04Jun

Giving you the time to do what you love…

Giving you the time to do what you love…

Having worked on both sides of the fence – both as a teacher, a Headteacher, and as a teacher recruiter, I wanted to share the advantages of working with a recruitment agency. Compass Education Consultancy offers an opportunity for schools and candidates to continue with their day-to-day roles. This is because:

  • Compass Education Consultancy has extensive databases of qualified teachers, giving schools access to a wider range of candidates than they might not find through their own advertising.
  • We manage the time-consuming tasks of advertising vacancies, screening applications, conducting initial interviews, and verifying credentials, allowing our client school administrators to focus on other critical responsibilities.
  • Compass consultants are specialists in their field and have in-depth knowledge of the education sector. We understand the specific needs and challenges of schools, helping to match the right candidate with the right position, considering all aspects of the vacancy through discussion with the client.
  • We can often quickly provide temporary or long-term staff to cover unexpected absences, maternity leaves, or sudden increases in student enrolment, ensuring that there is minimal disruption to the school’s operations.
  • Compass has terms of agreement with Clients  that offers a professional service to ensure successful candidate placements are made and where any anomalies arise in the placement to work towards a meaningful resolution.

Compass Education Consultancy also helps teachers find positions that match their skills, experience, and career goals. We can provide career advice, often from our own experience, helping candidates to enhance their resumes and prepare for interviews.

  • Compass has exclusive contracts with certain schools and districts. We give teachers the access to opportunities that may not see advertised elsewhere.
  • At Compass we offer support throughout the recruitment process, from initial application to job placement. This can include background information about schools, the role, and of course the local area. We always go above and beyond and are happy to help with relocation.
  • Compass has a huge amount of expertise in leadership and teacher recruitment. We offer a range of job types, including permanent, temporary, full-time, and part-time positions. This allows leaders and teachers to find roles that fit their lifestyle and preferences.
  • With our help, you can expand your professional network, both as a teacher and a school as we provide connections internationally and with other educational professionals.

We are always delighted to assist with finding a school, a qualified teacher and alternatively, we are equally thrilled at finding a teacher for that post they have dreamt about. For more information, please call us to discuss further, we would be delighted to hear from you.

 

24Nov

Safer Recruitment Practices for International Schools

In the ever-evolving landscape of international education, ensuring the safety and well-being of students is paramount. This week Compass attended the Association of British Schools Overseas annual Conference in Richmond which hosted the launch of the British International Schools Safeguarding Coalition (BISSC). This new Coalition will promote and develop best safeguarding and safer recruitment practice across the British International Schools sector: such a worthwhile initiative.

At Compass, implementing robust and effective recruitment practices has always been a priority for us and something we talk about regularly with the international schools we work with as well as the teachers we recruit.

International schools, often catering to diverse student populations, must go the extra mile to guarantee a secure environment for learning. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the key elements of safer recruitment practices for international schools, exploring why they are essential and providing practical insights for implementation.

Why Safer Recruitment Matters

Creating a safe learning environment begins with the recruitment process. Safer recruitment practices are designed to ensure risks are mitigated and to safeguard the well-being of students, fostering an atmosphere conducive to learning and personal development.

International schools perhaps face distinct challenges compared to their domestic counterparts. Dealing with a diverse student body, often comprising students from different cultural backgrounds, requires a nuanced approach to recruitment. Cultural sensitivity, language proficiency, and an understanding of international child protection standards are integral components of safer recruitment in this context.

Key Components of Safer Recruitment include:

  1. Thorough Background Checks

Before hiring any staff member, international schools must conduct comprehensive background checks. At Compass, we support schools with this service ensuring references of candidates are sought and verified as well as thorough employment history verification. This also includes criminal record checks. It is essential to collaborate with international agencies to ensure the accuracy and completeness of these checks, considering the global nature of the school community.

  1. Cultural Sensitivity Training

Given the diverse student population in international schools, cultural sensitivity is crucial. All staff members, especially those in direct contact with students, should undergo training to understand and respect different cultural norms and practices. This helps in creating an inclusive and harmonious learning environment.

  1. Child Protection Training

Staff members in international schools should receive thorough training on child protection policies and procedures. This includes recognizing signs of abuse, reporting mechanisms, and understanding the school’s commitment to maintaining a safe environment for all students. Regular refresher courses should be conducted to keep staff members informed about evolving best practices.

  1. Interview Techniques

The interview process is a critical stage in safer recruitment. Implementing behavioral and situational questions can provide insights into a candidate’s approach to various scenarios. Additionally, panel interviews involving multiple staff members can help in evaluating a candidate from different perspectives, ensuring a comprehensive assessment.

  1. Transparent Communication

Open and transparent communication is essential throughout the recruitment process. Candidates should be informed about the school’s commitment to child protection and the measures in place to ensure a safe environment. This sets clear expectations from the beginning and reinforces the school’s dedication to safety.

