Tell us about hiring at Maritime Academy Trust

At Maritime Academy Trust, we’re all about high standards and excellence. With multiple primary schools across Medway, Kent, and South East London, finding the right people to help our students thrive is non-negotiable. That means our hiring process has to be thorough—no shortcuts when it comes to quality education!

Why are reference checks so important in education?

Reference checks aren’t just a formality for us—they’re a must-have to stay in line with our Safer Recruitment policy. We need to safeguard both our students and our schools while ensuring we hire top-quality teachers and support staff. Under Ofsted’s requirements, reference checks have to be clear, thorough, and leave no room for doubt—no matter the role.

How long did reference checks take before?

Honestly? Too long. We were waiting 2-3 weeks for references to come back, chasing them down manually, and drowning in admin work.

What pushed you to make a change?

Delays in reference checks meant delaying start dates for new hires—and that’s frustrating for everyone. Schools were left short-staffed, and candidates were stuck waiting. We needed a solution that wouldn’t slow us down.

Why did you choose RefNow?

We needed a system that cut down admin time while speeding up the reference process. RefNow ticked all the boxes—it’s easy to use, adaptable to our needs, and helps us stay compliant with safeguarding regulations.

How has RefNow helped?

RefNow has streamlined our reference process and taken a huge admin burden off our shoulders. Their team helped us customise reference requests to align with the Government’s Keeping Children Safe in Education and Safer Recruitment guidelines. The biggest win? We’re getting references back faster, which means we can get staff into schools sooner.

What’s it like using RefNow day-to-day?

It’s been a game-changer. The process of requesting and tracking references is seamless, and we always have a clear view of progress—no more guesswork!

What’s next for Maritime Academy Trust and RefNow?

We’ll continue using RefNow as a key part of our hiring process. It’s made such a difference that we can’t imagine going back to the old way!

If you had to sum up RefNow in one sentence for other education organisations, what would you say?

RefNow has made our reference process faster, easier, and more efficient—exactly what we needed.