Employee handbook - 10.10.17

Employee Handbook

V.1 Oct 2017

Welcome To The Team!

Congratulations on your new role and welcome to the
Cressington family!
I’m Siobhan Evans, Head of the Cressington Nursery
Group and my vision about early education is a simple
one; children deserve the very best opportunities in
nursery to enable them to feel happy and safe, and to
be inspired and excited to learn and grow, ready for the
next stages of their learning.
We look forward to this opportunity to work with you
and want you to know that we recognise our
employees as the most valued element of our
organisation.
Our continued success depends on having quality people like you and your fellow colleagues helping to
achieve our goals.
We want you to enjoy your time here and are committed to helping you succeed in your future career.
Thank you for choosing to join our amazing team and together we can really change children’s lives and
make Cressington Manor a fantastic place to work!
Regards,

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Section 1: The Cressington Manor Company

The Cressington Group of Nurseries was founded in 2009, with the vision being to build and create
beautiful, inspirational environments where children are free to play, to explore, to imagine and to discover
their own limits.
The founder was inspired by his own experiences as a father, wishing to design beautiful spaces where
young children can blossom and grow. His beliefs place the child at the heart of everything we do and with
the help of our dedicated team of childcare professionals we create memorable childhood experiences that
build con dent, happy learners.
In 2010, we became a National Award Winner for “Best Designed Nursery in the UK” by NMT
(Nursery Management Today). This recognised us as the best new nursery building over the past ve years
and identi ed the key strengths of the Cressington Group as:
• O ering child-friendly features throughout
• O ering purpose designed areas for sta needs
• Providing childcare to over 250 families
• Providing innovative and versatile space that excite all children
• Demonstrating a clear understanding of safety and security issues
• E cient management
The end result… an award winning, expanding nursery group that our Cressington Manor family is proud
to call home.

Our Mission, Vision and Values

We are extremely proud of our Core Values; these ensure that we deliver our vision to maximise the
potential of every child within our care and help our sta develop and grow too. Please see our Vision and
Value tree on the subsequent page.

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Fro m little buds, with nurture & love, we blossom & g
row

Our
Visions

To provide a nurturing and caring environment
where children feel safe, enjoy their childhood,

achieve their potential
and grow a life-long love of learning

Our
Values

Value and Respect - Commitment - Passion for Learning -

Every child as an To excellence Placing your child
individual and to our at the heart of everything
partnerships with families
we do

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Section 2: Handbook

This handbook is to support and assist you to nd the answers to questions which may arise during your
employment with us.
It explains the opportunities that are available to you as part of our team, and we hope it will be a good
point of reference if you need to nd out some information.
The handbook is not a contractual document and if there are any speci c matters of which you need to be
aware relating to your employment, then these will be drawn to your attention by your manager.
Where this handbook refers to “we” “the company”, “the organisation” , “us” or “the employer” these terms
shall be understood to mean Cressington Manor and where the term “employee” or “you” appears this shall
be taken to mean you.
The handbook can be changed periodically and will be reviewed regularly to comply with relevant chang-
es.

Section 3: Your Role

3.1) Job Description
Your principal responsibilities are set out in your job description. Your job description is intended only to
give you a guide as to the range of day to day tasks and duties which may be expected of you. You should
note that that we may call upon you to perform other duties within your range of skills and competence
which may be necessary from time to time to ensure the e ective running of the business.
Please refer to your JOB DESCRIPTION for further information.
3.2) Contract of Employment
Your terms and conditions of employment are contained in your appointment letter and your contract of
employment. You will have signed two copies of this document, one which you retain for your records and
one which we retain for your personal le.
Please refer to your CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT for further information.
3.3) Hours of Work
Your hours of work are described in your letter of appointment and/or your contract of employment. You
are expected to work your contracted hours and you should be aware that persistent absenteeism and/or
lack of punctuality may result in disciplinary action.
If you are required to work additional hours then the extra time may be paid at the standard hourly rate and
/or time in lieu granted by your manager to compensate for the extra time worked.

