Schools are paying almost a 100% mark-up on the pay of supply teachers, with cover staff “largely dissatisfied” with their pay, a government research report suggests.
The CFE Research paper, commissioned by the Department for Education, found the average daily cost of supply teachers was £218 for primary schools, £291 for secondary schools and £270 for special schools.
However, the average pay rate reported by the supply teachers surveyed was £136 for primary, £150 for secondary and £144 for special schools.
The “mark up” charged by supply agencies “varies considerably”, the report warned.
It comes after a Schools Week investigation found teacher supply agencies are making millions of pounds while sending schools unqualified and inexperienced staff.
The report concluded that supply teachers were “largely dissatisfied with their pay, terms and conditions and these are major contributing factors for those who are considering leaving the market”.
“Most leaders disagree that the system represents good value for money based on their experience of the quality and cost of supply teachers.
“Schools and supply teachers would welcome regulation of the supply market in order to ensure greater parity in pay, terms and conditions for those working in the sector and to deliver better value for money for schools.”
Government framework has ‘limited impact’
The government’s Crown Commercial Service operates a Supply Teacher and Temporary Staff (CCS STaTS) framework.
The report said this was designed “to ensure greater parity and transparency in rates of pay for supply workers and the costs and charges incurred by education providers.
However, “to date, this has had limited impact on the market rate for supply teachers, primarily due to the low take-up”.
The research found some leaders and supply teachers consulted “are in support of greater regulation of supply providers to address inequalities in the pay, terms and conditions of employment for supply teachers, as well as the quality of provision”.
The seven providers consulted were not “against greater regulation in principle”.
“However, the private agencies emphasise the impact it could have on their costs and the subsequent implications for schools and the supply workforce.”
Staff absences drive rise in supply
A nationally representative survey of schools found leaders reported an “upward trend in the use of supply teachers over recent years, and a significant increase since the Covid-19 pandemic”.
Demand for supply teachers increased in around three-fifths of schools.
Key drivers of this change “are an increase in the number of staff absences due to sickness (physical illness and mental ill health), an increase in the volume of long-term staff absences, and difficulties recruiting and retaining permanent teaching staff”.
A “minority of providers report that there has been a steep rise in the demand for supply teachers who have qualifications and/or experience of working with pupils with SEND, possibly due to higher turnover of staff within these particular roles, but also because the number of pupils with SEND is increasing”.
The report also looked at motivations for becoming supply teachers, noting that teachers leave permanent positions and enter supply “for a variety of reasons, both personal and professional”.
Some believe it will be less stressful than a permanent role. However, “a desire for greater flexibility is the primary motivation for around half of supply teachers and many work part-time”.
Supply teachers also regard it as a “route to achieving their longer-term goals”.
“Encouragingly, around half of survey respondents wishing to leave supply want to enter (or re-enter) the permanent workforce.”
