Volunteering

We are always delighted to have parent/grandparent helpers in school.

The following explains our ‘volunteer recruitment procedure’, which reflects our obligations and best practice for the safeguarding of children.

DBS checks 

For all volunteers planning to help out with our pupils in school – e.g. with reading or times tables – we will ask you to provide original identification and address documentation so that we can carry out a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. In certain circumstances – typically where you have lived or worked overseas in the past 5 years - we will require you to obtain a certificate of good conduct from the relevant authorities in that other country. 

References 

Additionally, since 2018 – to reflect changes in child safeguarding legislation and good practice – we also require all new volunteers to complete an application form which includes, among other things, details of two referees that we may contact. 

Initial briefing with DSL/DDSL 

You will then also need to attend a ‘briefing’ conducted by our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Claire Hann-Perkins or one of our Deputy DSLs (Mary Mundy) covering in broad terms safeguarding responsibilities at Preshute and what to do if you have a concern about a child. We will also provide you with certain school policies to familiarise yourself with. 

The exception to the above checks/briefing is where you help out only rarely – for example on a school trip or occasionally walking children down to the church - where you are supervised by a member of staff at all times.

We hope that the above processes do not deter you from putting your name forward for volunteering; rather we hope that you will see the processes as our commitment to keeping our pupils safe.

Training 

At intervals throughout the year, we conduct detailed training which outlines the themes behind the government’s main statutory guidance “Keeping Children Safe in Education” and the processes we follow. We expect all volunteers to attend this training (if you have not already done so) if they volunteer in school on a regular basis. The training will be repeated at intervals throughout the year to ensure that all volunteers are able to attend, and as new volunteers and staff come on board.

If you have any questions about becoming a volunteer or the volunteer process, please speak to our Head, Mrs Claire Hann-Perkins, Mrs Mary Mundy or any of the office staff who will be able to answer your questions.

Upcoming Keeping Children Safe in Education Training

Safeguarding Training (3 hours) – New volunteers

Updates for safeguarding training (1 hour)- Existing volunteers who have completed the 3-hour training in the last academic year.

For more information on safeguarding please see our safeguarding page

Should you like to apply for a volunteer role, please find our application form here.