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3.4) Induction
On appointment you will have an induction to the company and to your role. This will be conducted by
your manager and during the induction you will be sign posted to any relevant policies speci c to your
role.
3.5) Probation Period
As a new employee you are required to work a six month probation period. Your suitability for your position
will be assessed at 3 months and again at 6 months to determine whether your appointment can be
con rmed.
We reserve the right to extend your period of probation at our discretion and also conclude and not
con rm its completion early if necessary. This will be limited to one extension and the total period of proba-
tion will be no longer than 9 months.
Please refer to the PROBATION POLICY for further information.
3.6) Flexible Working
The organisation believes that exible working can increase sta motivation, promote work-life balance
and improve performance and productivity. From 30 June 2014, all employees who have a minimum of 26
weeks' continuous service have the right to request exible working and to have their request considered
seriously by their employer.
Please refer to the FLEXIBLE WORKING POLICY for further information.

Section 4: Your Performance & Development

4.1) Performance Reviews
We will periodically review performance so that we can ensure we meet organisational, departmental and
individual objectives and help you to grow as an individual.
Your manager will advise when your performance reviews will take place and will show you the documents
we use so you can see in advance how they are structured. Our performance reviews are tailored to stretch
and challenge you to help you grow in your role.
Please refer to the PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT & APPRAISAL POLICY for further information.
4.2) Training and Development
We believe in and are committed to the development of our sta . You will therefore be encouraged wher-
ever possible, to undertake training and courses of study which are relevant to your job and which will help
you to ful ll your career ambitions.
Please refer to the CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING POLICY for further informa-
tion.

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Section 5: Your Pay & Benefits

5.1) Pay Date
You will usually be paid on the 5th day of every month in arrears with payment being made into a building
society or bank account in equal monthly installments. Where a pay day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or
public holiday payment will normally be made on the Friday preceding the 5th of the month.
5.2) Deductions and Overpayments
We shall be entitled without further agreement to deduct from your salary any sums due from you to the
company including for example any overpayment, any outstanding loans or advance.
On termination of your employment the company may deduct from your nal salary any outstanding loan,
training grant, holidays taken in excess of your entitlement or any other monies due from you.
5.3) Pensions
If you are eligible, we will auto-enrol you into a pension scheme, in accordance with our pensions
auto-enrolment obligations
Full details of the scheme will be given to you when you are enrolled, including the minimum level of
contributions that you will be required to make during your membership and your right to opt out if you
do not want to be a member of the scheme. While participating in the scheme, you agree to worker pension
contributions being deducted from your salary and to your personal information being forwarded to the
pension provider in order to administer the scheme.
Membership of the scheme is subject to its rules as may be amended from time to time, and we may
replace the scheme with another pension scheme at any time.
If you cease to be a member of the scheme for any reason, we will re-enrol you automatically into a pension
scheme as and when required by law.

Section 6: Your Absences

6.1) Annual Leave
Your holiday entitlement is shown in your o er letter and your contract of employment and our holiday
year runs from 1st May to 30th April.
If you work part – time, your holiday entitlement is pro-rated based to the days /hours that you work.
All periods of annual leave must be authorised in advance by your manager by completing an annual leave
request form and having it authorised. You must not make rm annual leave arrangements before
receiving con rmation from management that your request has been authorised.
Please refer to the ANNUAL LEAVE POLICY for further information.
6.2) Sickness Absence
If you are away from work because you are incapable of attending to perform your job due to illness or
injury, you are required to notify your line manager by 7:30am. You must also update us later that day to
determine whether you will be attending work the following day.

