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Working at Outwood

Key information about working with us.

Whether you’ve just joined or been with us for a while and need a quick refresher, this is all the basic information you’ll need to find your way at work. Remember, if you have any questions, your team, your manager, and Human Resources will all be happy to help!

1 - Getting started

Introduction to working in the Outwood Family.

Joining us

Ahead of your start date, we’ll let you know when to arrive on your first day and who will meet you.

Your first few days

On your first day, we’ll show you around your school, including where you’ll be based, the staff facilities, and who to contact with any questions. Your line manager will work through an induction checklist with you to ensure you have everything you need.

We’ll also:

  • Give you your official staff ID and purple lanyard.
  • Give you login information to access our computers and any online systems you’ll need to use for your work.
  • Ask you to complete some statutory online training.

In your first few days, asking lots of questions and meeting as many of your new colleagues as possible are the most important things.

Your probationary period

You will have a probationary period to ensure everything is going well for you within your role when you start working with us. For support staff, this is usually six months from the date your job starts; for teachers, this is within your Initial Teacher Training (ITT) year.

Right to work

Everyone needs to show documents, such as a passport or visa, when they start work to prove that it’s legal for them to work in the UK. If your right to enter and live in the UK is limited by time, you’ll need to provide evidence to us that you can continue to work. Before you start working with us, we will check your documentation.

More questions?

If you have any further questions or want to clarify anything about your job at Outwood, speak to someone in the HR and business team.

They can help with:

  • Employment policies
  • Legal queries
  • General disciplinary and diversity issues
  • Benefits and pay, including bonus and pension schemes and employee discounts

For all payroll queries, e.g. salary payments or tax reclaims, you can contact the payroll team directly.

How we work

Part of a family

When you join Outwood, you become part of our family of schools. Our schools work closely together, sharing what works well and supporting each other to be even better. There are often opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in similar roles at other Outwood schools, whether that’s sharing resources, solving common challenges, or developing new ideas together.

Behind our schools, we have our “Outwood Supports” teams—central support staff who provide expert help in areas like communications, finance, HR, and IT to make sure our schools can focus on what matters most: our students.

This family approach means there’s always someone to reach out to who understands your role and can offer support or guidance.

Key systems

Like most organisations, we use a variety of online tools to help us work. These are some common systems you might see referenced in this handbook:

  • Google Workspace is what we use for email, documents, calendars and online meetings.
  • Oracle is our finance and HR system.
  • Outwood Plus is our employee rewards and benefits platform.
  • Outwood Helpdesk is where to go for help with IT systems and student data.

A comprehensive list of the systems we use can be found on our staff intranet.

We try to minimise the number of accounts you need to remember, and use Single Sign-On (SSO) so you can use one account to access most things you’ll need day-to-day.

How you’ll hear from us

Our schools hold a weekly briefing to share updates with staff, lasting no more than 30 minutes.

We’ll let you know about important information via several channels. One is our half-termly email newsletter, which shares good news and updates from across the Outwood family and outlines the focus for the half-term ahead.

How we talk

When you start working for us, especially if you’re new to the education sector, you’ll likely come across unfamiliar terminology. Whether it’s education-specific terms like “SENDCo” (Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator), or Outwood-specific phrases like “Praising Stars” (our system for tracking a child’s attainment and progress), there’s quite a lot to learn!

Our glossary of terms includes many of the acronyms and terms you might hear. And remember, if you’re ever unsure what something means, just ask a colleague. We all had to learn these terms at some point too!

Recognition and awards

At Outwood, we like to recognise the fantastic work our people do. You can recognise colleagues’ work or just say “hi” via the e-cards on Outwood Plus.

We also have annual Employee Values Awards, which recognise colleagues who have exemplified one or more of our values through their work. Details of how to nominate a colleague can be found in your school.

Working here

Working schedule

Your hours of work will depend on your job role and the school you work in, so take a read of your contract and speak to your manager. However, we also believe in offering opportunities for our colleagues to work flexibly. While, in putting Students First, we can’t always offer complete flexibility, we welcome part-time or job-share working arrangements. We recognise that giving you these opportunities helps you achieve a healthy work-life balance that’s right for you.

Our flexible working policy outlines our commitment to considering flexible working requests for all our people. It includes an application form to request flexible working. For more information, speak to the HR team.

 Flexible working policy

For staff who have “plus days” within their contract (e.g. term-time, plus 5 days), you may need to work overtime or outside of your normal working hours for things such as meetings, etc. These should be agreed upon with your line manager; please don’t work overtime without letting your manager know beforehand.