The Role of Technology

In the digital age, technology can play a pivotal role in enhancing safer recruitment practices. Recruitment agencies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) more and more that can streamline the recruitment process, ensuring that all necessary checks and procedures are systematically conducted. Additionally, video conferencing tools facilitate remote interviews, enabling schools to access a broader pool of candidates while maintaining a rigorous selection process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, prioritizing safer recruitment practices is non-negotiable for recruitment agencies and international schools committed to providing a secure and nurturing learning environment. By integrating thorough background checks, cultural sensitivity training, child protection education, effective interview techniques, and transparent communication, we can significantly reduce the risk of compromising student safety.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  1. Why are safer recruitment practices crucial for international schools?

Safer recruitment practices are essential for international schools to ensure the safety and well-being of their diverse student population. By implementing robust practices, schools can prevent the entry of individuals with harmful intentions and create a secure learning environment. Interntaional teacher recruitment agencies like Compass will support you with this.

2. What role does technology play in enhancing safer recruitment practices?

Technology, including applicant tracking systems and video conferencing tools, can streamline the recruitment process for international schools. These tools facilitate efficient background checks, remote interviews, and overall process optimization.

3. What steps can international schools take to ensure transparent communication during the recruitment process?

To ensure transparent communication, international schools should clearly communicate their commitment to child protection, inform candidates about safety measures in place, and set clear expectations from the beginning of the recruitment process.

13Mar

The rise of sustainability education in international schools

Although sustainability has been an important policy topic for governments and international organisations for many years, it has become an increasingly significant topic to school aged children more recently. With the likes of Greta Thunberg and others providing the example and inspiring change, children are proactively seeking to lead environmental initiatives that create the necessary impact for a better world.

The international school community, with its global perspective, is highly likely to incorporate sustainability into their core curriculum. In particular, international schools that follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum will place a strong emphasis on sustainability education across a range of subjects as the IB requires schools to demonstrate a commitment to environmental sustainability in their operations. Reducing energy and water consumption, especially in countries with a high heating/cooling demand or water scarcity, is considered an easy win in terms of initiatives. This need for greater energy and water efficiency has been a primary driver for schools to embrace sustainability – but there are others.

Reasons to teach sustainability:

Global Awareness: International schools proudly boast widely diverse student bodies, with children drawn from many different parts of the world. One of their main roles being to foster global citizens who are aware of the challenges that the world faces and sustainability being a critical issue that affects the planet, international schools have an opportunity to help students understand the impact of their actions on the environment.

Responsibility: In many jurisdictions, international schools are built in and around a large and privileged community. As such, they exert significant influence in the wider community and therefore act as role models for sustainable practices in their community. By practising sustainability, they can lead by example and inspire others to adopt sustainable practices.

Health and well-being: For some international schools, particularly across the sprawling mega-cities of Asia, urban air quality has reached a crisis point. Teaching students to understand the impact of sustainable practice on such issues, is a necessity for their wellbeing.

Future-proofing: With the increasingly clear impact of climate change and environmental degradation, sustainability is becoming a critical issue for the future. By emphasising sustainability, international schools are preparing students for the challenges they may face in the future and equipping them with the knowledge and skills to address them.

Curriculum: Some schools may simply build this into extra or co-curricular activity, whilst for others, sustainability may be a core focus of the school. Green School Bali, for example, paved the way over 10 years ago when they announced their commitment “to create a global community of learners, making our world sustainable”. Since then, more schools have made the subject matter a core part of their mission.

Spotlight on The Arbor School in Dubai:

The Arbor School in Dubai is a example of a school that is focused on sustainability education. The school’s mission is to educate and inspire students to become environmentally responsible and sustainable global citizens.

Sustainability is integrated into all aspects of school life, from the curriculum, to extra-curricular activities and the day to day running of the school. The school has developed its own sustainability framework which is based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and covers topics such as waste reduction, renewable energy and biodiversity conservation.

The Arbor School’s campus is designed to be sustainable as well, with features such as a green roof, bespoke biodomes, solar panels, and a rainwater harvesting system. The school has an organic farm on campus, where students learn to grow and cook food, which allows them to take an active role in the “farm-to-fork” cycle.

Ultimately, eco-literacy, sustainability and environmental justice form the three pillars at the core of the Arbor School vision, “Enough for all, forever.” Eco-literacy is different from earlier trends in environmental education, which viewed humans as a destructive force in nature and pursued education as a path to curb destruction. The aim at Arbor, is to cultivate an ethos of ecological understanding and environmental mindfulness that drives innovative, creative problem-solving for a more sustainable world.

What’s next?

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of sustainability education. Many countries and regions have developed curriculum frameworks that incorporate sustainability, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiative. In addition, there are many non-governmental organisations and educational programs that provide resources and training for teachers to integrate sustainability into their lesson plans.

However, sustainability education can take many forms, and some international schools are realising that they need additional resources to deliver their intended environmental curriculum effectively. With that realisation comes the advent of new sustainability-focused roles that work to integrate sustainable practices into the school’s operations and curriculum.

Keep an eye on our vacancy listings to discover the perfect, sustainable role for you.

Find your Sustainability dream job

 

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