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You must do this in person by telephone. Text and e-mail noti cations are not acceptable.
You must advise the nature of your incapacity and the likely duration of your absence. During the rst 7
days you can self certi cate for your absence by completing a form with us on your return. For absences 8
days and over, you should provide a doctor’s note.
The responsibility for submitting medical notes is yours and you must provide them to your manager with-
out delay.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid to employees who are unable to work because of illness and who meet the
qualifying conditions. SSP is paid at the same time and in the same way as your wages for the same period.
We may require you to attend for a medical examination to determine your tness for work and your ability
to perform your duties. You are obliged to co-operate with us in obtaining such medical information.
On your return to work, we will complete with you a return to work discussion and determine with you
whether your absence is at an acceptable level or not in line with the company’s policy.
Please refer to the ATTENDANCE MANAGEMENT POLICY for further information.
6.3) Medical Appointments
We recognise that you will from time to time need to attend medical, hospital, dental, optician and other
similar appointments. Whenever it is possible to do so, employees (both full time and part time) should
endeavour to arrange such appointments outside working hours, if this is not possible, then at times that
will cause the minimum amount of absence from work or inconvenience to the organisation. This time o
should be agreed with your manager in advance and can either be taken as either unpaid leave, or where
authorized you can pay the time back by working extra hours.
Please refer to the TIME OFF FOR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS POLICY for further information.
6.4) Maternity Leave
All pregnant employees (regardless of length of service) have the right in law to take up to 26 weeks' ordi-
nary maternity leave and up to a further 26 weeks' additional maternity leave and to resume work after-
wards. The employee is therefore entitled to a total period of 52 weeks' maternity leave. Additional materni-
ty leave follows on immediately from the end of the period of ordinary maternity leave.
Employees who have been continuously employed by the organisation for at least 26 weeks at the end of
their qualifying week and are still employed during that week, will also qualify for statutory maternity pay,
providing that:

they are still pregnant 11 weeks before the start of the expected week of childbirth (or have
already given birth);
they have provided a MAT B1 form stating their expected week of childbirth; and
their average weekly earnings are not less than the lower earnings limit for national insurance
contributions

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Statutory maternity pay is payable for up to 39 weeks, with the rst six weeks payable at 90% of the
employee's average weekly earnings. The remaining 33 weeks is payable at a rate set by the Government
for the relevant tax year, or at 90% of the employee's average weekly earnings, if this gure is lower than the
Government's set weekly rate. It is treated as earnings and is therefore subject to PAYE and national
insurance deductions.
Please refer to the MATERNITY LEAVE POLICY for further information.
6.5) Paternity Leave
An employee whose wife, civil partner or partner gives birth to a child, or who is the biological father of the
child, is entitled to two weeks' ordinary paternity leave provided that he/she has 26 weeks' continuous
service by the end of the 15th week before the week in which the child is expected.
Please refer to the PATERNITY LEAVE POLICY for further information.
6.6) Adoption Leave
The employee's entitlement is to take up to 26 weeks' ordinary adoption leave followed immediately by up
to 26 weeks' additional adoption leave. The employee's maximum entitlement is therefore to take up to 52
weeks' adoption leave.
Employees who take adoption leave will also qualify for statutory adoption pay, provided that they have 26
weeks' service calculated as at the week in which noti cation of matching was given by the adoption
agency and have average weekly earnings not less than the lower earnings limit for national insurance
contributions.
Statutory adoption pay is payable for up to 39 weeks. In relation to adoption pay periods beginning on or
after 5 April 2015, statutory adoption pay is payable at 90% of normal earnings for the rst six weeks,
following which it is payable at the rate set by the Government for the relevant tax year (or 90% of normal
earnings, if that is lower than the Government's rate).
Please refer to the ADOPTION LEAVE POLICY for further information.
6.7) Ordinary Parental Leave
An employee is entitled to up to 18 weeks' unpaid parental leave per child if he/she is the birth or adoptive
parent of a child who is under 18 years of age. To qualify for ordinary parental leave, employees must have
completed at least one year's continuous service with the organisation.
Please refer to the ORDINARY PARENTAL LEAVE POLICY for further information.
6.8) Shared Parental Leave
Shared parental leave is a type of leave that is available to parents with babies due on or after 5 April 2015.
Shared parental leave enables mothers to commit to ending their maternity leave and pay at a future date,
and to share the untaken balance of leave and pay as shared parental leave and pay with their partner, or
to return to work early from maternity leave and opt in to shared parental leave and pay at a later date.
Shared parental leave should not be confused with ordinary parental leave, which is una ected by shared
parental leave.
Please refer to the SHARED PARENTAL LEAVE POLICY for further information.

