Ealing Council HR Service to Schools 2013 / 14

Transcription

1 Ealing Council HR Service to Schools 2013 / 14 Human Resources & Organisational Development

2 Welcome The Ealing Schools HR Consultancy Team has been supporting Ealing Schools on all aspects of human resources management for more than 25 years. This team of highly qualified HR professionals offer a unique combination of human resources consultancy experience which can be tailored to meet the specific needs of individual schools. A comprehensive HR package includes guidance, advice and support, development and training in: Employee Relations Pay Policy Leadership Recruitment Safer Recruitment Design and Delivery of HR training which can be customised to meet the needs of your school Discipline and Conduct at work Grievance Handling and Deflection Managing Absence/Medical Capability Performance Capability Reorganisations and Managing Redundancies Employment Tribunals Advice on School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document Advice on Conditions of Service for Support Staff Job Evaluation HR Policies designed specifically to suit the needs of Schools Multi Agency Strategy Meetings dealing with allegations of abuse against staff Advice and Training for Governors Ill Health Retirements Phased Retirement Page 1

3 Schools HR Consultancy Team biographies Page 2 Mark Nelson Chartered MCIPD, ILM Level 7 in Strategic Leadership Mark Nelson manages the Schools HR Consultancy Team and has worked in HR for more than 25 years. He has specialised in the education sector for most of that time. He provides high level advice and solutions to governors and leadership teams on people management issues, including complex reorganisations and individual staff issues. He leads for Ealing Council on all Issues relating to the HR aspects of safeguarding. Mark chairs the pan London Education HR Network and sits on the National Advisory Body for Teacher Pensions. He has been a School governor for 18 years. Andy Merryweather Chartered FCIPD, MCMI Andy Merryweather is HR Manager for Ealing Schools and Deputy Head of the Schools HR Consultancy Team. He brings both public and private sector experience in both HR and management to the team gained in the civil service, construction industry and local government. This includes 10 years working overseas. He offers particular expertise in employee relations, safeguarding and child protection, pay and conditions of service for school based staff and conduct and discipline issues including employment tribunals. Christopher Prowse MA, MSc, Chartered MCIPD Christopher Prowse brings experience of working in the private and public sector including children services. He is a HR generalist with experience in operational HR, learning and development, employee relations, recruitment, safeguarding and policy development. Tasha Oliver BA (Hons) Chartered MCIPD, MCMI Tasha Oliver has worked in HR in both the voluntary sector as well as other public sector organisations. She provides support to over 40 schools across the full range of HR functions. Her experience covers complex reorganisations, TUPE, recommissions and conversions to academy status. Tasha also manages the Employee Welfare provision. Neil Robson JP BA (Hons) Neil Robson acquired extensive managerial experience initially in the air transport industry but has in recent years worked in HR in local government covering social services, corporate functions and education. Neil advises schools on the full range of HR issues covering employee relations, recruitment, training, reorganisations, disciplinary and performance issues and absence management. Jackie Bourchier Jackie Bourchier is the Business Support Officer for the team. She previously worked in the office of a local primary school. Jackie administers both the Long Term Sickness & Maternity Insurance Scheme and the Legal insurance Scheme for schools, as well as providing administrative support to the Schools HR Team.

4 Pay Policy School Governors and Headteachers will be aware that the Department for Education has introduced some far reaching changes to the payment and performance assessment of teachers including members of the SLT. A number of different model Pay Policies have been proposed by the Department for Education, Professional Associations, a variety of private consultants and some Local Authorities. This all places a particular responsibility on Governors and Headteachers to devise a policy which will be applied in their own school for use no later than the end of the Autumn Term 2013.This will involve consultation with professional associations and trade unions and place additional responsibilities on decision makers within schools who will in some circumstances possibly have their decisions subject to appeal. Advice on the preparation and implementation of the new policy is available from the Team which includes: Producing a Pay Policy Recruitment and Selection Role of the Pay Policy Committee Annual Reviews and Timetables Assessment and Performance Pay and Conditions for Support Staff Roles and Responsibilities of Governors and Headteachers Performance Management for Teachers and Support Staff An essential precursor of performance management is effective day to day management of staff. This includes proper use of the probationary period, where applicable, and regular supervisory meetings between manager and managed either individually and/or in teams. This will include appropriate guidance and support plus training. In hopefully a minority of cases and notwithstanding the best efforts of a manager the work performance of an employee may fall below acceptable standards. These may be national standards in the case of teachers and those locally agreed for Support Staff. Advice on the implementation and continuation of the performance management process is available from the team. Page 3

5 Students Entering Employment The HR Team offer an innovative seminar for students about to leave School either to go to university or seek employment for the first time. This will cover the following topics: Personal preparation Writing a CV and completing an application form Being interviewed This will be a highly participative programme over three separate sessions and will include feedback to all students and interviews. Discipline, Dismissal and Employment Tribunals Advice and guidance on all aspects of the disciplinary process including how to deal with issues informally, right through to dismissal and governor appeals is on offer. Training is provided at your school or at the Ealing Education Centre in all aspects of dealing with disciplinary issues for your leadership team and other managers. Disciplinary issues can be complex and time consuming and sometimes end up before Employment Tribunals. A number of important changes came into effect from 29th July 2013 covering new limits on awards, claimants fees, initial sifting of claims, pre settlement discussions and Compromise Agreements now called Settlement Agreements. The aim of our team is to avoid the need for issues appearing before Employment Tribunals, however this cannot always be avoided. HR support is provided both at the preliminary stage before the hearing and at the actual hearing if this becomes necessary. Leadership Recruitment Support on all aspects of the Leadership Recruitment process. Advice on the operation of safer recruitment practice throughout the process Preparation of job descriptions Support with identifying assessment activities Support at shortlisting and interviews Salary and Individual School Range (ISR) guidance. Personnel Health Checks Annual appraisal with your designated HR Consultant of all your HR needs, which reviews the fitness of HR and people management in your school and identifies your needs and areas for action. Page 4