Dress for your day

We want you to feel your most productive and creative at work, and we understand that being comfortable with what you’re wearing is a must. However, we also act as role models when working in our schools. Therefore, it is important that we dress as smartly as we expect from our children.

Our complete dress code is in the staff code of conduct.

 Staff code of conduct

In some roles, we also provide you with workwear. This is usually where your role involves work where your clothes are more likely to get messy or protective wear we provide for your safety or protection. If you are provided with workwear or protective wear, it is important that you wear it while at work.

Staff working in PE are also provided with PE workwear or can utilise a budget to provide their own appropriate sportswear.

 Staff PE Kit policy

Your personal information

You can check and update your details on Oracle.

  • Personal details
  • Address
  • Emergency contacts
  • Bank details

It’s important we have up-to-date information about you. If anything changes, such as moving home, you must update it on Oracle or with the HR team as soon as possible.

Oracle is also where you can access other information, including your payslips and job details.

Please read our employee privacy statement to learn more about how we use your personal information.

 Employee privacy statement

Your performance

Regular performance conversations are a great way to ensure we’re supporting you in doing your very best. It’s also a way to explore how you can develop for the future. When starting with us, you should set a few simple goals with your manager. These goals will give you clarity about what you should focus on and help you prioritise your time.

Twice a year, you and your manager will have a more formal conversation about your performance and look at your progress against your goals, your personal development and our employee values. We call these conversations “performance management meetings”, which tend to occur around September/October and January/February.

Tip

A set of performance management guides are available with tips on completing your PM review.

Before you sit down for these chats, you should add a few points to discuss on the performance management form and self-assess where you are up to.

During your performance review, your manager will confirm your current pay and whether you are due to move up your scale over the next 12 months. However, don’t worry about this, your pay progression is not linked to performance management unless concerns have been formally raised with you.

Your development

We recognise the importance of developing our people to ensure they have the right level of knowledge and skills to be able to shine.

The Outwood Institute of Education (OIE) is our training facility. Their whole team is dedicated to learning and development, ensuring we develop the best talent, leadership, and technical skills within our family of schools. We help develop our people in a number of ways, such as specific in-house development courses, external courses, secondments, career moves and further and higher education such as apprenticeships or national professional qualifications.

Find out what courses are available on the OIE professional development website.

After school each week, there are two hours of learning and performance time (L&P). It is usually on a Tuesday in secondary schools and Wednesday in primary schools. During this time, there are professional development opportunities and time for meetings or any data inputting and analysis you need to complete.

In recognition of this time, we disaggregate three INSET days during the year, which are then taken as holiday.

Expenses

While at work, you may occasionally incur expenses that you have not been able to purchase directly through your school. These expenses should be reclaimed via Oracle and have the approval of your finance team before being incurred. We expect you to be careful with your expenses and make all spending decisions in the best interest of our students.

 Expenses policy

Travel and staying away

If you need to book travel and accommodation for company business, you should book it through your finance team.

  • You should travel by standard class only, and when you’re travelling in London, you should use the underground when you can.
  • If public transport is not available or appropriate, taxis may be used for travel to and from business meetings and functions.

The expenses policy includes full details about expenses when travelling and staying away.

Health and safety

Your safety matters at Outwood, and we are committed to minimising the risk of injury or ill-health to our people. We have a duty—to both you and our children—to ensure that our schools are safe places to work.

Each of our schools has its own health and safety policy containing school-specific information. You can access this on their website or via the school’s business and HR team.

All other health and safety policies are available online.

We also have a number of Outwood Family health and safety policies.

First aid

If you have an accident or feel unwell at work, we have trained first aiders on every school site. Find out your school’s first aiders by asking your school business manager or HR team.

We must keep records of all accidents and first aid treatment on the Medical Tracker system, which all first aiders can access.

Fire evacuation

A dedicated fire warden supports every department or group of departments. Make sure you speak to your manager or team to learn who your team’s fire warden is.

In the event of an evacuation, the fire alarm will sound. You should leave the building immediately, escorting any children you are responsible for, using the nearest fire exit route. Please don’t return to your classroom or office.

For details on where your assembly point is, check your school’s health and safety policy.

2 - Pay and benefits

Pay, pensions, rewards and equipment.

At Outwood, we believe in rewarding our people for great work. Along with competitive salaries, we offer fantastic perks and recognition programmes, including a benefits platform, sabbaticals, and salary sacrifice schemes. You may want to check out the holiday and wellbeing sections, as these show some other benefits you’ll receive!

Support staff can refer to the National Joint Council (NJC) “Green Book” terms and conditions.

Teachers can refer to the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) and the “Burgundy Book” terms and conditions.