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6.9) Time o for Dependents
All employees (irrespective of length of service, and whether they are part time or full time) are entitled to
take a reasonable amount of unpaid time o during working hours to take necessary action:

to provide assistance when a dependant falls ill, gives birth or is injured or assaulted;
to make arrangements for the provision of care for an ill or injured dependant;
in consequence of the death of a dependant;
because of the unexpected disruption or termination of arrangements for the care of a
dependant;
to deal with an incident that involves their child and occurs unexpectedly while the child is at
school/other educational establishment.
Please refer to the TIME OFF FOR DEPENDENTS POLICY for further information.
6.10) Time o for Emergencies
We recognise that you will from time to time experience emergencies at home, such as a ood, re or
burglary. This policy, which applies to all employees, is intended to allow those who experience genuine
domestic emergencies to take a reasonable amount of time o work to deal with the emergency. The policy
does not apply to planned events such as domestic repairs, refurbishment, building or trades work,
installation of appliances, home deliveries, etc.
Please refer to the TIME OFF FOR EMERGENCIES POLICY for further information.
6.11) Time o for Public Duties
If you hold a public o ce or public position, it is the our policy to grant a reasonable amount of unpaid time
o work so that the you can perform the duties associated with that position. You will not be required to
make up for any such time o by working additional hours at another time.
Please refer to the TIME OFF FOR PUBLIC DUTIES POLICY for further information.
6.12) Time o for Religious Holidays
It is the our policy to grant holiday leave at times that suit individual employees in so far as this is possible
and practicable, taking into account the needs of the business.
However, where an employee requests time o at a particularly busy time, at a time when other employees
in the same department have already been granted leave or at a time when the employee's absence would
otherwise cause di culties for the business or department, the organisation may refuse to grant time o
on the dates requested.
Subject to the above, we will seek, wherever possible, to allow you to use their holiday entitlement to
observe special religious holidays or festivals. All employees, whatever their religion or belief, will be
treated equally in this respect.
Please refer to the TIME OFF FOR RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS POLICY for further information.

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6.13) Compassionate Leave
We appreciate that you may need compassionate leave to help you come to terms with the death or serious
injury of a loved one or for serious personal issues. You should speak to your manager about any issues
a ecting you so that we can arrange some unpaid leave for you.
Please refer to the COMPASSIONATE LEAVE POLICY for further information.
6:14) Jury Service
In the event of you being called up for jury service, you should contact your manager at the earliest
opportunity to discuss the matter. Jury service normally lasts for 10 working days, but may be longer. You
should provide your manager with a copy of the court summons and any other relevant documentation.
You will continue to be paid while on jury service at the normal rate of pay subject to the deduction of any
monies received from the court in respect of loss of earnings however you must provide us with the receipt
for the reimbursement from the court and we will then make the appropriate deductions from your pay.
Please refer to the COMPASSIONATE LEAVE POLICY for further information.

Section 7: Your Conduct

7.1) Personal Standards and Behaviour
The reputation of our organisation a key factor in our success. As an employee you have a responsibility to
support this in the way that you appear and behave towards fellow employees and the general public.
In some circumstances if you are involved in incidents which take place away from the organisation and
outside of working time, you may face disciplinary action up to and including dismissal, if we believe that
the company’s reputation has been put at risk.
Please refer to the CODE OF CONDUCT for further information.
7.2) Dress Code, Appearance and Language
Depending on your role, you may be provided with a uniform which must be worn at all times during
working hours. It is your responsibility to ensure that your uniform is kept clean and in good condition.
If you do not have a uniform, you are required to maintain a clean and tidy appearance at all times. If, in the
opinion of your manager your appearance is unsatisfactory then he/she may require you to make the
necessary changes and exclude you from the work place until the changes are made. Any failure to comply
may result in disciplinary action being taken against you.
(Cress) Because of possible safety issues or the risk of injury to children your manager may in his/her
absolute discretion require you to remove items as they may present a risk for example jewellery.
Obscene, profane or discriminatory language in the workplace will not be tolerated and may lead to
disciplinary action.
Please refer to the CODE OF CONDUCT for further information.

