Supply staff need training

Temporary teachers should have paid training, says union

A teachers' union is calling for supply teachers to get the same pay and conditions as their colleagues with permanent staff posts.

The 150,000-strong Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) says that should include the opportunity to apply for the new performance-related pay scale.

The ATL, in its response to government consultation on the future for supply teachers, welcomes the proposal that supply teachers should keep their skills up to date.

But it is "alarmed" that the government does not say who will pay for the training.

The union's response reflects a demand for equal treatment passed at its annual conference last month.

Delegates said supply teachers should be eligible for the teachers' pension scheme and should have access to paid training.

'Paid less'

The ATL general secretary, Peter Smith, said: "The government is at last recognising that supply teachers do play an important part in raising standards in education.

"However, it appears that these teachers have to make sure they keep up their skills in their own time and using their own resources.

"Agency teachers are already paid less than their colleagues elsewhere. This just adds insult to injury."

The ATL points to an irony, that it is supply teachers who often provide cover while school staff are away on training courses.

MPs concerned

Earlier this week the House of Commons education select committee said the quality of supply teachers was "a matter for serious concern".

It was echoing comments by the Chief Inspector of Schools, Chris Woodhead, in his annual report.

Mr Woodhead said a quarter of lessons taught by supply teachers were unsatisfactory and the quality of teaching they provided was weaker than that from any other group, including newly qualified and trainee teachers.

The committee urged his Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) to try to tackle the issue.

"We recommend that Ofsted should bring forward proposals for monitoring the quality and classroom readiness of supply teachers, in order to identify areas where improvement is needed," the committee said.

"The next step would be to put in place a strategy to help supply teachers with weaknesses to improve their performance."