11th March 2021

How Do We Ensure Fair Recruitment For Supply Teachers?

The teacher recruitment landscape has changed significantly over the last year. If you read our article Support Staff Recruitment On The Rise, you’ll already know that we’ve seen an increase in the hiring of support staff. This is in line with COVID-19 relief funding for schools and the renewed need for individualised tuition support as well as increased staff absence.

We are on the frontline of changing trends in teacher recruitment and as the pandemic continues to impact schools even after the reopening this week, it’s vital that our work to rectify pay and opportunity disparities between permanent and supply staff continues.

Over the last year, supply teachers have seen the availability of work change. With schools closed, many supply teachers have spent much of the last year on furlough or taking on private tutoring. Now that schools are reopening, we have seen a significant rise in block booking of supply staff which we know been welcomed by many of our teachers. We’ve also seen some demand for supply staff to facilitate testing, although many schools have used their own support and other staff for the initial round and subsequent rounds will be performed in pupils homes independently.

What’s Next For Supply Teachers?

The CSS Framework has been an essential tool for schools making hires over the last year. With the Department For Education stating that they recommend schools utilise the framework for hiring, it’s clear that membership is a benefit for agencies. For supply staff, working with accredited agencies means they can be completely certain that they are operating within compliance terms and COVID Safety regulations. They can also be sure that pay is fair – all agencies on the framework are committed to fair pay in line with AWR regulations.

Read more about the CCS Framework and how it benefits supply teachers here

How Else Can Agencies Ensure Fair Recruitment For Supply Teachers?

Agencies need to go above and beyond to support supply teachers back into schools. Our consultants take the time to get to know the long term career goals and teaching ethos of the candidates that we work with, matching them with schools where they have the potential to thrive. Whether our candidates are happy with long term supply teaching or are looking to move into permanent roles, ensuring that their needs are understood early in the recruitment process makes for more successful placements, both short-term and temp-to-perm.

Finding roles that match candidates location and career requirements takes experience and trust – another reason that top candidates prefer to work with established agencies that are part of the CCS Framework.