Salary grading

Our support staff roles are graded into job grades, ranging from Grade 1 to Grade 13. Your job grade determines your salary and other benefits. We follow the nationally negotiated salary points and pay awards negotiated under the National Joint Council (NJC) terms and conditions.

Similarly, we follow the nationally negotiated Teachers’ Pay and Conditions for teaching staff, including annual pay awards.

Current grades and pay scales can be found on the pay scales page. For full details of our approach to pay and grading, refer to the pay policy.

We understand how important pay and grading are, so please speak to your school business manager or HR team if you have any questions.

 Pay policy

Your pay

Our paydays vary depending on your base school.

If your pay date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, you will receive your pay on the previous working day. You’ll be paid:

  • Two weeks in arrears and two weeks in advance.
  • By direct transfer to your bank account (or most building societies).

You can update your bank details and download your payslip on Oracle.

We’ll try our very best to make sure there aren’t any problems with your pay, but if you think there are, you should speak to your manager or contact the payroll team.

If you have a tax query, you should check your personal tax account or contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Tip

When contacting HMRC, have your National Insurance (NI) number to hand. You might also need our employer PAYE reference: 961/9900800.

Pension scheme

If you’re new to Outwood, we’ve likely auto-enrolled you into either:

Their websites provide information on your contribution rates.

Reward and benefit site

Outwood Plus is our rewards and benefits site. It’s where you can access many employee benefits and wellbeing services.

Discounts

Outwood Plus has exclusive discounts to help make your hard-earned cash go further. Enjoy discounts on supermarket essentials, high street treats, days out, and holidays—over 1,000 offers and counting. The site is updated regularly, and fantastic new offers are added all the time.

Salary sacrifice schemes

  • Cycle to work. Whether you want a new bike, equipment or both, top-of-the-range or entry-level, cycle to work can save you 28% to 47% on the total cost.
  • We’re planning to introduce a car lease scheme soon.

Team-building

At the end of each term, if you have been involved in the delivery of after-school enrichment activities, you will be encouraged to participate in a team-building activity alongside colleagues in your team. Your school pays for this. Please speak to your Head of Department for more details.

Lunch

If you undertake a lunch duty (over and above your normal working hours), you’ll receive a complimentary lunch on each day that week. Meals are provided in the school restaurant, up to the value of the daily meal deal.

Laptop and mobile phone

Depending on your role within Outwood, we may provide you with a laptop, tablet, and/or mobile phone. We expect you to treat this property like your own, including using it professionally and reporting any theft or loss to the IT helpdesk immediately. For more information, check out our IT acceptable use policy.

 IT acceptable use policy

3 - Holiday and other leave

Holiday entitlements, sickness, and the types of leave available.

Even though most of us at Outwood love our work, we all need time away. For many at Outwood, this means taking school holidays, such as teachers and support staff on term-time contracts. For support staff colleagues who work full-year contracts, this means using their normal annual leave entitlement.

However, there may be times when you need leave for other reasons. You can apply for different sorts of leave, such as family-friendly leave, compassionate leave, and even sabbaticals.

Annual leave (holiday)

Note

If your employment transferred to Outwood under TUPE, please refer to your employment contract rather than the figures here.

Full-year contract staff

We know that taking regular holidays and breaks from work helps you be more energised and motivated. At Outwood, we offer the below leave allowance, so you can take a break, switch off and relax.

Tip

Put an automatic response on your email and use the 🌴 on your Google Chat before you go!

Your annual leave entitlement depends on your point on the NJC salary scale and your number of years of service.

NJC point0–4 years service5–9 years service10+ years service
1–926 days
(192.4 hrs)
31 days
(229.4 hrs)
31 days
(229.4 hrs)
10–2729 days
(214.6 hrs)
31 days
(229.4 hrs)
32 days
(236.8 hrs)
28 and up31 days
(229.4 hrs)
31 days
(229.4 hrs)
34 days
(251.6 hrs)

Other points to note about our leave policy:

  • Outwood’s leave year aligns with the school year: 1st September to 31st August.
  • You should request your annual leave on Oracle as soon as possible. We’d prefer you to do this at least four weeks in advance, but speak to your manager to check.
  • If you become eligible for a higher annual leave allowance midway through a year, your allowance will be prorated to account for the higher entitlement for the rest of the year.
  • Your annual leave entitlement can’t normally be carried forward to the next leave year, unless you were unable to take annual leave due to extreme circumstances. If this is the case, you can carry up to 5 days forward (if you are part-time, this will be pro-rated).
  • Employees who have been on statutory leave, such as maternity leave, can carry over their leave entitlement to the following leave year.

Part-time staff

For colleagues who work part-time, your annual leave allowance and bank holidays will be pro-rata.

