Written question WQ94640

Under the regulatory framework and local management of schools’ arrangements, schools and governing bodies in Wales can source staff as they see fit. They have the power to engage supply teaching staff as their needs require and may do so via a local authority scheme, locally curated lists or commercial supply teacher agencies. The Welsh Government has guidance in place to support schools when making these decisions, and to clarify how supply staff should be engaged and supported.

We encourage those schools who meet their supply teacher needs via temporary staff to use agencies appointed to the Welsh Government Supply Agency Framework, given they will have met the specified quality requirements and be formally monitored. This includes being regularly audited by both the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate and an approved representative professional recruitment body, as well as signing up to the Welsh Government’s Code of Practice on Ethical Employment in Supply Chains.

Spend under the Supply Agency Framework by Local Authorities within the South Wales East area, during the period 1st April 2023 – 31st March 2024, was £65,477,235. This spend is for all temporary workers required by a school, and not just supply teachers[1].

[1] We currently only capture total spend, so this is not just the agency fee retained by the agency, but also the pay to the worker which forms the majority of the total figure. The figure is for all temporary workers booked by a school, not just supply teachers. The roles covered by the framework include:

Qualified Supply Teacher

Education Support Staff

Cover Supervisor

Classroom Assistant (TA)

Tutor

Admin & Clerical

Caretakers, Cleaners, Maintenance

Senior Roles

We capture days booked for each of these roles, to help colleagues monitor increases or decreases in usage, but not currently spend broken down against each role.