Elected Member Briefing - Appointments to denominational schools

About this briefing note

Report by: Sheena Devlin, Executive Director (Education & Children's Services)

Date: 7 October 2022

Subject: Process for Appointment of Teachers to Posts in Denominational Schools

Responsible Officer: Suzanne McLeod, HR Team Leader-HR Services (ECS), Human Resources

Publication

This Briefing Note has been published on the Council's website following circulation to Councillors. Its contents may be disclosed or shared outwith the Council.

Details

Purpose

This Briefing Note is being issued for information only.

Briefing information

The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 provides that a teacher appointed to any post in a denominational school requires to be approved as regards his/her religious belief and character by the relevant church or denominational body.

Following recent discussions with the Roman Catholic Church in relation to probationers and supply teachers, the Process for the Appointment of Teachers in Denominational Schools has now been refreshed.

The Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers (JNCT) has approved a revised Local Agreement for the Appointment of Teachers to Posts in Denominational Schools.

The agreement is effective from 14 June 2022 and can be found on the LNCT Site.  A summary is provided below.

Summary

The procedure continues to be based on the following principles:

• Any recruitment procedure should be based on fair selection methods and therefore the Council's standard procedures for recruitment and selection of teaching posts will be followed.
• It will be made clear at each stage in the process, from initial advertisement onwards, that the successful applicant will require to obtain the approval of the appropriate Church. This allows all applicants to be clear about the requirement and to be able to seek such approval at an early stage should they so wish.
• Appointment to all fixed term and permanent teaching posts in denominational schools require the approval of the appropriate Church.
• The selection of a candidate suitable for appointment for the post will be the responsibility of the Council.
• Following interview, once a suitable candidate has been identified they will be offered the post subject to various checks, such as evidence of qualifications, Enhanced Disclosure and Church approval. If they cannot demonstrate Church approval the job offer will be withdrawn. If another candidate (or candidates) has been identified as suitable for appointment that person will be offered the post, also subject to the same conditions.
• The matter of approval is for the appropriate Church to determine and is not a matter for the Council. Any candidate who wishes to question the decision on approval will need to pursue this with the Church.
• Approval for non-Catholic candidates is dependent on the individual, the post and the length of time an individual is to be in the post.

In addition to these principles:

• Probationer teachers placed in denominations schools are required to obtain Church approval prior to starting their probationary period.
• Supply workers in teaching posts exceeding 12 weeks or who are converted to fixed term are required to obtain church approval. If length of engagement is known from the outset this will be undertaken at the beginning of the appointment.  If not known, this will be undertaken when they reach 12 weeks.