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 2024-2025
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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 2024 - 2025 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 either Eastleigh or 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 either Eastleigh or Winchester
- Performance Management – Support staff. Three hours face to face session held in either Eastleigh or Winchester.
- Introduction in HR – Three hour virtual session.
- Building on HR – Three hour virtual session.
- Managing Sickness Absence - Three hour virtual session
- Investigation Skills Workshop – Four Hour face to face session held at either Eastleigh or 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]
- Commissioned Training
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In addition to our Scheduled training programme, we can also offer you commissioned and bespoke training in specific areas relevant to the needs of your school.
Training could include:
- A specific personnel issue or topic
- Pay and conditions
- Flexible working
- Wellbeing
Our scheduled training courses can also be delivered at a more convenient time to your school. This could include:
- Either at your school or suitable local venue
- In a way which best suits the needs of your school – delivered to a cluster of schools, during an inset day or larger staff briefings
- At a convenient time - either day or twilight sessions
- Sessions can vary between 1 hours and all day
To find out more about our commissions and bespoke training, or to discuss your specific HR training needs then please contact Michelle Vaughan, Strategic HR Adviser, Strategic 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 Monday 4 November 2024 Winchester £234 per delegate £275.60 per delegate 9:30am to 4:30pm Wednesday 22 January 2025 Winchester £234 per delegate £275.60 per delegate 9:30am to 4:30pm Thursday 20 March 2025 Winchester £234 per delegate £275.60 per delegate 9:30am to 4:30pm Monday 23 June 2025 Winchester £234 per delegate £275.60 per delegate 9:30am to 4:30pm Safer Recruitment Refresher – Virtual
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday 18 September 2024 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Monday 25 November 2024 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Thursday 30 January 2025 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Wednesday 26 March 2025 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Monday 7 July 2025 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Performance Management – Teachers. Face to face
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday 11 September 2024 Winchester £171.60 per delegate £213.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Wednesday 11 June 2025 Winchester £171.60 per delegate £213.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Performance Management – Support. Face to face
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday 11 September 2024 Winchester £171.60 per delegate £213.20 per delegate 1:30pm to 4:30pm Wednesday 11 June 2025 Winchester £171.60 per delegate £213.20 per delegate 1:30pm to 4:30pm Introduction into HR - Virtual
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Monday 14 October 2024 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Wednesday 4 December 2024 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Monday 10 February 2025 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Thursday 24 April 2025 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Building on HR - Virtual
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday 20 November 2024 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Wednesday 5 February 2025 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Wednesday 19 June 2025 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Monday 14 July 2025 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Managing Sickness Absence - Virtual
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday 2 October 2023 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Monday 13 January 2025 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Tuesday 18 March 2025 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Monday 30 June 2025 Virtual £145.60 per delegate £187.20 per delegate 9:30am to 12:30pm Investigation Skills Workshop - Face to Face
Date Location SLA customers Non SLA customers Time Wednesday 13 November 2024 Winchester £187.20 per delegate £228.20 per delegate 9:30am to 1:30pm Wednesday 30 April 2025 Winchester £187.20 per delegate £228.80 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
Course Overview
This course is relevant to those who have not attended Safer Recruitment Training.
If you have had a recent Ofsted inspection or are due one soon, you are no doubt very aware of the increased scrutiny in safeguarding practice and record keeping, which has led to some schools being rated inadequate. Even in a well-run school safer recruitment and safeguarding practice can lapse. It is important to ensure that staff involved in the recruitment process, including at least one member of the recruitment panel, have completed safer recruitment in education training. It is equally important to maintain the ongoing culture of safer recruitment practice and renew your training at least every three years.
The National College of School Leadership (NCSL) and Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) were originally commissioned by the Government to design and roll out a national Safer Recruitment in Education syllabus back in 2005/6. The course was a full day accredited course with a knowledge test and course completion certificate. They also delivered the ‘train the trainer’ courses which several EPS staff members attended at the time.
A few years after the national rollout the contract ended and over the years the local delivery of the course evolved and some providers, like us, shortened the original version, or they designed their own.
