Government and schools failing supply teachers
Supply teachers have reported serious concerns about illegal working practices by supply agencies at the largest gathering of supply teachers, organised by the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union in the UK.
Teachers attending the NASUWT’s national Supply Teachers’ Seminar, held today (Saturday 12 March) in Birmingham, have said that the Government must do more to ensure that supply agencies operate in accordance with the law governing agency workers.
Supply teachers raised concerns that whilst schools are paying agencies hundreds of pounds a time to cover individual classes, teachers receive only a small fraction of the fees being paid to supply agencies.
A real-time electronic poll of members attending the Conference found that:
- 94% of supply teachers said that they did not believe the government values or understands the needs of supply teachers;
- 97% of supply teachers were not aware of the work of trade bodies responsible for regulation of supply agencies;
- 92% of supply teachers said that Government needs to introduce stronger regulation of supply agencies;
- 86% of supply teachers said they were not rewarded fairly for the work they do;
- The majority of supply teachers (55%) said that they had not been provided with access to CPD by agencies or schools and one in three supply teachers were required by agencies to pay for their CPD;
- Three out of four (74%) supply teachers indicated that they were expected to sign illegal contracts with employment agencies, and to sign contracts with tax-dodging umbrella companies and offshore organisations;
- One in five supply teachers had been asked illegally to agree to exclusivity clauses with supply agencies;
- 56% of supply teachers said that in the last 12 months their work had impacted negatively on their health.
Patrick Roach, Deputy General Secretary of the NASUWT, who addressed the Conference, said:
“Many teachers have told us that they become supply teachers because of a lack of opportunities in schools for flexible working; yet, many supply teachers face exploitation and unfair treatment by some supply agencies, umbrella companies and by schools.
“Many supply teachers continue to report to the NASUWT that they are being asked to sign illegal contracts or to waive their statutory rights to equal treatment under the Agency Workers Regulations.
“The trade bodies that claim to represent employment agencies must address these unacceptable practices which are bringing the sector into disrepute.
“At a time of a crisis of teacher recruitment and retention, the Government must now take seriously the issues raised by supply teachers, who are the backbone of the schools system.
“It simply is scandalous that many supply teachers are regarded as second-class professionals and are being denied equal treatment at work.
“The Government has the opportunity in the forthcoming Budget to end the profiteering practices of supply agencies and to strengthen regulations to end practices which are ripping off schools and teachers.”
Sarah Cull
Press and Media Officer
NASUWT
0121 457 6239 / 07920 711069
sarah.cull@mail.nasuwt.org.uk
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