If you move from full-time to part-time, or vice versa, your allowance for the year will be pro-rated to reflect the change. Any leave already taken will be deducted.

Term-time contract staff

One of the best flexibilities about working in a school is the ability to work term time and have the school holidays off work. We know this can offer great help with childcare, family support, or just giving you regular breaks throughout the year.

Term-time salaries are calculated based on the total number of weeks you work during the year plus your annual leave entitlement. The annual leave is included within your pay and is spread across the year to ensure you receive 12 equal monthly payments. The result is that you receive pay during the school holidays and that all of your annual leave entitlement is considered taken within the school holiday periods.

Sickness absences

If you’re not well enough to work, you should call your line manager as soon as you can and tell them what’s wrong and when you’ll be likely to return. We understand that sometimes you may not be able to make the call yourself. If this is the case, you should get a friend or family member to let your manager know. Make sure you keep your manager posted about how you feel and when you will likely return to work.

When you’re well enough to return to work, your manager will have a ‘return to work’ discussion with you. It’s a chance to talk about how you are, to catch up on anything you’ve missed, and to think about what we can do to help you stay well.

Our staff attendance management policy includes full details of our sickness, absence and notification procedures.

 Attendance management policy

Do I need to show any evidence?

You should self-certify your sickness up to and including seven days using the self-certification form available from HR. You must complete this form and give it to your manager.

If you’re sick for over seven days, you need to get a fit note from your doctor to cover your absence from the eighth day onwards. If you want to keep the original fit note, that’s okay—we can take a copy. We may ask you to get a fit note from your doctor before the eighth day of your absence—but we’ll only do this in exceptional circumstances—and we will reimburse you if there’s a charge for this when you give us your doctor’s invoice.

Your manager should record all your sickness absence on Oracle.

Will I be paid while I’m sick?

Support staff colleagues are entitled to receive sick pay for the following periods:

Length of serviceSick pay entitlement
Under 4 monthsFull pay for 1 month
Over 4 monthsFull pay for 1 month and half pay for 2 months
Over 1 yearFull pay for 2 months and half pay for 2 months
Over 2 yearsFull pay for 4 months and half pay for 4 months
Over 3 yearsFull pay for 5 months and half pay for 5 months
Over 5 yearsFull pay for 6 months and half pay for 6 months

Teaching staff colleagues are entitled to receive sick pay for the following periods:

Length of serviceSick pay entitlement
Under 4 calendar monthsFull pay for 25 working days
Over 4 calendar monthsFull pay for 25 working days and half pay for 50 working days
Over 1 yearFull pay for 50 working days and half pay for 50 working days
Over 2 yearsFull pay for 75 working days and half pay for 75 working days
Over 3 yearsFull pay for 100 working days and half pay for 100 working days

Family-friendly leave

We offer various leave schemes to provide real benefits to help you balance work demands with family needs.

We understand that returning to work after a period of leave can be daunting and/or difficult. To support you on your return to work following family leave, please speak with your line manager, school business manager, or HR team. They can offer information and changes to help you settle back in.

For further support, we use a programme called Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher to help provide independent advice and guidance.

Maternity leave

We know that having a baby is an important and exciting time for you if you’re pregnant or a new mother. We support our new parents from the moment you tell us your good news to when you give birth—and beyond.

You can take up to 26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave and up to 26 weeks of additional maternity leave, totalling one year off with your newborn. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve worked for us, you will also receive occupational maternity pay as a “top-up” to any Statutory Maternity Pay already provided by the Government. We’ll ensure you stay safe and healthy at work while you’re expecting, and you can take paid time off to attend your antenatal appointments. Please contact the HR team to find out more.

IVF and fertility treatment

If you are planning IVF or fertility treatment, we understand that you may need time off work to go to medical appointments. Tell your manager as soon as you find out that your treatment has been approved. They’ll handle things in a sensitive way and treat it as confidential. If adjustments are needed while you’re undergoing treatment, your manager will try to make sure that these are made.

Adoption or surrogacy leave

If you’re planning on adopting or using a surrogate, you can take up to one year of leave to look after your child, just like maternity leave. Contact the HR team to find out more.

Paternity leave

Having a baby or adopting a child is one of the biggest things that can happen in your life. If your partner is expecting, we want to ensure you have the support and flexibility to spend time with your new family. From day one we offer two weeks of paternity leave and pay. Contact the HR team to find out more.

Shared parental leave

Shared parental leave is similar to maternity or adoption leave but shared between two parents, including same-sex couples. You can take up to one year off (in total) after your child has arrived and divide the time up to suit you both. You can take time off together or separately and also potentially share pay.

