- Support staff: performance management
You're not required to conduct formal appraisals for school support staff including teaching assistants (TAs), but it is good practice. Read guidance on how to manage this process, including appointing appraisers and handling underperformance.
- How to run welfare checks for school staff
Know how to conduct wellbeing checks with your staff so you can effectively provide support and respond to any problems they have. Download our list of discussion questions to help you prepare.
- Alcohol at staff parties
It’s up to you to decide whether staff can drink alcohol at social events such as Christmas parties. Take a look at some of the things to consider, and see how other schools approach this issue.
- Staff handbook: guidance and examples
Save yourself time by reading what to include in your staff handbook, and using our examples from schools for inspiration.
- Staff members: exit checklists
Download our checklists to be completed when a member of staff leaves your school. Find out what jobs need to be done by both the leaving staff member and by the school.
- How one 'outstanding' secondary school cut its marking workload by 75%: case study
Barr Beacon School cut down teachers' marking time to less than an hour a day by banning detailed written marking and improving the way staff give feedback to pupils. Read on and download this school's marking policy and other resources to learn how you can make this happen too.
- SEND Code of Practice: staff briefing
Use our 30 minute briefing to help your teachers and TAs understand their responsibilities under the SEND Code of Practice, including how to work with your SENCO, and how you provide SEN support in your school.
- Mandatory training for school staff
Be clear on the areas your staff need training in and how often to update their training. Use our template to keep track of any training that staff members complete and when they need to renew it.
- Checks for staff who have lived or worked overseas
You must make 'appropriate' further checks on staff who have lived or worked outside the UK. Find out how to mitigate risk early on in the process, assess risks with your candidates and what 'appropriate' further checks you can carry out.
- How to make changes to an employment contract
Be clear on what you need to do to change an employment contract, such as consulting staff members and putting the agreed changes in writing. Get tips on what to do if staff don't agree with your proposals, and learn how to minimise the risk of a legal challenge.
- How to recruit internally
Learn how to recruit existing staff into a new role at your school fairly, and download our handy checklist to make the process easier.
- Holding an interview: your step-by-step guide
Know the rules and best practice for organising and running interviews for any role. Learn about who should sit on the panel, how to prepare your questions and how to stay compliant with discrimination law.
- Staff living on the school site
Find practical advice on handling safeguarding and contract issues when you have staff living on your school site. Download our template risk assessment to manage safeguarding and stay Ofsted-compliant, also our checklist so you know who is responsible for what.
- Recruitment: your step-by-step guide
Keep on top of every stage in the recruitment process with links to our guidance and resources all in 1 place. Get to grips with everything from finding applicants and shortlisting candidates, to pre-employment checks and staff induction. Plus, see our tips for safer recruitment every step of the way.
- Guide to difficult conversations with staff
Prepare yourself for challenging conversations with staff by following our tips on how to give feedback, develop questioning skills and practice active listening, so you can approach your meetings with confidence.
- Staff induction: your step-by-step guide
Use our tips and checklist to plan effective staff induction so that new employees buy into your school's culture and settle into their role well.
- Staff survey pack
Everything you need to create your staff survey – a statement bank covering a range of topics, plus a survey template and a letter to staff. See examples of staff questionnaires used by schools.
- Support staff: pay scales and progression
Pay scales for support staff such as teaching assistants (TAs) are determined locally, as are their career progression arrangements. Understand how to set your pay scales and progression frameworks, and how to determine pay for support staff on the SLT.
- Shortlisting candidates: guidance and template
Download our template shortlisting grid to help you identify which candidates to invite for interview. Find out how to make sure your process is fair and that you shortlist the right people.
- Accounting officer: role and responsibilities
Understand the accounting officer's responsibilities, what happens if they're absent and where to access training for this role.