Spending on supply teachers has soared to £1.3 billion as schools struggle to recruit staff
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- 14 Dec 2020
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Schools spending on supply teachers has soared to £1.3 billion as concerns grow that it is becoming increasing difficult to recruit staff.
A new analysis on "chronic shortages" shows the figure represents an increase of more than 25 per cent in the last two years.
Overall spending by schools on supply teachers has rocketed by close to £300 million over the period.
•Teachers 'offered days off to lure them into jobs'
The average spend by academies and free schools alone has risen by 42 per cent in one year, according to the analysis carried out by the Labour Party.
The revelations come after headteachers tried a series of desperate measures to retain and hire the best teaching staff.
They also emerge amid warnings that budget pressures will lead to bigger classrooms and a shortage in classroom material, which will in turn impact on youngsters' learning.
A booming economy has meant graduates now have more career options. A growing workload is also putting teachers off the profession.
Labour blamed the Government's failure to recruit enough new trainee teachers but the Department for Education (DfE) has said it has redoubled its efforts to lure top graduates to teaching.
The DfE has also said the number of former teachers who return to the classroom has continued to rise.
Schools spending on supply teachers has soared to £1.3 billion Photo: Alamy
Commenting on the rise of money spent on supply teachers, Lucy Powell, Labour's shadow education secretary, said: “With chronic shortages of teachers in our schools, this Government is risking the education of the next generation.
"Ministers have mishandled teacher training, putting applicants off and constantly talked down the profession, causing thousands of teachers to quit.
"As a result, half of all schools had unfilled positions at the start of this year and are being forced to turn to unqualified staff, temporary supply teachers, non-specialists, and larger class sizes to try to plug the gaps.
“Nothing is more important for raising standards and improving social mobility than ensuring there are excellent teachers in every school. The Government urgently needs to get a grip on this problem, which is affecting the education of our children, and start to take it seriously.”
A Conservative spokesman said: "Lucy Powell has not had one positive thing to say about England's schools and teaching profession since she became shadow Education Secretary.
"Despite many opportunities to laud the achievements of teachers and schools across England, which has seen 1.4 million more pupils in good or outstanding schools since 2010, Labour continue to scaremonger.
"Rather than recognise that the number and quality of teachers in our schools is at a record high, they talk down the teaching profession."
•Schools 'spending thousands on agencies to recruit teachers'
The Daily Telegraph recently revealed heads are now even offering free lunches and lieu days to try to lure teachers into jobs.
In some cases, schools have paid agencies £10,000 to help them recruit teaching staff.
Figures by TES Global have shown that the areas where it is more difficult to recruit are London, South East England and the West Midlands.
Schools recruiting for maths teachers in the East of England now receive just three applications on average compared to seven in 2012, according to fresh analysis.
