FAQ
1. What is a Managed Service Provision (MSP)?
A Managed Service Provision (MSP) is a recruitment model where one trusted partner manages all supply and permanent recruitment on behalf of a trust. This provides a single point of contact, consistent compliance, clear reporting, and full visibility of recruitment activity and spend across all schools.
2. What does a Master Vendor partnership mean?
In a Master Vendor model, Smile Education acts as the lead recruitment partner for the trust. We supply candidates directly wherever possible and coordinate approved partner agencies when needed-removing the need for schools to manage multiple suppliers independently.
3. How is an MSP different from using multiple agencies?
An MSP removes fragmented recruitment processes. Instead of multiple agencies working independently, Smile manages recruitment centrally-ensuring consistent compliance, faster fulfilment, improved quality, and better cost control across the trust.
4. Who is an MSP suitable for?
MSP partnerships are ideal for Multi-Academy Trusts, local authorities, and groups of schools looking to streamline recruitment, improve safeguarding oversight, reduce spend, and gain clearer visibility of staffing data.
5. Does an MSP replace our existing recruitment processes?
No. An MSP enhances and supports your existing processes. Smile works as an extension of your trust, aligning with your policies, values, and priorities while removing operational burden from schools and central teams.
6. Will schools still have a say in who they appoint?
Absolutely. Schools retain full decision-making control. Smile supports sourcing, compliance, and coordination, but final appointment decisions always remain with the school or trust.
7. How does Smile ensure safeguarding and compliance?
All candidates undergo a rigorous compliance process including enhanced DBS checks, reference verification, identity checks, and safeguarding training. Smile is APSCo Compliance+ accredited and consistently achieves audit scores above 99.5%.
8. How does an MSP support Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE)?
Our processes are fully aligned with KCSiE statutory guidance. This includes safer recruitment practices, robust documentation, ongoing monitoring, and regular training to ensure compliance across the workforce.
9. Will an MSP help reduce recruitment costs?
Yes. MSP partnerships typically deliver significant cost savings through improved direct-fill rates, reduced agency usage, CCS Framework pricing, and better workforce planning across the trust.
10. How does Smile achieve cost savings?
Savings are delivered through direct recruitment, competitive framework rates, reduced duplication, improved retention, and transparent reporting-allowing trusts to make informed, strategic staffing decisions.
11. What reporting and data will we receive?
Trusts receive detailed reporting covering fulfilment rates, spend, savings, compliance, response times, and recruitment trends. Data is presented clearly to support decision-making at both school and board level.
12. Does Smile work with partner agencies?
Yes. Where required, Smile coordinates a vetted supply chain of approved partner agencies, ensuring all candidates meet the same compliance and quality standards-without schools needing to manage multiple suppliers.
13. How quickly can vacancies be filled?
Through our hub-based delivery model, urgent supply vacancies can often be filled within minutes. This helps minimise disruption to teaching and learning.
14. How does the MSP support permanent recruitment?
Smile supports permanent and temp-to-perm recruitment through talent pooling, targeted attraction campaigns, interview coordination, and early-career teacher development-reducing reliance on short-term supply.
15. What is Smile's hub-based model?
Smile operates from regional hubs, including Birmingham (head office) and Manchester, enabling national coverage while maintaining strong local knowledge and relationships within trust communities.
16. How does Smile support Employer of Choice branding?
We work with trusts on dual-branded recruitment campaigns, social media activity, community outreach, and testimonial-led marketing using staff satisfaction surveys-helping trusts attract and retain high-quality educators.
17. Can Smile support workforce development initiatives?
Yes. Smile supports mock interview programmes, ECT development, safer recruitment training, employability sessions, and community engagement initiatives that strengthen long-term talent pipelines.
18. How does an MSP support consistency across schools?
Centralised processes ensure consistent compliance, candidate quality, communication, and reporting-while still allowing flexibility to meet the individual needs of each school.
19. How long does it take to implement an MSP?
Implementation timelines vary, but most MSP partnerships are fully operational within a few weeks. Smile manages onboarding, communication, and transition to ensure minimal disruption.
20. What makes Smile Education different?
Smile combines national reach with local delivery, rigorous compliance, transparent reporting, and a genuinely partnership-led approach. We are small enough to care, big enough to make a difference-and focused on delivering measurable impact for trusts, schools, and pupils.