 Shared parental leave guidance

Parental leave

Even when you’re back at work, caring for a child can take a lot of extra time—whether it’s to settle your little one into a new childcare setting or looking at schools. If you’ve worked for us for at least one year, you can take up to 18 weeks (up to 4 weeks in a year) of unpaid time off to care for a child, including an adopted child, up until their 18th birthday.

Other leave

Medical or dental appointments

Sometimes, you may need time off work for dental or medical appointments. Ideally, these will occur outside school hours, but if that’s not possible, speak to your manager to agree on the time you need.

Note

If you’re pregnant, you can take paid time off work to attend antenatal appointments.

Time off to train

To take time off for training, talk to your manager. They’ll look at your development needs, the likely impact of your time off on the school and how this can be managed.

Jury duty

If you’re called for jury duty, let your manager know straight away so we can make the relevant arrangements. You’ll continue to receive your normal salary while you’re on jury duty.

Sabbatical leave

Sabbaticals allow our people to take time out of their work lives, spend time with their families and friends, relax, and rejuvenate. We know that this break can improve our team’s productivity, creativity, and wellbeing and increase their morale.

Speak to a member of the HR team to find out more about this exciting perk.

Compassionate leave

We know that the death of someone close can affect people in different ways, and having the opportunity to grieve is essential. If a close friend or relative dies, please let your manager know as soon as you can so they can support you during this hard time. You may also want to contact our employee assistance programme, which offers 24/7 advice and support.

Everyone deals with loss differently. Please speak to your manager if you require further time off; they will do their best to arrange it.

Parental bereavement leave

We understand that losing a child is devastating, and we want everyone to ask for the support they need during this incredibly devastating and difficult time.

Regardless of service, you can take six weeks of leave if a child (under 21) dies and you are the parent, primary or kinship carer. In the unfortunate event that you suffer a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy or lose a child after it is born, you will be entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave.

Emergency leave

We understand that life can be unpredictable, so whatever the situation, we’ll always try to give you a reasonable amount of leave in an emergency. We trust that you’ll only ask for emergency leave when you really need it.

It’s important that you speak to your manager as soon as possible if you need to take emergency leave. Make sure you keep in touch with them so they know when to expect you back in work.

4 - Your wellbeing

Health resources and wellbeing benefits.

We care about your wellbeing—not just your physical and mental health, but also the people and personal priorities that matter to you. If you require support, please speak with your line manager or trusted colleague.

Looking after yourself

It’s important to us that you try to look after yourself. We know that’s easier said than done, but ensuring a good work-life balance, taking lunch breaks, and catching up with your manager can help. The right foods, mindfulness, and exercise can all boost energy levels.

The wellbeing section on Outwood Plus offers tips on physical and mental health, relaxation, and fitness exercises, as well as discounts on gym membership.

Employee assistance programme

We know that life can sometimes seem full of challenges. So it’s reassuring to know you’ve got somewhere to turn when things don’t run as smoothly as you’d like.

Our employee assistance programme (EAP) provides 24/7 access to telephone and online advice and support for you and your immediate family. Information, support, and counselling are available for many aspects of life, including:

  • Financial or legal matters
  • Family issues or challenging life situations
  • Emotional wellbeing
  • Coaching for managers
Note

Using the EAP is completely confidential.

Simply call our provider on 0800 085 6148—it’s free, and you can call as often as you like. Support is available 24/7, and you can call about the same or different issues.

You can also access EAP resources online. You’ll need Outwood’s organisational username and password, which you can find on our EAP flyer.

Eye tests

If you are a regular computer user (someone who uses a computer daily, for continuous periods of an hour or more), then Outwood will contribute up to £50 towards an eye test every two years.

You may also be eligible for corrective glasses if the optician specifically requires them for using Outwood display screen equipment (DSE). Please talk to your HR Assistant or Business Manager to check if you qualify.

 Application form

Menopause

Menopause is something that all women will experience. So we’re aware that many of our female employees could be undertaking their role while enduring symptoms ranging from hot flushes to depression and reduced concentration. Our policy sets out the support available to anyone experiencing the menopause.

 Menopause at work policy

Each school also has a menopause champion, who you can speak to if you’d like further support.

Transitioning

We want all our people to feel included so that everybody can add value and fulfil their potential without fear of discrimination. This includes our people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth and who may identify as trans or transgender, and those who don’t identify in a binary male/female way and identify as non-binary.

We are developing a policy outlining how we will support our employees who identify as trans or non-binary. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please ask a member of the HR team.

Reasonable adjustments

We want to ensure that employees who have a disability are treated fairly and have access to the same opportunities as everybody else. We are committed to ensuring that employees are not disadvantaged at work because of a disability, so talk to your manager to ensure you get the support you need.

