Responding to reports that the Government will cap the prices supply teacher agencies charge to schools, Matt Wrack, General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said:

“NASUWT has long been campaigning for a better deal for supply teachers that recognises and values the important and significant contribution they make in schools and colleges. This long overdue initiative could be a small step in the right direction by placing a cap of the profiteering of supply agencies in the sector.

“As with all things, the devil is in the detail, so the Union will be watching developments very closely, to ensure that any changes do not come at the expense of the remuneration of hardworking and dedicated supply teachers who already suffer a significant pay disparity in comparison to their permanent counterparts.

“Unfortunately, the measures suggested do not address the fundamental problem which is the fragmented and privatised provision of supply teachers. It is this which allows profiteering to take place.

“NASUWT urges the Department for Education to be bolder and bring about an end to the use of supply agencies and umbrella companies by bringing the provision of supply teachers within public sector control through local authority supply pools or similar, and ensuring the pay and conditions of supply teachers are consistent with pay and conditions for all teachers across state-funded schools in England.”