Education Personnel Services training courses
Education People Services (EPS) are pleased to offer scheduled and commissioned training sessions, as well as new webinars to all schools including those that do not subscribe to EPS' HR professional support service.
- Education People Services Training Offer for 2026-2027
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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, virtual training and webinars on a variety of topics throughout the academic year.
All of our training offer is tutor lead and are 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 2026 - 2027 we are pleased to be able to offer the following scheduled training courses and workshops:
(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
- Introduction to HR – Three hour virtual session.
- Building on HR – Three hour virtual session.
We are also introducing a suite of 60 minute webinars. Currently we are proud to offer the following webinars with further sessions to be communicated as they become available:
- From Absence to Attendance - Supporting Effective Staff Attendance in Schools
- Menopause in the Workplace - Effectively Supporting Employees
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 21 October 2026 Winchester £245 per delegate £299 per delegate 9:30am to 4:30pm Wednesday 9 December 2026 Winchester £245 per delegate £299 per delegate 9:30am to 4:30pm Thursday 21 January 2027 Winchester £245 per delegate £299 per delegate 9:30am to 4:30pm Monday 15 March 2027 Winchester £245 per delegate £299 per delegate 9:30am to 4:30pm Safer Recruitment Refresher – Virtual (3 hours)
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday 16 September 2026 Virtual £150 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Monday 23 November 2026 Virtual £150 per delegate £199 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Thursday 28 January 2027 Virtual £150 per delegate £199 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Wednesday 24 March 2027 Virtual £150 per delegate £199 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Introduction into HR - Virtual
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday 30 September 2026 Virtual £150 per delegate £199 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Tuesday 12 January 2027 Virtual £150 per delegate £199 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Building on HR - Virtual
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Thursday 19 November 2026 Virtual £150 per delegate £199 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Tuesday 16 March 2027 Virtual £150 per delegate £199 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm 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.
- Webinars
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From Absence to Attendance - Supporting Effective Staff Attendance in Schools
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Thursday 15 October 2026 Virtual £49 £65 9:30am to 10:30am Wednesday 13 January 2027 Virtual £49 £65 1pm to 2pm Monday 1 March 2027 Virtual £49 £65 10:30am to 11:30am Menopause in the workplace - effectively support employees
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Monday 19 October 2026 Virtual £49 £65 10:30am to 11:30am Tuesday 19 January 2027 Virtual £49 £65 1pm to 2pm - 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.
Introduction to 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 and particularly recommended as part of the induction for new office-based employees including Business Managers and Administrative Officers. New Headteachers and Senior Leaders will also benefit from attending the course.
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.
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 learning opportunity.
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
Webinar information
From Absence to Attendance: Supporting Effective Staff Attendance in Schools
This practical and informative webinar is designed to help school leaders and managers confidently manage staff absence and promote a positive attendance culture. This session will guide you through the essentials of absence management, including legal considerations, types of absence, and your responsibilities as a manager. We’ll explore how early conversations, consistent processes, and supportive approaches can improve staff wellbeing, reduce disruption, and enhance overall school performance. You’ll also gain practical insights into return-to-work meetings, trigger points, reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, and how to use tools such as Occupational Health to support staff effectively. Whether you're new to managing absence or looking to strengthen your approach, this webinar will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to move from managing absence to actively promoting attendance.
Menopause in the Workplace: Effectively Supporting Employees
Our informative webinar is designed to help school leaders and managers better understand and support employees experiencing menopause.
With a significant proportion of the workforce affected, menopause is an important workplace issue that can impact wellbeing, confidence, attendance, and performance if not managed effectively.This session will build your knowledge of menopause, increase your understanding of the legal context, and explore the role of line managers in creating a supportive and inclusive workplace culture. You’ll also gain practical guidance on having sensitive conversations, making reasonable workplace adjustments, and managing menopause-related concerns with confidence and compassion.
Whether you're looking to improve staff wellbeing, boost retention, or ensure compliance with employment responsibilities, this webinar will equip you with the tools to support your staff effectively.