5 - Safeguarding

Policies, safeguarding procedures, and reporting concerns.

Our schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the physical and mental welfare of every child entrusted to our care. We pride ourselves on delivering a whole-school preventative approach to managing safeguarding concerns and ensuring that the wellbeing of pupils is at the forefront of all actions taken.

Safeguarding policy

All our schools have a Child Safeguarding Policy, which includes extensive information about how we protect children, what signs might indicate that a child is at risk, and our responsibilities if we have any concerns about the safety or welfare of a child. It also outlines our legal responsibilities, both as institutions and as individual members of staff. The policy is posted on every school’s website.

Safeguarding training

At the beginning of every academic year, we will ask you to complete safeguarding training. This will sometimes inform you of updates to our Child Safeguarding Policy, reflecting any changes to the Department for Education’s “Keeping Children Safe in Education” (KCSIE) guidance.

When you first join Outwood, and then at least once every three years, you must complete a longer safeguarding course, usually delivered online.

You can download our guidance on safer working practices:

 Safer working practices

What to do if you have concerns

Our policy contains a lot of information. However, the most important thing is knowing what to do if you’re worried about a child.

If you are concerned a child is being abused or a child tells you something, then you should report this immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in your school. Do not delay. You can report your concern on CPOMS, although if it is serious, you should speak to the DSL immediately.

  • If you are concerned about the actions of a professional who works with children, either employed by us or a visitor, you must report this to your Principal.
  • If you have concerns about the actions of your Principal or an executive leader, you must report these to their line manager.

Safer recruitment

We follow safer recruitment practices to help safeguard the children we are responsible for.

During recruitment, we asked you safeguarding-related questions and explained the checks involved. These include:

  • Checking your identity
  • Completing Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks
  • Taking references
  • Undertaking an internet search on your name

This information is stored securely and confidentially on your school’s single central record (SCR).

6 - Professional standards

Code of conduct, standards of behaviour, and key policies.

At Outwood, we don’t expect everyone to be perfect—but we do expect you to take pride in your work and treat each other and our children respectfully.

We trust that you’ll always want to meet the high standards of conduct we expect of you. But if your conduct falls below our expectations, we’ll discuss the issue with you in a fair way. Wherever we can, we’ll try to resolve problems in the workplace informally, but if they are serious or repeated, we’ll need to take formal action.

Standards of conduct

We have a code of conduct outlining our responsibilities as members of the Outwood Family. This is not a complete rulebook that addresses every issue that might arise, or a summary of all laws and policies that apply to our schools. It is not a contract, and it does not replace good judgement. Instead, the code of conduct provides guidance and directs us to resources to help us make the right decisions.

 Staff code of conduct

Receiving gifts

Teachers and school leaders often receive gifts from children and families at Christmas and the end of the academic year. It is okay to accept these gifts so long as they are not excessive. If you are concerned about the value of a gift received from a child, please speak to your manager.

Additionally, some outside contractors or suppliers of goods and services may give you small gifts at Christmas and other times to thank you. You may accept small token gifts in these situations if they comply with our gifts policy.

 Gifts and hospitality policy

Inclusion

We strive to promote and sustain a working environment free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and bullying. A respectful workplace encourages us all to feel safe at work, enjoy what we do, and get more satisfaction and enjoyment from being at work. No one wants to be worried or concerned about coming to work or have less enjoyable working relationships, so creating a respectful, inclusive environment is everyone’s responsibility.

We aim to ensure that no job applicant or employee is treated less favourably because of their sex, age, marriage/civil partnership, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief (known in law as “protected characteristics”) and that no one is disadvantaged by conditions, requirements or practices that cannot be shown to be just and fair.

Our recruitment and work practices should ensure that employees are selected, promoted, and treated according to their ability and that everyone has an equal opportunity to receive training and development. We are committed to being an inclusive employer. Therefore, we will always consider ways, within reason, to overcome difficulties at work due to an employee’s disability, chronic medical condition, or other personal circumstances. This could involve, for example, adopting different working patterns or making other workplace adjustments.

Note

If you experience or witness inappropriate behaviour, don’t feel you must tolerate it. Talk to your manager as soon as possible. They will listen to your concerns and take appropriate action.

For more information, read our dignity in the workplace policy.

 Dignity in the workplace policy

Outside business interests

We all have personal interests we enjoy and causes we believe in. To ensure that these do not conflict with any of our procurement activities, anyone who holds a budget (head of department and above) must complete an annual declaration of interest covering their own and their immediate family’s business interests.

Confidentiality and data protection

Many colleagues will handle personal information or encounter sensitive or confidential information at work.

