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Nudge Education Policy Library

NEO — Safer Recruitment and Use of Volunteers Policy

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Date14 October 2026
Review DateDecember 2026, then annually, or sooner if practice or legislation changes
OwnerDirector, Nudge Education Online & Head of School, with Nudge Education HR and compliance; the Designated Safeguarding Lead (NEO) and the Nudge Education National Designated Safeguarding Lead are consulted
Approved byApproved by the Director, NEO & Head of School on 14 October 2026 under authority delegated by the Proprietor (CEO of Nudge Education Ltd) on 13 October 2026; for noting at the NEO board on 3 December 2026
Versionv10.26

A fully online alternative provision for learners aged 11–18

Where this policy lives

NEO documents refer to the “Safer Recruitment and Use of Volunteers Policy”. This page is its front door. The policy is the Nudge Education Recruitment, Selection and Sub Contracting Policy together with its NEO Online Addendum (v04.26, approved April 2026, review April 2027), published at the end of that page, which applies Part three of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 to every NEO appointment: Qualified Educators in the talent pool, Practitioner-Mentors, the DSL, deputy and SENCo, operational and technical roles, contractors, agency workers, enrichment speakers and volunteers. The Safer Recruitment Letter of Assurance (August 2026) is the statement commissioners receive.

The NEO standard, on one page

  • One standard for every route in. Whether a person is employed, in the talent pool, a contractor, a volunteer or supplied by an agency, the same checks apply before they have contact with a learner or access to learner data: identity, enhanced DBS with children’s barred list check (and the DBS update service where held), right to work, prohibition from teaching check for anyone delivering lessons, two references including the most recent employer, qualifications where the role requires them, overseas checks where the person has lived or worked abroad, and a childcare disqualification self-declaration where relevant. Online delivery is regulated activity; there is no lighter route for remote work.
  • Safer recruitment training: at least one person on every interview panel has completed accredited safer recruitment training; the Head of School and the DSL hold it.
  • The single central record: NEO keeps an SCR for every member of staff, every pool educator and every volunteer and contractor in regulated activity, held by the Head of School with the DSL and audited termly; the board sees “complete for N of N”, never names. Nobody appears on a NEO timetable before their SCR line is complete.
  • Volunteers and speakers: a volunteer or enrichment speaker is never alone with learners online; they join a session hosted by a NEO member of staff with a second adult present, and are vetted and briefed on NEO’s conduct expectations and the Prevent line in the speaker checklist. A volunteer who will have regular or unsupervised contact is treated as staff for checking purposes.
  • Ongoing suitability: staff declare annually that nothing has changed; the Managing Allegations Against Staff Policy and the low-level concerns route apply from day one; concerns about the Head of School go to the Proprietor.
  • Talent pool: practitioners already vetted by Nudge Education move into the NEO pool on their existing checks, with the prohibition check and the NEO induction (KCSIE Part one and Annex B, online safeguarding, Meet settings, the Diamond Standard) added before their first NEO lesson.

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