Education Personnel Services training courses
Education Personnel Services (EPS) offer scheduled and commissioned training to all schools including those that do not subscribe to EPS' HR professional support service
- Education Personnel Services Training Courses for 2025-2026
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Education Personnel Services (EPS) offers scheduled and commissioned training to all schools including those that do not subscribe to EPS’ HR Professional Support Service.
If you, or a member of your leadership team, are looking to broaden or deepen your HR knowledge or need safer recruitment training, then EPS can help!
In addition to supporting schools with employee relations casework, many of our experienced Caseworkers are part of our dedicated training team.
We believe it is important that our trainers can bring first-hand knowledge and experience of supporting school leaders on the topic they are delivering.
The training team deliver courses, workshops, and virtual training on a variety of topics throughout the academic year.
All our courses, workshops and virtual training are tutor lead and are intended to be interactive and designed to provide delegates with the opportunity to ask questions, engage in discussion around issues in their own school and share experiences with colleagues in similar situations.
For the academic year 2025 - 2026 we are pleased to be able to offer the following scheduled training programme:
(Course overviews and who it is relevant for can be found further down this page).
- Safer Recruitment – Full day training for those who have never attended a safer recruitment workshop. Held face to face in Winchester.
- Safer Recruitment Refresher for those who would like to refresh their knowledge. Three hours session held virtually.
- Performance Management – Teachers. Three hours face to face session held in Winchester
- Performance Management – Support staff. Three hours face to face session held in Winchester.
- Introduction in HR – Three hour virtual session.
- Building on HR – Three hour virtual session.
- Investigation Skills Workshop – Four Hour face to face session held in Winchester.
For our customers with an SLA with EPS, please visit, The Learning Zone to book your place.
Customers that do not have an SLA with EPS please book your place via our Business Support Team, [email protected]
- Scheduled Training Dates
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Safer Recruitment – Whole day training, face to face
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday 25 March 2026 Winchester £234 per delegate £275.60 per delegate 9:30am to 4:30pm Monday 22 June 2026 Winchester £245 per delegate £299 per delegate 9:30am to 4:30pm Safer Recruitment Refresher – Virtual
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday 25 March 2026 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Monday 6 July 2026 Virtual £150 per delegate £199 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Appraisal (Teachers) - Face to face
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday 10 June 2026 Winchester £180 per delegate £225 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Performance Management (Support Staff) - Face to face
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday 10 June 2026 Winchester £180 per delegate £225 per delegate 1:30pm to 4:30pm Introduction into HR - Virtual
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Thursday 23 April 2026 Virtual £150 per delegate £199 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Building on HR - Virtual
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday 17 June 2026 Virtual £150 per delegate £199 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Investigation Skills Workshop
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday29 April 2026 Winchester £195 per delegate £245 per delegate 9:30am to 1:30pm To ensure that delegates receive the best out of our training we do have minimum and maximum delegate numbers for our courses. If we do not reach our minimum delegate numbers you will be offered a place on the next available date available for that course. We do reserve the right to change our delivery from face to face to virtual if necessary to ensure that the course is still available for those delegates who still wish to attend. The cost of the course will be adjusted to reflect the virtual training.
- Course Overviews
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Safer Recruitment Training
Full-Day Course (Face-to-Face)Overview
This full‑day Safer Recruitment course is designed for individuals who have not previously completed accredited Safer Recruitment training. It provides participants with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure recruitment practice is compliant with statutory safeguarding guidance and ensures that safeguarding is at the heart of their recruitment decisions.
This course is appropriate for Headteachers, Administrative Officers, and Senior Managers involved in recruitment, selection, and record‑keeping. Governors may attend, although they may benefit more from the Governance Team’s specialist course.
Statutory Context
Safer Recruitment is fundamental to maintaining a safe and positive school environment. Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) sets out a statutory requirement that at least one member of every recruitment panel must have completed accredited Safer Recruitment training, ensuring leaders fulfil their duty to safeguard children throughout the appointment process.
Schools face increased scrutiny from Ofsted regarding safeguarding and record‑keeping, making it essential to maintain robust, consistently applied recruitment procedures. To remain compliant with KCSiE, and in order to maintain a strong safeguarding culture, all individuals involved in recruitment should be appropriately trained and refresh their training at least every three years.
