MP calls for compulsory recruitment training for heads and chairs of school governing bodies

Warrington North MP HELEN JONES has called for recruitment training to be made compulsory for head teachers and chairs of governing bodies. Speaking in the Commons debate on school record keeping on Tuesday the MP asked Education Secretary Alan Johnson directly if this training could not be made a condition of appointment for head teachers and chairs of governors. (The matter was being discussed by MPs because OFSTED had found that schools were not keeping adequate records of Criminal Records Bureau checks).

The Secretary of State had suggested that the directors of children’s services should ensure proper provision, support and training is given to schools and that head teachers and governors should be encouraged to undertake the online safer recruitment training as OFSTED suggested.

The Warrington North MP wanted him to go further than that asking:
“ Should undertaking that training not be a requirement of appointment for a head teacher and for the chair of the governing body? Since the prime responsibility of a school is to ensure that its children are safe, should not we make it a condition of appointment that all heads undertake such training?

The Secretary of State promised to consider that option.

Speaking after the Commons exchange HELEN JONES said:
“ It is important that we strike the right balance between doing what needs to be done and avoiding unnecessary panic. To that end, I do not think that ensuring head teachers and chairs of governing bodies have to complete safer recruitment training is asking too much or imposing excessive regulations on schools. Parents need to be confident that heads and chairs of governors have been properly trained before they recruit new employees into our schools. I hope the Secretary of State will decide to make such training compulsory. “