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If you do not have a uniform, you are required to maintain a clean and tidy appearance at all times. If, in the
opinion of your manager your appearance is unsatisfactory then he/she may require you to make the
necessary changes and exclude you from the work place until the changes are made. Any failure to comply
may result in disciplinary action being taken against you.
(Cress) Because of possible safety issues or the risk of injury to children your manager may in his/her
absolute discretion require you to remove items as they may present a risk for example jewellery.
Obscene, profane or discriminatory language in the workplace will not be tolerated and may lead to
disciplinary action.
Please refer to the CODE OF CONDUCT for further information.
7.3) Con dentiality, Data Protection/Information Sharing
You must treat as con dential any information acquired about company business, customers/clients,
managers or colleagues and not disclose such information to anyone else without prior permission.
Please refer to the CODE OF CONDUCT and CONFIDENTIALITY & INFORMATION SHARING POLICY and DATA
PROTECTION POLICY for further information.
7.4) Timekeeping
Punctuality is extremely important. Repeated lateness or failure to complete a shift or working day may
result in disciplinary action. You will be expected to arrive before your shift/working day is due to start so
that you are ready.
Similarly it is important for us to know at all times how many people are on the premises and who they are,
therefore you must never leave the building at any time without the agreement of your manager and
without signing out.
7.5) Fraud, Bribery and Corruption
Any act of fraud, bribery or corruption is treated extremely seriously. You should report any attempts to
o er you a bribe or get you to act in a way which could be to the disadvantage of the company to any
manager.
7.6) Gifts and Improper Payments
From time to time, individuals may be given gifts by customers, suppliers or contractors. These must never
in uence how we behave at work and any breach of this will be treated as a serious disciplinary matter. You
must tell your Manager if you receive a gift, (including free services), or if you pay for any private work to be
done by a supplier or contractor who you know works for the company .
7.7) Cash Handling
If you are required to handle cash in your role, you should always follow the cash handling procedure
advised by your manager and report any anomalies immediately.
7.8) Political Activity
You have the right to be politically active, as long as this is kept separate from our work duties and does not
in uence how you behave to customers, colleagues or anyone else, or in any way a ect the reputation of
the company.

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7.9) Personal Property
You should store your personal property in the lockers shown to you at your induction if you have one. If
you do not have a locker you should refrain from leaving personal items on or around your desk or working
area as the company takes no responsibility for items that go missing.
7.10) Intellectual Property
You must treat as con dential any and all information relating to the company, the business , its clients,
management and associates.
7.11) Social Media
You must not disclose any information of whatever nature to the media or post any matters relating to the
company on any social networking or other internet website.
Please refer to the SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY / E-POLICY for further information.
7.12) Use of Recording Equipment
The use of cameras, camera phones or any other recording equipment within the company without prior
permission is forbidden.
Please refer to the E-POLICY and CODE OF CONDUCT for further information.
7.13) Mobile Phones
You are not allowed to take your mobile phone or any similar communication device into certain working
areas at any time – your manager will advise of this during your induction
Failure to comply with this requirement is a serious disciplinary o ence which could result in your dismissal.
Please refer to the CODE OF CONDUCT and MOBILE PHONE, CAMERAS & SOCAL NETWORKING POLICY for
further information.
7.14) Drugs, Alcohol and Substance Abuse
As your employer, we have a duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all employees and you have a
similar responsibility.
The presence and use of alcohol, drugs (other than prescription drugs) or any intoxicating substance within
the company is absolutely prohibited.
If you bring alcohol, drugs or other intoxicants to work, or if in the opinion of your manager, you are under
the in uence of any drug or intoxicant you may be immediately suspended and subject to serious
disciplinary action including dismissal.
We will seek to give reasonable support to any employee who comes forward and admits to having an
alcohol, drug or substance abuse problem - we reserve the right to perform drugs and alcohol tests.
Please refer to the ALCOHOL AND DRUGS POLICY for further information.

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7.15) Gambling
Gambling of any sort on company premises during working hours is forbidden.
7.16) Trading in the Workplace
Buying/ selling / trading or conducting any personal business for pro t or gain on the company’s premises
is prohibited during working hours and may be regarded as a disciplinary o ence.
7.17) Working for Others – Con ict of Interests
If you have another job or you are considering taking another job whilst continuing to be employed by us,
you must advise your line manager so that any Working Time Regulations can be considered.
In addition you must obtain your manager’s express consent to working or continuing to work at a second
job so that we can ensure that as an employee you are not engaged in an activity or occupation which
could cause damage to the organisation’s reputation.
Please refer to the CODE OF CONDUCT for further information.
7.18) Use of Company Equipment
As a general rule sta members are not permitted personal use of the company’ s phone, e-mail, postal
services or other equipment ( eg. printing and photocopying)
You are under a duty to report to your manager any o ensive or inappropriate messages or images
received at work by you or by anyone known to you.

