30th June 2020

CCS Framework: Who can you hire on the framework?

Welcome to the CCS Handbook series, which covers everything you need to know about the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) framework for the DfE-approved Supply Teachers and Agency Workers deal.

The framework is designed to help schools get value for money and find agencies that follow best practices in safeguarding and compliance. You can find out more about it here.

In this article, we’ll be exploring the types of workers that you can hire using the framework, and the different placements you can fill. We’ll cover:

• Types of workers – Teachers, support staff, and more
• Types of placements – short-term supply, long-term cover, temp-to-perm, and nominated workers

Types of workers

Although much of the literature currently available refers to the deal as the ‘Supply Teachers’ framework, schools can, in fact, hire a range of temporary workers on CCS terms. If it is a temporary role based in a school, the chances are you’ll be able to fill the position using the framework.

You can recruit all temporary teaching and support staff roles using the framework, including, but not limited to:

• Qualified supply teachers
• Unqualified teachers
• SEND teachers
• Educational support staff
• Cover supervisors
• Teaching Assistants
• Headteachers
• Senior leaders
• Administrative and clerical staff
• IT staff
• Finance workers
• Maintenance and cleaning staff
  

When you hire any of these workers on CCS terms, you can see all the costs an agency will charge before making your decision, meaning your school can make an informed choice on the cost and quality of workers.

All legislative imperatives, such as compliance with EU public procurement legislation and safeguarding best practices, will be covered when you hire any kind of worker through the CCS framework, not just teaching staff.

Types of placement

There are four placement types that can be filled using the CCS framework: short-term supply work, long-term cover, temp-to-perm, and nominated worker.

Short-term supply work

You can use the CCS framework to hire workers to fill your daily supply and contingency needs. All candidates working for a preferred supplier have been pre-screened and vetted to ensure compliance with all safeguarding requirements prior to arriving at your school.

Although the framework is not yet mandatory, the DfE is actively encouraging schools to work only with CCS preferred suppliers. As the uptake of the framework increases, the number of candidates working with CCS suppliers does too, meaning that only using a CCS preferred agency for your daily supply needs will result in an increase in available workers.

Tip: You can field the number of agencies who contact your school to offer daily cover workers by establishing that you only work with CCS preferred suppliers. (Only 17% of agencies in the UK are listed on the framework, so this will drastically reduce the number of calls you receive and the resulting pressure on your switchboard and meeting calendar.)

Long-term cover

If you need a member of staff to cover a long-term absence in your school, you can hire a fully-vetted cover teacher (or any other kind of worker) on CCS terms. One of the benefits of using the framework for long-term placements is that your school is compliant with EU public procurement legislation, even if the whole-life cost of the long-term contract is over the OJEU threshold amount.

Temp-to-perm

It is common that schools will want to take a member of staff permanent after they have worked on a long-term cover contract. If that worker was originally hired on CCS terms, you can avoid paying any temp-to-perm fees once that worker has worked 12 weeks or more.

To avoid paying temp-to-perm fees, you only need to give 4 weeks’ notice to the agency you hired them from, after the worker has worked at your school for 12 weeks or more.

Nominated worker

If you know a worker that your school has perhaps previously worked with or had recommended to you, and you would like to hire them on CCS terms, you can refer them to a CCS supplier in order to facilitate this. The chosen worker will be on the agency’s payroll and the agency will perform the background check for you. This is referred to as a ‘nominated worker’ and will cost less than using an agency worker. 

When you refer your nominated worker to a CCS preferred supplier, it means your school can benefit from your worker of choice, whilst outsourcing all legislative, safeguarding, and employment requirements to an audited, CCS & DfE-approved agency.