What guidance has the Welsh Government issued to schools regarding the recruitment of supply teachers?
Under our local management of schools arrangements school governing bodies and local authorities as the employers of teachers are responsible for contracting an effective workforce. This includes the deployment of supply teachers ensuring that the most effective and appropriate arrangements are in place to meet planned and unplanned absence needs. Guidance on the effective management of school workforce attendance and guidance covering requirements for supply teachers to have the relevant qualifications, safeguarding and employment checks has issued to schools.
There is nothing to prevent local authorities from operating their own supply lists, or from local authorities and schools from employing supply teachers directly, or working with other key stakeholders to support a co-operative, collaborative delivery model or matching system.
The National Procurement Service has recently evaluated tenders for a Framework Agreement for the provision of supply teachers on behalf of all 22 Welsh local authorities. The process is set to conclude on the 3rd May, after which all successful agencies will be formally awarded a contract which will commence on the 1st August in readiness for the start of the next academic year.
The new framework includes a number of improvements to the existing agreement, including; a minimum pay rate for supply teachers, abolition of the Swedish Derogation model of employment which will help protect temporary workers’ rights, fixed agency charge rates which are visible to all customers, free essential training for supply teachers and a requirement for all appointed agencies to sign up to the Welsh Government’s Code of Practice for Ethical Employment in Supply Chains and register with an accredited recruitment body.