CREDIT: This story was first seen in The Telegraph
School spending on supply teacher agencies has jumped by a fifth in three years, figures reveal, as MPs warn that the government has no long term strategy to address staff shortages, The Telegraph reports.
The amount that schools spend on recruitment agency fees alone has increased by almost a fifth (18.5%) in the past four years, from £469m in 2012/13 to £556m in 2015/16.
These figures exclude the spend for academies, which means the overall cost for academies and free schools – which now represent the majority of schools – will be substantially higher.
School spending on supply teacher agencies has jumped by a fifth in three years, figures reveal, as MPs warn that the government has no long term strategy to address staff shortages, The Telegraph reports.
The amount that schools spend on recruitment agency fees alone has increased by almost a fifth (18.5%) in the past four years, from £469m in 2012/13 to £556m in 2015/16.
These figures exclude the spend for academies, which means the overall cost for academies and free schools – which now represent the majority of schools – will be substantially higher.
Such is the demand for supply teachers that agencies typically charge a commission fee of up to 30% – which is almost double the industry average.
It comes as the education select committee warn that the government has no long term strategy to address the shortage of teachers in England.
Neil Carmichael MP, the chair of the select committee, told The Telegraph said the government must do more to reduce the burdens placed on school budgets by supply teacher agencies.
“Obviously a burden of that scale is very difficult and very challenging to the overall education budget, which is constrained,” he said.
“The answer to that is to deal with recruitment and deal with retention – there is no point in tackling things around the edges, we have to be fundamental and strategic.”
It comes as the education select committee warn that the government has no long term strategy to address the shortage of teachers in England.
Neil Carmichael MP, the chair of the select committee, told The Telegraph said the government must do more to reduce the burdens placed on school budgets by supply teacher agencies.
“Obviously a burden of that scale is very difficult and very challenging to the overall education budget, which is constrained,” he said.
“The answer to that is to deal with recruitment and deal with retention – there is no point in tackling things around the edges, we have to be fundamental and strategic.”
Angela Rayner, Shadow Secretary of State for Education, said that agencies have got schools “over a barrel”.
“Teachers are leaving the profession in droves and school leaders are being forced to try and fill the gap with agency supply teachers,” she said.
“The spiralling cost of agency supply teachers shows what happens when the government fails to invest in education – it ends up costing the public purse a lot more.”
Baljinder Kuller, director at the Supply Register, said it is a “lack of alternatives” for schools that allow supply teacher agencies to charge extortionate rates.
“They are shouting very loudly about the fact there is a national teacher shortage,” he said. “Education recruitment is the fastest growing recruitment sector, with more and more opening year on year because it is such a lucrative market place.”
The Supply Register, a computerised recruitment system that allows schools to cut out agencies and hire teachers directly, uses similar technology to that used by around 20 NHS Trusts to access locum doctors and nurses.
“Teachers are leaving the profession in droves and school leaders are being forced to try and fill the gap with agency supply teachers,” she said.
“The spiralling cost of agency supply teachers shows what happens when the government fails to invest in education – it ends up costing the public purse a lot more.”
Baljinder Kuller, director at the Supply Register, said it is a “lack of alternatives” for schools that allow supply teacher agencies to charge extortionate rates.
“They are shouting very loudly about the fact there is a national teacher shortage,” he said. “Education recruitment is the fastest growing recruitment sector, with more and more opening year on year because it is such a lucrative market place.”
The Supply Register, a computerised recruitment system that allows schools to cut out agencies and hire teachers directly, uses similar technology to that used by around 20 NHS Trusts to access locum doctors and nurses.
Another company, MyTutor, provides online tutorials for students and is used by hundreds of schools around the country instead of supply teachers.
At £18-per-hour, teaching a whole class remotely via one-on-one lessons can still work out cheaper than hiring a supply teacher.
“Agencies charge for introductory fees, hourly fees, day rates, commission – the agencies are holding schools to ransom, outside London in particular where there are less teachers available,” James Grant, director of MyTutor said.
Andrew Morris, head of pay and pensions at the National Union of Teachers, said that the huge fees charged by agencies to schools are “completely unacceptable”, adding: “This is money for children’s education, not for the profits of private companies.”
Chris Keates, general secretary of The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, added that costs are rising not because “unscrupulous” providers are “profiteering from children’s education.”
At £18-per-hour, teaching a whole class remotely via one-on-one lessons can still work out cheaper than hiring a supply teacher.
“Agencies charge for introductory fees, hourly fees, day rates, commission – the agencies are holding schools to ransom, outside London in particular where there are less teachers available,” James Grant, director of MyTutor said.
Andrew Morris, head of pay and pensions at the National Union of Teachers, said that the huge fees charged by agencies to schools are “completely unacceptable”, adding: “This is money for children’s education, not for the profits of private companies.”
Chris Keates, general secretary of The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, added that costs are rising not because “unscrupulous” providers are “profiteering from children’s education.”
A report published this week warned that the Government has no long-term strategy to deal with the shortage of teachers.
The Education Select Committee report found that the Department for Education missed its recruitment targets for teachers for the past five years, and adds that teacher retention is a major problem.
The report calls for a cap on hours to encourage teachers to stay in the profession. “The Committee finds the government lacks a long-term plan to address teacher shortages and consistently fails to meet teacher recruitment targets,” MPs found.
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The Education Select Committee report found that the Department for Education missed its recruitment targets for teachers for the past five years, and adds that teacher retention is a major problem.
The report calls for a cap on hours to encourage teachers to stay in the profession. “The Committee finds the government lacks a long-term plan to address teacher shortages and consistently fails to meet teacher recruitment targets,” MPs found.
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or connect with us on LinkedIn!
Some of the agency supply is as a result of DBS rules and regulations meaning that schools cannot use their regular bank of directly employed supply teachers as if the school has DBS checked them their check is considered invalid if they have not worked for the school in the last three months. Even if the school does a risk assessment it can sometimes be much longer between uses so it is easier and quicker to use agency supply