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Guidance on completing this application form

Your application form plays a key part in deciding whether or not you are invited to an interview. The shortlisting panel will measure it against the person specification and or job/role description, and decide who to interview based on the information you provide on your form. To ensure equal opportunities in recruitment, we request that all applicants complete the application form provided.

Opportunity Education are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. If you are applying for a post which may bring you into direct or indirect contact vulnerable groups, including children, you must ensure that you include on your application a full education/ employment/ training history from when you left school. We will require you to account for any gaps or anomalies in your application.

Points to remember

  • Make sure that you have read through the person specification, job description and advertisement carefully, and ensure that you tailor your application form to these.
  • Don’t leave out any relevant experience, skills or knowledge that you have – however you gained it.
  • Please do not send in your CV. It will not be accepted.

  • 1. About you

  • Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY

  • 2. Employment History

  • Start dateEnd date 
  • Name/ address of previous employerPosition heldFromToBrief description of dutiesReason for leaving 
  • FromToReason 
    Please tell us about any gaps in your employment history. Please note you may be asked about these at the interview.

  • 3. Qualifications and professional membership

    Only complete this section if you have qualifications and/or membership of a professional body that is/are relevant to the post. You should include details of any equivalent overseas qualifications. Please note original certificates will need to be produced.
  • School/ College/ UniversityFromToQualifications gainedLevel/ grade 
  • Professional BodyMembership NumberMembership StatusSince 

  • 4. Supporting Statement

    The supporting statement gives you an opportunity to tell us more about yourself and your suitability for the role. Please tell us how you meet the requirements listed in the person specification. Please use as many examples as you can under each requirement, referring to your current and previous employment, voluntary work, training or other relevant experience.
  • Please use up to three additional sheets of paper to complete this and write your name, job/role title and reference number on each additional sheet. Make sure that you number them and attach them securely to this application form. Please note that if you would prefer to upload your supporting statement, please upload in the box below.

  • 5. References

    Please provide the names of two referees. If you are (or have been recently) employed in either a paid or unpaid capacity, one should be from your current or last employer. If you are a student, one should be a senior staff member from your place of study. References from a relative or partner are not acceptable. If you have not been previously employed, a suitable character reference must be used. If the post you are applying to involves work with vulnerable groups, including children and you have worked in these sectors previously, one reference must be able to make reference to your work with vulnerable groups, including children. References will be checked and verified before any candidate is invited to interview. References will only be taken up if you are shortlisted for the post you are applying for. We recommend contacting your referees in advance to check they are willing to act as a referee.
  • NameRelationship to youPosition heldOrganisationAddress and postcodeTelephone numberEmail address 
  • NameRelationship to youPosition heldOrganisationAddress and postcodeTelephone numberEmail address 

  • 6. Further Information and Declaration

  • Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks

    All eligible posts in England involving work with children will require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of your offences. Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, you only have to declare unspent convictions. However, if the post for which you are applying is one which is an exception under this Act and is eligible, we will ask anyone who is provisionally offered a position/role for an up-to-date criminal record check from the DBS which may provide information about convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings which might otherwise be regarded as spent. If this is the case it will be clearly indicated in the advertisement and job description.

    Your right to work in the UK

    We have a legal obligation to check that individuals have a right to work in the UK before we employ them. Please confirm that you have a right to work in the UK and that you have documentary evidence for this (either a British passport or visa). You will be asked to bring this with you if you are called for interview.

  • Please read the questions below about disciplinary action. If you need to answer ‘Yes’ to any of them, please provide details in a sealed envelope attached to your application and marked ‘confidential’ and with your name, post and post reference number written on the outside of the envelope. The envelope will not be opened unless you are provisionally offered a role after the interview. Answering ‘Yes’ to any question about disciplinary action will not mean that you cannot be considered for this job.
    • Have you been the subject of formal disciplinary action by your current employer?
    • Are you the subject of on-going disciplinary proceedings by your current employer?
    • Have you ever been the subject of any formal disciplinary action by a previous employer or were you the subject of any incomplete disciplinary proceedings at the time you left?
    • Are you or have you ever been subject to any sanctions imposed by a professional body?
    We will take all reasonable steps to remove any barriers you may otherwise face when attending interview. Do you have any access requirements that we need to be aware of if you are invited for interview?

  • Declaration

    By signing this declaration you are agreeing with the statements below, which may be referred to in the future. I confirm that all the details I have provided in this application form are correct, and that I have not deliberately withheld any relevant information; I have not attempted to influence an employee of Opportunity Education Services in connection with this application; I understand that deliberately providing false information, failing to disclose relevant information or attempting to influence the recruitment process unfairly may lead to my application being rejected, any offer of employment (whether paid or unpaid) being withdrawn, or actual employment (whether paid or unpaid) being terminated; I give consent for Opportunity Education Services to be given details of my attendance record over the last two years, including periods of sickness and other absence and the reasons for them, for reference purposes and held in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998; I note that the information provided on this application form may be held, further processed or verified in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.