We are all responsible for maintaining confidentiality and protecting personal information. Whether about a child, their family, a colleague, our suppliers, or internal discussions and documents, you must not share any information you gain through your job with anyone, even if you leave the Outwood Family.

If you become aware of any loss or unauthorised disclosure of data, you must immediately inform your manager and/or notify our Data Protection Officer.

 Data protection policy

Our data protection website provides further information, guidance, and training on protecting information and data.

Social media

Social media is a great way to stay in touch with friends, talk to colleagues, and network. But we need to be careful. Children, families, or journalists could see anything on the Internet—whether on Bluesky, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, forums, blogs, or LinkedIn.

We ask that you consider what you say and remember our employee values. Never cause offence or harm to anyone when you’re online, and don’t speak on behalf of Outwood or do anything that might hurt our reputation. Never post illegal material (words or images), jokes or derogatory comments about another person, or anything that could embarrass, offend, bully or harass them.

We know some teams use groups on platforms like WhatsApp to keep in touch. Outwood doesn’t oversee or manage these groups, and your participation is voluntary. Please don’t feel like you have to join if you don’t want to.

 Social media policy

Using Outwood IT devices and internet

The IT devices we provide are intended for work use. They should only be used for professional purposes unless permitted by our IT acceptable use policy.

 IT acceptable use policy

The following is a summary of our acceptable use policy:

  • Only approved software should be used on Outwood devices or systems. While you cannot install software on school devices, the IT team will be happy to review any new software you need.
  • Access to the Internet from Outwood devices is for professional use only. Reasonable personal use is permitted as long as it does not interfere with your job and is in accordance with the policy.
  • Communication from Outwood email accounts or devices should be professional and maintain professional boundaries.
  • Email is the most common point of entry for viruses and malicious software to attack our systems. Do not open emails or attachments from addresses you do not recognise, and report suspicious activity to the IT team.
  • Do not share laptops or other devices we assign to you without the approval of the IT team.
  • Using USB memory sticks or portable hard disks to transfer documents should be avoided and only used when absolutely necessary. It is more secure to send information by email or secure portal with appropriate security measures.

Requests from the media

Outwood can attract attention from newspapers, TV and radio stations for information or interviews.

If the media contacts you, please refer them to our communications team. Do not divulge any information to the media. Even harmless comments can be taken out of context.

Work events & team-building activities

We’re always pleased to see our colleagues having fun off the clock as a well-earned reward for their excellent work. Celebrations are important to us, and we encourage the use of “work dos” as a way to help motivate and engage with each other.

If you’re at a work event, rules around your conduct and behaviour still apply even if alcohol is involved. Ahead of these events, take a read of our code of conduct.

Criminal acts

Criminal offences outside of work can harm Outwood’s reputation, or your right to work with children, and undermine our trust in you.

If you’ve been charged with a criminal offence, you must tell us about it straight away. We’ll look at all the facts and decide what to do. We might suspend you without pay until your case is heard. Alternatively, we might progress to a disciplinary hearing, which could lead to your dismissal, depending on the nature of the allegations. If you’re convicted, there’s a stronger chance you’ll be dismissed once we’ve investigated the issue and considered all the facts.

Convictions for criminal acts which occur outside of work and which are not spent convictions within the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 but which are relevant to your employment (e.g. abuse, fraud, assault, sex offences or anything that is detrimental to us or our children) may mean you will be dismissed.

Whistleblowing

Employees are often the first to realise that there may be something seriously wrong within an organisation, such as children at risk of harm, theft, or fraud. However, they may not speak up because they would feel disloyal or worried about harassment or victimisation.

Our whistleblowing procedure provides safeguards for employees who raise concerns about malpractice in connection with the organisation. The aim is to provide a rapid mechanism to raise genuine concerns internally.

If you have concerns, we ask that you voice them as early as possible. You can raise them via your manager, the HR team, or any member of the executive team.

 Whistleblowing policy

Modern slavery

Modern slavery is unacceptable within our organisation and our supply chains. We have a responsibility to respect the rights of people who work for Outwood and to do business with contractors, suppliers, and business partners who respect the human rights of their respective employees.

 Modern slavery statement

Disciplinary action

Informal action

We all make mistakes, and sometimes it’s not appropriate for you to be formally disciplined, especially if it’s the first time your conduct is not as expected. On these occasions, we’ll usually give you an explanation of where things have fallen short and provide clear expectations regarding behaviour going forward. We will also write up some actions, including any support, advice and guidance to help you improve.

Formal action

If an issue is serious or your manager thinks it’s not appropriate to use informal coaching and advice, we’ll move into a formal disciplinary process.