About the Safer Recruitment Consortium
The Safer Recruitment Consortium is a partnership between four organisations (NSPCC, Lucy Faithfull Foundation, NASS and CAPE) with the safety and wellbeing of children at their heart. Representatives of these organisations have been working together, in consultation with the DfE, since January 2014 to ensure that schools, FE colleges and other education providers have access to high quality, up to date Safer Recruitment training. They also maintain a national register of accredited Safer Recruitment trainers and course delegates. EPS is pleased to offer a full-day face to face accredited safer recruitment training programme for which our trainers are fully trained by and accredited by the Safer Recruitment Consortium.
Course Content
By the end of the full‑day course, delegates will have an understanding of safer recruitment practice and the context of safeguarding including:
- prevalence of abuse and abuser profiles
- how individuals who abuse operate within organisations
- features of a safer recruitment process
- how to plan and manage a safer recruitment process
- making effective decisions through interview and selection
- embedding and maintaining a culture of vigilance
Please be aware that the course covers certain topics and activities that involve very sensitive material, which some participants may find distressing. Delegates should consider this before making a booking.
Learning Outcomes
After completing the course, delegates will:
- have an understanding of principles and mechanisms required to make fair and safe appointments
- be able to identify the key features of recruitment and selection that help deter or prevent the appointment of unsuitable people
- consider policies and practices within education settings that minimise opportunities for abuse and ensure its prompt reporting
- begin to develop an action plan around their setting’s own policies and practices that will make a positive impact on school safer recruitment practices/ongoing culture
Certification
Delegates will receive an accredited certificate as evidence of training for safeguarding compliance and CPD.
Safer Recruitment Refresher Course
3 Hour (Virtual Session)Overview
This three hour refresher course is aimed at Headteachers, Administrative Officers, and Senior Managers who have previously completed the full Safer Recruitment course and now require an update.
Whilst Governors are welcome to attend these sessions, they would gain greater benefit from attending the Governance Team’s Safer Recruitment course.
Purpose of Refresher Training
Safer Recruitment is essential to maintaining a safe school environment and demonstrating your commitment to protecting children. To remain compliant with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE), at least one member of every selection panel must hold up to date Safer Recruitment training, and this should be refreshed every three years. This refresher course provides an efficient update to help maintain a strong safeguarding culture.
Delegates may choose to take either the full day course again or the refresher session depending on need.
Course Content
The refresher revisits key components of effective safer recruitment, including:
- prevalence of abuse
- features and planning of a safer recruitment process
- effective pre employment checks
- maintaining an ongoing culture of vigilance
- dealing with concerns about existing staff
Please be aware that the course covers certain topics and activities that involve sensitive material, which some participants may find distressing. Delegates should consider this before making a booking.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion, delegates will:
- understand mechanisms for fair and safe appointments
- identify features that prevent unsuitable appointments
- have an understanding of principles and mechanisms required to make fair and safe appointments
- be able to identify the key features of recruitment and selection that help deter or prevent the appointment of unsuitable people
- consider policies and practices within education settings that minimise opportunities for abuse and ensure its prompt reporting
- develop their understanding of a culture of ongoing vigilance within an education setting
Certification
This course covers the requirement of KCSiE and delegates will receive a certificate of attendance confirming they have refreshed their safer recruitment knowledge.
Appraisal (Teachers)
Course Overview
In this 3-hour session delegates will explore the performance management cycle for teachers, setting SMART objectives, linking performance management to pay outcomes and touch upon how to manage performance when initial concerns arise (Please note that this course does not include capability procedures).
It is aimed at newly appointed or promoted managers responsible for performance management of Teachers. This could also be considered as a refresher for experienced managers.
Learning Outcomes
The course is engaging and interactive, with a mixture of tutor input, exercises and group discussions.
By the end of this course delegates will be able to:
- Enable staff who will be conducting reviews of teachers to identify and develop the skills they will need to do this effectively
- Focus on the objective setting process as a key tool in effective performance management
- Consider the role of the reviewer and how to prepare for a performance management review meeting
- Have an understanding of the performance management process and the link between pay and performance
- Consider how to manage initial concerns regarding an employee’s under-performance (Please note that this course does not include capability procedures)
Performance Management – Support staff
Course Overview
In this 3-hour session delegates will explore the Individual Performance Planning process (IPP) for Support Staff, setting SMART objectives, linking performance management to pay outcomes and touch upon how to manage performance when initial concerns arise (Please note that this course does not include capability procedures).