Section 8: Your Health, Safety & Welfare

8.1) Responsibilities
We aim to provide a healthy, safe and secure environment for all employees and visitors to our premises.
As an employee you have a legal duty to co-operate with the company in all matters relating to safety
security and welfare.

You must therefore:-
Take adequate care of your own health, safety and welfare whilst you are at work.
Take care of the health and safety of others including your colleagues and visitors
Comply with health, safety and security legislation and internal company rules on the safety and
welfare of sta and visitors.
Report any accidents or incidents as soon as possible and make a prompt entry into the
Company’s accident book where required.
Report any accidents or incidents as soon as possible and make a prompt entry into the
Company’s accident book where required.
Report any identi ed risks and hazards as soon as possible.
Not misuse or tolerate others misusing any equipment provided for health, safety and security
purposes.

Please refer to the HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY for further information.

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8.2) Fire Evacuation Procedure
You must make yourself familiar with the procedures to be followed in the event of an evacuation or an
emergency. These are available from your manager and will form part of your induction and on-going
training.
8.3) Smoking
Smoking or the use of e-cigarettes is strictly prohibited in or on any part of company property.
Please refer to the CODE OF CONDUCT and NO-SMOKING POLICY for further information.
8.4) CCTV
We have extensive closed circuit television in all our buildings. Information captured on CCTV could be
used as part of an investigation. If misconduct or gross misconduct is identi ed, disciplinary action could
be taken up to and including dismissal.
Please refer to the CCTV POLICY for further information.
8.5) Driving A Vehicle at Work
If you drive either your own vehicle or a company vehicle for work, we will periodically need to complete an
online driving license check for you. If you drive your own car, we will also need to see other items such as
your MOT, car insurance and car registration documents.
Please refer to the DRIVING AT WORK POLICY for further information.
8.6) Identity Checking
It is your responsibility to keep the company updated with any changes in your personal information such
as name and address changes and provide information which proves you are eligible to work in the UK.
If any details do change you must advise your manager.
If you are not a UK citizen or a citizen from an EU country you are under a duty to advise your manager as
to any issues which may arise regarding your right to work and remain within the UK.
You have a responsibility where appropriate to challenge strangers and to ensure that they can give a
proper explanation as to their reasons for being on our premises.
8.7) Right to Search
In the interests of security, we reserve the right to search desks, lockers, cupboards and any other storage
facilities used by sta on company premises. This right extends to any bags and cases of whatever
description owned or carried by any persons entering, leaving or present at the company.
Where such a search is considered to be necessary it will be undertaken by at least two senior members of
sta including a company manager or nominee. If you choose to withhold permission for your bags to be
checked or otherwise fail to cooperate with a search then the company may regard this as a serious
disciplinary o ence.

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8.8) Personal Protective Equipment
Where identi ed you should ensure that you utilise PPE provided for you to complete speci c tasks.
8.9) Risk Assessments
Where identi ed, you should utilise the risk assessments prepared for you to complete speci c tasks. If you
identify a risk, you should immediately raise this with your manager so we can protect your safety.
Please refer to the RISK ASSESSMENT POLICY for further information.
8.10) Reporting of Accidents
All accident and incidents should be reported to your manager so that the necessary paperwork can be
completed.

Section 9: Your Other Policies

9.1) Whistleblowing
Where you see or have reasonable cause to believe that inappropriate behavior or bad practices are taking
place you must raise it at once with your manager or any company manager as necessary.
Please refer to the WHISTLEBLOWING POLICY for further information.
9.2) Bullying and Harassment
We are committed to a working environment which is free from bullying, harassment and discrimination.
Bullying is intimidating, threatening and humiliating behavior which undermines and demeans an
individual.
Harassment is unwanted behavior which an individual nds embarrassing, humiliating or o ensive
whether or not that was the intention.
Discrimination is the unfavourable treatment of an individual because of a “protected characteristic” such
as gender, race, religious belief, marital status, sexual orientation, age or disability.
The company will fully investigate any allegations of bullying, harassment or discrimination and will use
formal disciplinary sanctions up to and including dismissal to deal with anyone caught abusing their
colleagues in this way.
9.3) Equal Opportunities and Diversity
We are committed to equality of opportunity and ensuring that no employee is unjusti ably
disadvantaged because of race, religion, gender, age, sexual preference or disability.
Promotion, training and development opportunities in the Company are open to all sta with the right
quali cations, experience and who meet the necessary eligibility requirements.
Please refer to the INCLUSION AND EQUALITY POLICY for further information.

