Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment
The University of Bristol is dedicated to protecting and promoting the wellbeing and safety of children. Across all elements of our PGCE provision — including the selection and admission of student teachers — we comply with the relevant Initial Teacher Training (ITT) criteria, statutory guidance such as Keeping Children Safe in Education, and all applicable legislation. We expect every member of our community to uphold these standards and take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously.
Suitability to Work with Children and Young People
The School of Education is responsible for ensuring that all applicants offered a place on the PGCE programme are appropriate to work with children and young people. Suitability is assessed through a range of measures, including interviews, references, verification of identity, and checks against relevant professional and statutory records. These include:
- Individuals prohibited from teaching
- Teachers who have not successfully completed induction
- Teachers subject to sanctions or restrictions by the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE)
- Individuals found guilty of serious misconduct, even where not formally prohibited from teaching
All prospective PGCE student teachers are required, as a condition of any offer, to obtain a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), including a check of the Children’s Barred List, before starting the course. Applicants who have lived outside the UK for 12 months or more within the past ten years (whether continuous or in total), must additionally provide a criminal record certificate from the relevant authority in the country or countries concerned.
The DBS charges a fee for this process, which must be paid by the applicant. Those who already hold an Enhanced DBS certificate for work with children may not need to apply for a new one, provided they are registered with the DBS Update Service. Applicants who are not subscribed to the Update Service will be required to submit a new application. Individuals holding offers will receive detailed instructions about the procedure.
Declaration of Previous Convictions or Investigations
Where a DBS disclosure reveals a previous conviction or caution, the matter will be reviewed in line with the University’s Policy statement on the recruitment of staff and acceptance of students with a criminal conviction as well as the University’s Guidelines for the recruitment of students with a criminal conviction. This review will determine whether the disclosed information affects eligibility for admission.
Applicants should note that the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, (amended 2013 and 2020), does not apply to the teaching profession. As such, convictions and cautions may not be treated as “spent” when applying for teacher training.
Particular attention will be given to convictions involving drugs, violence, or sexual offences, as these may significantly affect future employability and could prevent entry into the profession. Please see the DBS filtering guide - GOV.UK and Guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975 - GOV.UK Applicants who are uncertain about how previous convictions may impact their career prospects are advised to seek guidance directly from the Disclosure and Barring Service.
In any case where a DBS certificate is delayed, we may carry out a full online search of candidates.