanent teaching positions and fixed-term positions of 1 year or more, will be advertised in the Education Gazette/Manz. Alternatively, consideration will be given to candidates whose CVs are on file.

  2. There will be at least one face to face interview conducted for every appointment.

  3. There is no minimum number of applicants to be interviewed.

  4. Applicants must supply two (2) referees who are able to comment on their teaching practise.

  5. Late applications will generally not be accepted.

 

Process

The appointments process is as follows:

  1. Position is advertised in the Education Gazette/Manz with a closing date for applications.

  2. In order to apply for the positions, applicants will have access to the relevant teaching position description and attributes.

  3. All applicants will be notified that their application has been received within five working days of receipt.

  4. As soon as possible following the closing date, the Director/Manager will create a shortlist of the applicants for interviewing.  If no applicant is deemed suitable the position will be re-advertised.

  5. The Director/Manager will review and confirm the interview questions including questions about safety working with tamariki.​

  6. Applicants on the shortlist will receive a phone call to invite them to an interview.  This will be followed up with a confirmation letter detailing the following:

  • The date, time and venue of the interview.

  • Request to supply examples of assessment of tamariki learning (e.g. learning stories) to share and discuss with the panel.

  • Information required for identity and qualification verification.

  • Contact details of two referees

  • A CV detailing at least the last five years of work

  • NZ teaching registration status

  • Any other information the interviewers feel is relevant to the appointment process. Dated notes of the interview will be made.

7. Applicants who are not shortlisted will receive notification as soon as possible informing them that they have been  unsuccessful. The Director/Manager will review questions to be asked of the referees prior to the reference checks being undertaken.  The Director/Manager will make contact with 2 referees confirming that the information in the candidates CV is correct and specifically asking if the referees have any concerns regarding the candidate’s suitability to work with children. Dated notes of these conversations will be taken.

8. Once all the checks are completed the Director will evaluate and make a decision ensuring a full risk assessment of the appointee is carried out.  The Appointments Panel will agree that either the appointee should be verbally offered the position or that no appointment will be made and the position re-advertised if appropriate.

9. Safety checking for new staff members must include: an interview with dated notes that includes questions about their beliefs, attitudes and behaviours; identity verification (2 original documents, one with photo), two reference checks with notes including confirmation of c.v. information and noting if there are any concerns about the candidate’s suitability to work with children; police vetting (if candidate does not hold a current practising certificate); police vets from any country that the applicant has lived in over the past ten years (follow guide on Teaching Council website); registration confirmed by Teaching Council; and work history of last five years. This is in accordance with the Children’s Action Plan, pgs 5 & 6 and ‘Safety checking under the VCA 2014’ (attached). These must all be recorded/copied and kept securely and confidentially in employee records.  A checking and attestation form must be filled out by the manager/director. (attached)

10. The successful applicant, and applicants who are short-listed but do not succeed in the position, will be phoned personally.  Applicants may ask for feedback about the application and/or interview it they wish to do so.

11. The appointee will be sent a letter of offer and an acceptance form which will be completed and returned to the Manager within five (5) working days.

12. Once the successful applicant has accepted the position the Manager will notify the teaching team, followed by the other staff and families and whānau

13. The successful applicant will be supplied with a full job description and a contract of employment to be signed alongside Director/Management.

14. If the successful applicant does not accept the position the Director will decide whether another shortlisted applicant will be offered the position or if the position will be re-advertised.

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NOTE:  It is a requirement that every 3 years following initial checks, the following checks must be completed for each core and non-core worker who continues to be employed by Windsor Montessori Preschool.

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  1. Confirmation that the children’s worker has not changed their name from the name on documents already produced and held.  If there has been a change of name the person must reconfirm his or her identity by producing a supporting name change document.

  2. Confirmation that the children’s First Aid Certificate is current if applicable.

  3. Confirmation that the children’s worker is currently registered.

  4. Obtaining a new police record of the children’s worker, unless at least 3-yearly police vetting is already a condition of the children’s worker holding a practising certificate and it has been confirmed that the registration is current.

  5. Evaluate the above information to access the risk the children’s worker pose to the safety of the children

 

Date reviewed: May 2025

Next date to review: May 2027

 

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Risk Assessment for New Kaiako

  1. Identity of the potential new teacher has been confirmed following the attached Children’s Action Plan checklist. 2 forms of identification have been sited, at least one with photo.  Primary and secondary original documents have been checked against copies. Copies are kept on file. Expired documents are updated (e.g. driver licence).

  2. Dated notes of interview of the potential new teacher are kept on file (including questions about beliefs, attitudes and behaviours).

  3. A C.V. detailing work history for at least the last 5 years is kept on file.

  4. Dated notes of 2 referee checks are kept on file (including confirmation of c.v. information and question about suitability to work with children). Referees are not related to the potential new teacher, nor are they part of their extended family.

  5. Information confirming NZ teaching Registration Status and confirmation that practising certificate is current is sought. There may also be information from any other relevant professional organisation (e.g. international professional organisations).

  6. Police vet (not necessary for current practising certificate holder). Date of next safety check in 3 years is kept on file.

  7. Risk assessment statement:

 

I hereby attest that the above checks have been completed (as required by the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014) and it is my opinion that the named person is of good character and is suitable for working with children.

 

Name of worker: ___________________________________________________________

 

Manager/Head Teacher name: ________________________ Signature: _____________________

Date: ________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

Periodic Re-checking of Kaiako at Windsor Montessori Preschool (Every three years)

Date: ______________________

 

Name of Employee: ________________________________

 

1. Confirmation that the teacher has not changed their name on the documents produced during initial identity confirmation. If there has been a change to the teacher’s name since they were last safety checked the person must reconfirm their identity by producing a supporting name change document provide documentation confirming name change.

2. Confirmation that information has be sought from the Teaching Council or any other relevant professional organisation, licensing authority, or registration authority, that the teacher is currently a member of that organisation, or is licensed or registered by that authority.

3. Information has been obtained and considered from a police vet three yearly, unless police vetting is already a condition of the teacher holding professional registration or a practising certificate (and the specified organisation has confirmed that the registration or certificate is current.

4. Risk assessment statement:

I hereby attest that the above checks have been completed (as required by the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014), I have assessed all the information about this teacher, and it is my opinion that the named person is suitable for working with children, and poses no risk to children.

 

Director/Manager name: __________________________

Date:

Review

Which Policy
Parent
Staff
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