Our experienced HR professionals have extensive expertise in HR work across the education and public sectors. consultants and advisors have extensive expertise in HR work across the education and public sectors.

Our priority is to support schools to focus on improving learning outcomes for children and young people by providing advice and guidance to school leaders in managing and developing their workforce, providing accurate, timely advice and helping manage risk.

Our HR Advisory and Advisory Plus packages provide an adaptable and responsive service with generous and flexible hours of contact time. Multi-year discounts are also available.

Summary of our services (see below for further information)

1. i) HR Advisory and Advisory Plus packages
2. ii) Pension Services

iii) Services available to purchase on an ad hoc basis include:

1. a) Recruitment
2. b) Employee Wellbeing
3. c) Learning and Development

Contact details:

HR Advice line

Email: School.HRQueries@nottinghamcity.gov.uk or telephone 0115 876 3331

Carol McCrone, HR Consultant

Email: carol.mccrone@nottinghamcity.gov.uk  

i) HR Advisory and Advisory Plus packages including:

The HR service will deliver the advisory package in the most cost-effective way, which will include remote working where possible. The service includes:

• Casework advice (disciplinary, grievance, probationary, performance and sickness and attendance issues)
• Advice on restructuring
• Support with trade union consultation in relation to casework and restructures
• Expert policy and terms and conditions advice
• Access to the People Management Handbook for Schools for model policies, procedures and guidance
• Policy development and consultation with the trade unions
• Advice on job design, grade and pay in line with the Council’s job evaluation scheme, including job evaluations where required
• General recruitment advice
• In-box for email queries
• Timely updates and guidance in relation to schools’ workforce issues
• Access to the employee assistance programme, PAM Assist (maintained schools)

HR Advisory package:

• 90 advisory hours support per year
• 5% discount on Headteacher recruitment package

HR Advisory Plus package:

• 104 advisory hours support of direct support per year
• 10% discount on Headteacher recruitment package

HR Advice line
Email: School.HRQueries@nottinghamcity.gov.uk or telephone 0115 876 3331

Carol McCrone, HR Consultant
Email: carol.mccrone@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

ii) Pension Services

Our experienced pensions team provide a professional, responsive and value-led pensions administration service.

Our technical experts will ensure that your school keeps pace and remains compliant with changing legislation.

Services provided include:

• An administration service for  the Local Government and Teachers' Pension Scheme
• An auto-enrolment service for EMSS paid schools
• Completion and submission of statutory pension returns
• Provision of information and calculations of financial implications for pensions as a result of employment changes such as restructures, redundancies and retirements, in line with current and changing pensions regulations.
• Provide information and estimates on age retirements
• Provision of Pension Service Statements to members
• Actuarial pensions support for TUPE transfers and academy conversions

Please note, in order to ensure that a pension service can be provided and statutory duties are met, schools will be required to comply with requirements set out in our Terms of Business document in respect of reporting requirements and the provision of information from the school and their payroll provider.  Consideration of these requirements should be given when selecting a payroll provider.

Contact details:

Pensions Service
Email: pensions@nottinghamcity.gov.uk or telephone the HR Advisory team on  0115 876 3331

iii) a) Recruitment and bespoke training including:

• Headteacher recruitment support
• Bespoke HR training for schools delivered by the HR Advisory team  

These are charged on an ad hoc basis according to the rates below.

School Leader Recruitment Support

We provide specialist recruitment support for headteacher recruitment, tailored to the needs and requirements of your school, to assist you to appoint the best candidate.

We offer:

• Extensive experience working with schools in Nottingham and a good understanding of the City, our communities and schools
• A proven track record in the successful recruitment of headteachers
• Strong links across the Council including with the Education Division, Legal Services and Governor Services, and also with the Nottingham Schools Trust, to ensure the support we offer you is based on a wide range of intelligence
• Local support, providing you with a face to face service
• You will have a named HR contact throughout the process

Our full service includes:

• Scoping of your recruitment requirements and timeframe
• Support and guidance on employment legislation, best practice, equality, diversity and inclusion considerations
• Advice on salary ranges in accordance with the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document and Pay Policy
• Advice on the content of the application pack including the review of the job description and person specification (school to manage further candidate requests and queries)
• Guidance on the advertisement (advertisement placement and costs are not included)
• Advice and guidance on the design of assessments and interview questions, including the preparation of a timetable and interview/assessment materials for the selection process (school to produce panel packs)
• Support and guidance on the shortlisting process and on the decision making process
• Advice in relation to feedback to unsuccessful candidates throughout the process (Chair/SIA to provide feedback)
• Template letters inviting candidates to interview and for reference requests
• Review of references received prior to interview
• Professional facilitation of the assessment process, including HR (and local authority) representation on the interview panel, providing technical advice and challenge
• Feedback to panel on candidate performance in assessment process
• Attendance at ratification meeting
• HR input into the induction process

Contact details:

Carol McCrone, HR Consultant
Email: carol.mccrone@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

iii) b) Employee Wellbeing

The service provides support from occupational health professionals to help keep the workforce healthy and effective.

Services available to purchase on an ad hoc basis include:

• Pre-employment screening and medicals
• Covid vulnerability assessments
• Wellbeing / mental health referrals and well checks
• Vaccinations (e.g. Hep A and B, and Flu)
• Health surveillance in the workplace (e.g. hearing tests, lung function)
• Occupational health referrals and advice
• Physiotherapy assessment and treatment
• Assessments of workplace needs such as display screen, physical ability to undertake task.
• Return to work and fitness appraisals
• Health interventions and awareness programmes
• Training on issues such as stress management, healthy eating, menopause, back awareness and mental health, or other topics , on request
• Briefing sessions on personal safety and infection control
• Support in the prevention of occupational diseases
• Support and attendance at Wellbeing Events
• Liaison with appointed medical advisors and outside agencies including HSE, Medical Council and Occupational Health Professionals

 Council employees at maintained schools are able to access to confidential counselling (including debt counselling), support and information through the employee assistance programme, PAM Assist.

Contact details:

Email: ew.admin@nottinghamcity.gov.uk or telephone 0115 876 2953 for further details of our services and a copy of our price list.

iii) c) Training, Development and Change

HR training

The HR Advisory team will, from time to time, run some specific training for school employees and governors, including Safer Recruitment and essential HR skills. These will be advertised directly to schools and schools will be notified of prices separately. We are also able to run bespoke training to individuals and groups on request.

Corporate Development and Change

Schools are able to access the training courses run by the central Development and Change team. These include a range of generic skills, specialist training and leadership development. Please contact them directly for further information.

They are also able to provide bespoke training and coaching for individuals and groups on request.

The team can also provide consultancy support with change management in schools to improve morale, change attitudes and improve working practices

Contact details:

Development and Change
Email: developmentandchange@nottinghamcity.gov.uk