6 Legal Insurance Scheme The Legal Insurance Scheme covers some of the cost of professional advice and representation by solicitors and barristers. This includes legal advice and representation in relation to Employment Tribunals, Settlement Agreements (formerly Compromise Agreements), sex discrimination, unfair dismissal and disability discrimination cases. Absence Management Staff absence is both a financial and operating cost to schools. Therefore the effective management of all staff absence should be a key management activity. This includes the monitoring and review of all absences, return to work interviews and the formal review of individual absences through the procedure which can ultimately lead to dismissal. The development and operation of the procedure together with training for managers is provided. The effective use of these procedures can save thousands of pounds. Ealing also offers an innovative insurance scheme to guard against the costs of long term sick absence. Maternity and Long Term Sickness Insurance A maternity insurance scheme is available to be purchased to cover some of the employment costs of maternity absence. A parallel policy is available to cover some of the costs of long term sickness absence. Interpretation of the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STP&CD) The statutory based STP&CD is a complex document which underpins all aspects of the employment of teachers and members of the leadership team. The HR Team offers advice and guidance on all aspects of the interpretation of these fundamental conditions of service. Terms and Conditions of Service for Support Staff A full advisory and support service in respect of all aspects of the employment of support staff is offered, covering local and national conditions of service. Page 5

7 Policies and procedures The HR Team continually reviews all current personnel procedures and adapts them for the particular circumstances of schools in the light of statutory changes and modern HR practice. Amongst those which have been reviewed recently are procedures covering: Whistleblowing Leadership Recruitment including Safer Recruitment Flexible Working Management of Absence Use of Fixed Term Contracts Discipline Grievance Procedure Managing Reorganisations Dealing with unsatisfactory performance. Equality Analysis Assessment Reorganisations The one certainty in the educational working environment is change. Most schools have or are facing changes to their staffing structures involving job revisions and the deletions of posts, which can result in redundancies. These changes will involve consultations with the relevant professional associations, trade unions and staff. The planning and management of these changes are amongst the most important tasks undertaken by the leadership team and governors. The Schools HR Team is able to offer support at all stages of the process. Job Evaluation (JE) The Team will help in the preparation of job descriptions and undertake the subsequent evaluation. Our team is trained in the Local Government GLPC JE Scheme and Hay Job Evaluation Scheme. Termly HR Newsletter and Briefings The Schools HR Team publishes a termly newsletter briefing schools on all aspects of current HR trends in an easily digestible format, and holds face-to-face briefings on topical HR issues at the Ealing Education Centre. Page 6

8 Privileged Access to Online Data Ealing offers subscribers access to a wealth of HR and Education data via the Ealing Grid for Learning. Amongst the topics included are: Finance and Fund Raising Governance HR Model job descriptions Education updates School Handbook School policies Model forms Training and Development A range of training events are offered throughout the academic year at the purpose built Ealing Education Centre in Greenford. Courses are aimed at specific groups such as leadership teams, Newly Qualified Teachers, governors and support staff. The content and delivery of training can be tailored to suit the needs of individual schools and currently includes the following modules: Managing Absence with an emphasis on reducing sick absence Effective management of the Disciplinary Process Safer Recruitment Training for Governors Termly Briefings for Leadership Teams Managing Reorganisations and Redundancy Training is available in a variety of formats to suit the needs of participants either on school premises, at Perceval House or at the Education Centre at Greenford. Modules can be delivered flexibly to suit School needs on either a full or part day basis or shorter briefings at the end of the teaching day. Training is also available from Ealing People and Organisational Development Team. The following topics are amongst those which are currently on offer. Managing Induction and Probation Training for First Time Managers Staff Appraisals Preparing Students for University/Job Interviews Employment Law Mediation/Dealing with Difficult Employees Difficult conversations Page 7

9 Strategic HR Services for Academies There are challenges which will uniquely face schools if they take on academy status. Our HR service provides appropriate and pragmatic solutions delivered by a team of professional practitioners who are experienced in resolving complex workplace issues. Academies will receive: Direct access to a dedicated HR consultant Employment law updates Access to locally agreed HR policies and procedures or procedures devised specifically for individual Academies Strategic and practical advice on all HR issues Advice on all appointments including legal implications Conducting workplace investigations Advising at disciplinary hearings Supporting the management of underperformance Managing absence robustly both short term and long term Change management and organisational development Managing redundancy Leadership skills An HR issue which is of concern to your Academy Conducting negotiations with trade unions Completion of investigations or complex casework Other services A range of related services can be purchased separately and these include legal, occupational health, payroll and contract preparation. Costs Schools typically pay for the HR service by an annual fee based on the number of employees to cover all of the above services. Alternatively Schools can choose the Pay as you Go option and work undertaken will be charged on an hourly rate. Please contact Mark Nelson to discuss these options. Please contact the Head of the Team, Mark Nelson, on or mnelson@ealing.gov.uk to arrange a no obligation meeting to discuss your requirements. Page 8