The disciplinary procedure comprises two phases: the investigation and the disciplinary hearing. You may be suspended while the investigation takes place.

  • The purpose of the investigation is to gather all of the information but not to reach any conclusions or make any decisions.
  • The purpose of the disciplinary hearing is to review all of the information and possible disciplinary outcomes and make a decision.

Depending on the outcome of the disciplinary hearing, the seriousness of the behaviour and whether you already have a live disciplinary warning, there are various levels of action we can take:

  • Informal action
  • First written warning
  • Final written warning
  • Dismissal

 Disciplinary policy and procedure

Our policy document includes examples of misconduct which may lead to disciplinary action.

Appeals

If you are dissatisfied with any formal disciplinary action taken, you have the right to appeal against it by writing to HR within 10 working days of receiving the disciplinary decision. Appeals may be raised on a number of grounds, which could include perceived unfairness of the action, the severity of the sanction, new information coming to light or procedural irregularities.

The full appeals process can be found in the disciplinary procedure.

Grievances

From time to time, you may have problems or concerns about your work, working environment or working relationships that you wish to raise and have addressed.

The first thing you should try is talking to your manager to see if they can help you sort out the problem. But if that doesn’t resolve the issue, you can raise a formal grievance. All grievance proceedings and documentation are confidential.

 Formal grievance procedure

Capability procedure for performance

If an issue has to do with performance rather than conduct, we’ll follow the capability procedure. If your manager has any concerns about your performance, they’ll discuss them with you in your performance management discussions.

 Capability procedure

7 - If you want to move on

Leaving Outwood: notice periods, references, and retirement.

We hope you like working at Outwood and want to stay, but we understand that sometimes people want to move on. This section outlines everything you need to know if you’re considering leaving Outwood.

Notice period

If you decide to leave, you will need to work the notice periods below unless your contract says otherwise.

Outwood also reserves the right to terminate your employment without notice upon payment of the salary you would have expected to receive if you worked your notice period. If we have to dismiss you for gross misconduct, we won’t give you any notice or payment in lieu.

Support staff

Please check your Statement of Written Particulars that were issued when you were employed, as the length of notice will vary based on your length of service and/or post grade.

Teaching staff

In line with Teachers’ Pay and Conditions, you need to give two months of notice or, in the summer term, three months of notice, to leave your post at the end of the term.

Inclusive of school holidays, broadly speaking, the dates of the three school terms are:

  • Autumn term: 1 September to 31 December
  • Spring term: 1 January to 30 April
  • Summer term: 1 May to 31 August

Therefore, if you wish to leave your job, you would be expected to give notice by the following dates:

  • To leave at 31 December: give notice by no later than 31 October
  • To leave at 30 April: give notice by no later than 28 February
  • To leave at 31 August: give notice by no later than 31 May

If you are a headteacher (principal), the Burgundy Book specifies a notice period of a minimum of three months and, in the summer term, four months of notice to leave your post at the end of the term.

When you leave

Please return all items issued to you (e.g. mobile phones, laptops, keys, and lanyard) as soon as possible. You should also update online profiles, such as LinkedIn, to reflect that you no longer work with us.

If you have any documents relating to Outwood, you must give them back to us when you leave or ensure you permanently delete them.

Tip

If you have been issued with a mobile phone, it’s often possible to take the number with you. Please speak with the IT team about this.

References

To get a reference, you’ll need to contact your principal or line manager.

Holiday pay

If you leave and have only worked for part of the calendar year, you will be entitled to paid holiday pro-rated to the number of complete calendar weeks worked.

An adjustment will be made in your final salary payment if there is a difference between the annual leave you have taken and the annual leave you’ve accrued. This is based on your normal rate of pay.

  • If you have taken more than accrued, a deduction will be made.
  • If you have taken less than accrued, you will receive an additional payment calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Retiring

It is up to you to decide when to retire, provided you can still fulfil your duties.

You will need to work your notice period, but we would always recommend that you give your manager a heads-up as soon as you know when you want to retire.

Any accrued annual leave must be taken wherever possible. In extreme cases where this is not operationally possible, annual leave will be paid when you leave.

Your pension

You are likely a member of a pension scheme while working for us. Most staff will have been eligible to be auto-enrolled into either the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) or the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS; for support staff).

“Normal retirement age” is the minimum age at which pension scheme members can retire and have their pension paid without reduction. For most employees, normal retirement age will be age 65, with the option to draw their pension with a reduction from age 55.

Tip

Give your pension provider 6 months of notice to ensure your pension payments are set up for when you leave.

Both TPS and LGPS have online guides about planning for retirement:

Please visit your scheme website for further advice and information about your pension.