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<p>School leaders are best placed to determine the workforce required to meet the
needs of their pupils. Headteachers have the freedom to contract supply staff to suit
them, the school, and its pupils. Schools can contract supply staff in a variety of
ways, including through supply agencies and the rate of pay depends on who employs
a supply teacher. State maintained schools or local authorities who directly employ
supply teachers must pay in accordance with the statutory arrangements for teachers
laid down in the ‘School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions’ document. If a supply teacher
is employed by a non-maintained school, a multi academy trust (MAT) or agency, the
'employer' can set the rates of pay and conditions of supply. Agency Worker Regulations
provides that all workers on assignments that exceed 12 weeks are paid on equal terms
as permanent staff after the 12th week.</p><p>Agency-provided staff are subject to
the same legal requirements as permanent staff employed at the school. For teaching
staff this includes having Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). In deploying staff, headteachers
should be satisfied that the person has the appropriate skills, expertise, and experience
to carry out the work. This includes ensuring that safe ratios are met, and specific
training undertaken for any interventions or care for pupils with complex needs where
specific training or specific ratios are required.</p><p>Supply agencies are private
businesses and are not required to report data to the government.</p><p>Information
on expenditure by schools on agency supply staff is published in the annual LA and
school expenditure statistic which can be found here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/la-and-school-expenditure"
target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/la-and-school-expenditure</a>.</p><p>This
includes data for local authority-maintained schools in the 2020/21 financial year.
School level data is also published on the Schools Financial Benchmarking website
which can be accessed here: <a href="https://schools-financial-benchmarking.service.gov.uk/"
target="_blank">https://schools-financial-benchmarking.service.gov.uk/</a>. This includes
data for local authority maintained schools in the 2020/21 financial year and academies
in the 2019/20 financial year.</p><p>Ofsted’s role is to inspect and report on the
quality of education pupils are receiving, and their safeguarding. Where a school
is judged Inadequate by Ofsted, the department may intervene to ensure that the school
can benefit from the support of a strong trust. As announced in the Schools White
Paper, the department is currently consulting on plans to support schools with two
consecutive Ofsted judgements below Good to join strong trusts.</p><p>In August 2018,
in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency
supply deal, which can be accessed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers</a>.</p><p>The
deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and
other temporary school staff. Supply agencies that sign up to the deal agree to certain
standards, including the elimination of ‘temp-to-perm’ or ‘finders fees’, where a
supply teachers has been in post for 12 weeks.</p><p>We are reviewing that framework,
and have consulted interested parties, including schools, agencies, and trade unions.</p>
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