More recently the Safer Recruitment Consortium has taken up this responsibility for maintaining the syllabus. The consortium is a partnership between four organisations with the safety and wellbeing of children at their heart; NSPCC; Lucy Faithfull Foundation; NASS; and CAPE. They have been working together, in consultation with the DfE, 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.
Like many training providers during the pandemic the EPS training team switched to online courses and webinars. However, as we are back to our “new normal” ways of working, we have been reviewing the delivery of our Safer Recruitment training courses to ensure it is relevant, high quality and up to date.
The EPS and Governor Services training teams recently attended a Safer Recruitment in Education ‘Train the Trainer’ workshop run by The Lucy Faithfull Foundation and have become accredited /re-accredited trainers.
In consultation with Children Services Education and Inclusion colleagues, we have decided to reintroduce the full accredited Safer Recruitment in Education course including all the facilitated exercises and knowledge test.
So, what will this mean to schools?
- The re-introduction of a full day course
- This is aimed at new members of staff who have not attended a previous safer recruitment course and/or
- have not attended a full accredited course.
- The updating and revision of the materials for individuals who are accredited and wish, or need, to attend a full day refresher course.
- Courses will be fully accredited, and delegates will be now able to join the national register and count this towards their CPD
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course you will be able to:
- Delegates will have an understanding of principles and mechanisms required to make fair and safe appointments
- Identify the key features of recruitment and selection that help deter or prevent the appointment of unsuitable people
- Explore policies and practices that minimise opportunities for abuse and ensure its prompt reporting
- Develop an action plan that will make a positive impact on school safer recruitment practices
- This course covers the contents of the DfE statutory guidance “Keeping Children Safe in Education”. After attending the course delegates will be sent a certificate of attendance to demonstrate that they have been trained in safer recruitment practice.
The cost per delegate for this course is our introductory offer for 2023-2024 only.
Safer Recruitment Refresher
Course Overview
In this 3-hour virtual refresher course, delegates will explore the context of the safer recruitment agenda whilst considering the schools legal duties, the safer recruitment process and pre-employment suitability checks. The course concludes with the importance of developing and maintaining a safe school culture and how to respond to initial concerns.
The course is aimed at Headteachers, Administrative Officers and other Senior Managers who have already attended the full Safer Recruitment training and needs to attend a refresher. Whilst Governors are welcome to attend these workshops, they would gain greater benefit from attending the Governor Services' Safer Recruitment course.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course delegates will be able to:
- Identify your key responsibilities and legal duty in the safer recruitment process
- Understand the principles and mechanisms required to make fair and safe appointments
- Identify the key features of recruitment and selection that help deter or prevent the appointment of unsuitable people
- Explore policies and practices that minimise opportunities for abuse and ensure prompt reporting
- Identify a culture of ongoing vigilance
This course covers the contents of the DfE statutory guidance “Keeping Children Safe in Education”. After attending the course delegates will be sent a certificate of attendance to demonstrate that they have had a refresher in safer recruitment practices.
Performance Management – 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
Managing Sickness Absence
Course Overview
It is well documented that having a well-managed sickness absence policy can bring benefits including, high rates of staff retention and motivation, improved productivity plus cost savings to the budget which could include savings on supply costs.
With this in mind and taking inspiration from your calls to our helpdesk and our casework, we have designed this course to provide practical support to manage staff absences in your school. This course is designed to cover both short term and long-term absence.
In this 3-hour virtual session, delegates will explore how to effectively manage staff who are absent from work. This includes:
- The day-to-day management of staff sickness absence through appropriate documentation and meetings.
- The importance of having an Absence Management policy.
- Practical guidance on how to ensure your policy is implemented fairly throughout the school.
- Consideration of both the informal and formal stages of any policy.
- Practical guidance on making a referral to occupational health provider.
The course is aimed at newly appointed or promoted managers responsible for managing 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:
- Identify what can impact staff absences levels and what can be done to support the employee and the school.
- Identify how best to report, record and monitor absences.
- Hold an effective Return to Work interview and Absence Review Meeting.
- Identify what management support involves and how to make an effective occupational health referral.
- Have an overview of the short-term and long-term absence process.
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.