If you work with children in a school, nursery or another setting there are a number of policies you’ll need to be aware of. Whether you are a teacher, teaching assistant or lunchtime supervisor, you’ll be expected to have at least some knowledge of safeguarding, equality and diversity as well behavioural management policies which will vary from school to school.

Below we’ve highlighted the key policies that you should know.

Keeping Children Safe in Education

Keeping Children Safe in Education is the number one policy for schools. It is expected that all school staff will be familiar with this. In fact, it’s also stipulated in our policy that you have to have read this too. 

Written by the government, the guidance sets out the legal duties you must follow to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18 in schools and colleges.

All school staff registered with us will undertake accredited safeguarding and prevent training to ensure know what is required of them. We also have our own safeguarding policy in place. You can read this here. 

Equality Act 2010: advice for schools

The guidance outlined here helps schools understand how the Equality Act affects them and how to fulfil their duties under the act. This act ensures that all students are treated fairly within schools regardless of their race, gender, religion or sexuality. 

The latest updates to this act stipulate that schools must also not discriminate against anyone who is pregnant, recently given birth or undergoing gendencluder reassignment.

Behavioural policies

Are mandatory and are in place to promote good behaviour, self-discipline and respect, prevent bullying and ensure that work is completed. The policy will state ways in which pupils can be rewarded and sanctioned for their actions. 

Behavioral policies are created by the headteacher and will vary from school to school so it’s important to ensure that you are aware of the policy for each of the schools that you are working in. You should ask to see this upon your arrival at school. 

Smile's Policy Guidelines 

This document gives an overview of what we require from all of our school staff and is complemented by our expectations policy. 

The documents cover various topics such as safeguarding as well as dresscode, arrival time and our sickness policy. 

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If you have any questions relating to the above, then feel free to get in touch. We’d be more than happy to help. Don’t forget you can register with us for work in West Midland’s schools by sending your CV to us.