It is aimed at newly appointed or promoted managers responsible for performance management of Support Staff. This could also be considered as a refresher for experienced managers.
Learning Outcomes
The course is engaging and interactive, with a mixture of tutor input, exercises and group discussions.
By the end of this course delegates will be able to:
- Enable staff who will be conducting reviews of Support Staff to identify and develop the skills they will need to do this effectively.
- Focus on the objective setting process as a key tool in effective performance management.
- Consider the role of the reviewer and how to prepare for a performance management review meeting.
- Have an understanding of the Individual Performance Planning process and the link between pay and performance.
- Consider how to manage initial concerns regarding an employee’s under-performance (Please note that this course does not include capability procedures)
Introduction into HR
Course Overview
This 3-hour virtual Introduction to HR session is ideal for staff who are required to have a general understanding of HR matters and the practical implications of employment legislation.
Delegates will explore employment rights, discrimination, recruitment, an overview of pay and absence management as well as the considerations to take into account regarding people management on a day-to-day basis.
The course works best when followed by Building on HR, which moves on to look at the management of employment matters. It is aimed at Business Managers, Administrative Officers, New Headteachers and Senior Leaders.
Both sessions have been designed as stand-alone courses, but we would advise delegates, where possible, to attend both sessions to get the most out of the course.
Learning Outcomes
The course is engaging and interactive, with a mixture of tutor input, exercises and group discussions.
By the end of this course delegates will be able to:
- Identify the implications of employment legislation at various stages of the employment lifecycle,
- Apply best practices in recruitment and selection,
- Effectively support equal opportunities and avoid discrimination,
- Perform the fundamentals of managing absence,
- Appreciate the differences between teaching and support staff pay
- Understand how to effectively manage your staff on a day-to-day basis.
Building on HR
Course Overview
Building on HR is a three-hour virtual course that is ideal for staff who are required to have a general understanding of HR matters and the practical implications of employment legislation.
Using a mixture of learning methods, delegates will explore a variety of employment relations topics including tackling poor performers, managing misconduct, resolving grievances and handling flexible working requests.
The course follows on from Introduction to HR but prior attendance on this course is not essential. It is suitable for Business Managers, Administrative Officers, new Headteachers and Senior Leaders.
Learning Outcomes
The course is interactive, with a mixture of tutor input, exercises and group discussions. The course objectives are as follows:
- Identify best practices in handling flexible working requests and key legal rights during pregnancy and maternity leave
- Differentiate between and effectively manage conduct and capability concerns
- Handle grievances appropriately
- Apply the fundamentals of a fair dismissal
- Understand what further support exists and when to use it
Course Content:
- Family friendly practices
- Flexible working requests
- Managing conduct: disciplinary
- Managing performance: capability
- Grievance
- Dismissal and resignation
Investigation Skills Workshop
Course Overview
This four-hour in person workshop is desirable for managers who are tasked with commissioning and/or conducting Employee Relations investigations. It is appropriate for all levels of experience and delegates should finish the workshops feeling empowered in conducting investigations.
The session is designed to equip managers with relevant knowledge and skills to effectively conduct investigations in line with the relevant procedures, and it covers the key components of a valuable investigation report. During the workshop, delegates will explore the role of the Investigating Officer, planning an investigation and evidence gathering, along with appropriate questioning techniques and evaluating next steps and recommended actions for relevant procedures.
Learning Outcomes
The course is engaging and interactive, with a mixture of tutor input, exercises and group discussions.
By the end of this course delegates will be able to:
- Better understand the importance of an investigation;
- Recognise the role of the Investigating Officers and its parameters;
- Feel confident in conducting a fair, reasonable and proportionate investigation;
- Under the key milestones in an investigation;
- Identify evidence pitfalls;
- Assuredly overcome obstacles and issues that may arise during an investigation;
- Develop interview techniques and skills for holding difficult conversations;
- Apply investigation skills to the relevant procedures.