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9.4) Grievances
If you have a complaint or are unhappy about any work-related issue, talk to your manager who will try to
resolve it with you. If a resolution cannot be reached informally, you can raise a grievance using the
grievance procedure.
Please refer to the GRIEVANCE POLICY for further information.
9.5) Disciplinaries
We have a disciplinary procedure which is a formal way of notifying you that your conduct or performance
has fallen below the expected standard. Anyone who has been disciplined has the right to appeal against
the decision.
Please refer to the DISCIPLINARY POLICY for further information.
9.6) Safeguarding
We recognize our obligation to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and see our Safeguarding
Policy as ful lling a key part of this duty. We recognise that safeguarding children is everyone’s
responsibility and will ensure that all practitioners fully understand their responsibilities and duties. We
have a designated Safeguarding O cer who you should report to if you have any concerns.
Please refer to the SAFEGUARDING POLICY for further information.

Section 10: Your Personal Information

10.1) Responsibilities
We undertake to maintain information on and about our sta in secure conditions and in accordance with
the Data Protection Act 1998.
You must ensure that the information held about you by the company is complete and accurate. Any
changes in your personal details such as name, address, marital status, next of kin and contact telephone
numbers must be disclosed as soon as possible.
Please refer to the DATA PROTECTION POLICY for further information.
10.2) Your Right of Access
You may inspect the contents of your personal le and request sight of any information held about you by
the Company by putting in a written request to your line manager.
You will receive a response within 40 days and arrangements will be made for you to view the information
(other than exempt information under the Data Protection Act) in a private room within the Company.
Any documents which you want photocopied will be provided following receipt of the appropriate fee.
10.3) Communication to Third Parties.
Your personal information is con dential and will not be released to outside sources without your prior
consent and authorisation, unless we are required by law to comply with certain requests.

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10.4) DBS Applications and Costs
Before coming to work in parts of the Company you may be required to have had your personal details
checked by the Criminal Records Bureau register. If at any time during your employment the company
discovers that you have or have acquired a criminal record or you a have failed to disclose or sought to
conceal the fact that you have acquired a criminal record of any kind, your employment may be
terminated.
If you choose to leave us within the rst twelve months of employment or are dismissed for any reason then
the full cost of the DBS check will be deducted from your nal pay.
10.5) Sta Suitability Declaration
Periodically, you will be asked to complete a sta suitability declaration identifying any issues a ecting
your suitability to work with children which may in turn a ect our ability to continue with your
employment.

Section 10: You’re Leaving...

11.1) Retirement
We recognise the contributions of a diverse workforce as it provides a broad range of skills and expertise
therefore we do not operate a justi ed retirement age.
If you have decided that you wish to retire, you should inform you manager in writing as far in advance
aspossible and in accordance with the notice period set out in your contract of employment.
11.2) Resignation and Notice Periods
If you wish to leave the organisation, you should resign in writing and forward this to your manager . The
notice period you are obliged to give us is documented in your contract of employment.
11.3) Returning Company Property
Before you leave, you should ensure that all company property and equipment is returned to your
manager. Failure to return company property will result in the cost of the item being deducted from your

nal payments.
11.4) References for Leavers
If you wish us to provide a reference for you then we will provide a factual reference once we have your
authority from you to release information to your new employer.
If someone asks you to complete a reference for them covering their working time with us, you should refer
the request to HR.
You may however complete a character reference which should be on plain paper and be in a personal not
professional capacity.
Please note :
If you have any queries regarding aspects of your employment which are not covered in this handbook,
please ask your manager.

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Employee Handbook
Version 1. October 2017

Owner: HR Manager