Compliance

  • What is the DBS Update Service?

    The DBS Update Service – provided by the DBS – gives you the option to register a new DBS application (or a certificate issued within 30 days) with their online system for a cost of £13 per year. By doing this, you ensure that you can transfer your certificate between companies, and it also stops your certificate expiring (even if you have a gap in employment), providing you continue to pay the subscription fee. We advise all our candidates to register their DBS certificate with the update service, as it prevents most from having to apply for a new one after 3 years.

    To register your DBS with this service, simply go to: www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

  • How do I become compliant?

    To be compliant to start work through us, the following requirements must be in place:

    • Documents and ID verification to confirm your Right to Work within the UK
    • A valid enhanced DBS certificate
    • Details of two referees we may contact on your behalf
    • Safeguarding training certificate
    • Prevent strategy certificate
    • Equality and Diversity certificate
  • I already have a DBS – can’t I just use that?

    The education sector recommends that DBS certificates (if not registered on the DBS update service) should be re-issued every 3 years. However, this is only the case if the holder has worked continuously during that time – any gaps in employment must be less than 3 months. Unfortunately, DBS certificates are only transferable between companies if registered on the DBS update service, or in some circumstances, within a year of issue with the consent of the initial issuing company.

Our online portal

Payment

  • I think I have been taxed too much – what should I do?

    When you are given your first assignment, we ask you to send in your most recent P45 to us to ensure we use the correct tax code supplied by HMRC. If you do not have a P45, we will ask you to complete a New Starter Checklist form through Candidate Space.

    When we make payment to you we submit the details you have provided to HMRC, who check the tax details and in some cases send us a new code – which would amend tax figures in future pay periods. If you think your tax code is wrong, you must discuss this with HMRC, who will then send us a notification to correct your tax code. We will not be able to change the amount of tax you pay without communication from HMRC – however, should your tax code change, any tax you overpay will automatically be repaid to you in a future payment.

  • How do I claim my holiday pay?

    Unlike with some agencies, there is no need to ‘claim’ your holiday pay with us, it is paid to you automatically – we pay this either at the end of your assignment or at the end of each term (whichever comes first). Your holiday pay is clearly shown on your payslip, so you will be able to see when it has been paid.

  • Do you pay weekly or fortnightly?

    In some cases, candidates can request to be paid on a weekly basis, however for most candidates we generally do not recommend it – being paid weekly can mean you pay a higher rate of National Insurance, and some providers only operate on a monthly payment basis.

  • When will I be paid?

    The large majority of our candidates are paid on a monthly basis in arrears, on or around the 28th of the following month in which you worked (where the 28th falls at the weekend, we pay you on the Friday beforehand). This means that, for example, a candidate working during the month of September will be paid for those hours at the end of October – hours worked in October would then be paid at the end of November, and so on.

Qualifications

  • Where can I find out more about courses for Teaching or Assessing?

    We recommend contacting your local college to see what courses they offer. They will be able to offer advice suited to your needs!

    The introductory course for teaching in Further Education is the Award in Education and Training – it covers the role of a teacher, how to plan lessons and how to engage students of all levels within the classroom.

    For assessing we would recommend the Certificate in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement, which once completed will enable you to work as an assessor in the workplace under current standards. If you don’t want to undertake the full course in one go, it can be broken down into smaller courses.

Timesheets

  • How do I amend my timesheet?

    Your timesheet is broken down into the sessions we have assigned to you in date order, and you can tick those worked. If for whatever reason you didn’t work a session that appears in the list, please X the session to remove it from your timesheet. You are also able to add in new sessions by clicking on the + icon, and to amend the start and end times click on the pencil icon.

    If you need any help, just call us on 0115 911 1166.

  • When do I submit my timesheet?

    We email you to let you know your timesheet is ready to be submitted, please log onto the Candidate Space and select your timesheet.

    For monthly payments, you will receive your timesheet on the 1st of the following month. We ask you to submit your hours by the 5th for the college to confirm. Authorised hours are then paid on the 28th of the month, or the Friday before should the 28th fall on a weekend.

    Candidates who are paid weekly must submit their timesheet through Candidate Space before the end of the working week, in order for the college to confirm hours on the following Monday. Authorised hours will then be paid into their account on the Friday after the work was completed.

Working for Protocol

  • Will I receive additional pay for marking or is that included in the pay?

    All roles include payment for any preparation and marking needed to perform the role within the agreed rate of pay. Only when extra payment is pre-agreed would a different arrangement be met.

  • Who will I be working for? Protocol or the education provider?

    Once we have found a position for you, we assign you work at a provider on a self-employed basis. However, to save you time and hassle, we do process your tax and NI for you.

  • What is the process from registering to finding a role?

    Once you have uploaded your CV and received a welcome call, we will ask you to complete the rest of your Protocol profile. We ask you to complete as many of the requirements as soon as possible to ensure you can start work without delay; these include accepting our T&Cs, providing Right to Work documentation, and applying for a DBS – all this and more is detailed within your profile on Candidate Space upon signup.

    We use your CV to match you to relevant roles within your area, so we recommend you ensure it is sufficiently detailed and always up to date. Any time you make a change to your CV, you can easily upload it yourself via Candidate Space.