Staff Recruitment, Verification & Training Policy

Effective Date: 17 June 2026

Applicable to: All students (ages 3-8), parents/guardians, staff, and visitors of Ultra

1. Purpose

This Policy describes how Ultra (“the School”) recruits, verifies, trains, and supports all teaching and non-teaching staff, contractors, and vendors who have regular contact with children, to ensure every adult on campus is suitable, trained, and accountable, in line with the POCSO Rules, 2020.

2. Recruitment Standards

• Every candidate undergoes a structured interview assessing both professional competence and suitability for working with young children (patience, communication, warmth, judgment).
• Candidates provide at least two professional references, which are checked before an offer is finalized.
• Candidates disclose any prior disciplinary action, criminal case, or termination related to child safety; false disclosure is grounds for immediate termination if discovered later.

3. Background Verification

1. All teaching staff, non-teaching staff, bus/transport staff, and vendors with regular access to children undergo police verification / background checks before their first day of work, as required under POCSO Rules, 2020, Rule 3.
2. Background checks are repeated periodically (at least every 2–3 years) and on renewal of contract for contract staff.
3. Records of verification are securely maintained and treated as confidential personal data under the Privacy Policy.

4. Induction & Onboarding

• Every new staff member completes induction covering: the Child Safety & Safeguarding Policy, the Staff Code of Conduct, the Child Wellbeing & Duty of Care Policy, emergency/first-aid procedures, and reporting channels, before being given independent charge of children.
• New staff sign acknowledgement forms for the Child Safety & Safeguarding Policy and Staff Code of Conduct as a condition of employment.

5. Ongoing Training

1. Annual refresher training on child safeguarding, recognizing signs of distress/abuse, and reporting obligations under POCSO.
2. Periodic training on age-appropriate pedagogy, classroom management, first aid/CPR, and emotional support techniques for young children.
3. Training records are maintained for each staff member.

6. Supervision & Performance Review

• New staff are observed and mentored during a probation/induction period before being given sole charge of a class.
• Performance reviews include an assessment of conduct toward children, professionalism, and adherence to safeguarding practices, not academic delivery alone.

7. Vendors, Contractors & Visiting Faculty

Any external vendor, contractor, or visiting specialist (e.g., music, art, sports instructor) who will have direct, recurring contact with children is subject to the same background verification and code-of-conduct acknowledgement as regular staff, and is supervised by a regular staff member when on campus.

8. Records & Confidentiality

Recruitment, verification, and training records are retained for the duration of employment and a reasonable period after, and are accessible only to authorized School leadership for HR and compliance purposes.

9. Review

This Policy is reviewed annually to reflect changes in law and best practice in staff recruitment and child safeguarding.