The Petitions Committee has published a report on a petition calling on a fair deal for supply teachers. The petition concerns pay and conditions for supply teachers and calls for changes to the arrangements for employing them. In particular, the petitioners called for supply teachers to be employed directly rather than through agencies and for a minimum rate of pay.
The Petitions Committee took evidence from the petitioners, education organisations, teaching unions and supply agencies. The Committee also held an evidence session with the Welsh Government Minister for Education, Kirsty Williams MS.
The Committee’s report focuses on a number of issues which arose from its scrutiny of the petition, including:
- the viability of a public sector solution for employing supply teachers in Wales;
- new agency contract arrangements introduced by the Welsh Government in 2019, including a minimum pay rate and greater transparency around fees;
- training and professional learning opportunities for supply teachers.
Recommendations
The Committee has made four recommendations. These include that the Welsh Government needs to keep the new contract arrangements introduced in 2019 under close review and monitor the rate of take up by schools; and that further consideration should be given to alternative arrangements for supplying school teachers, by the next Welsh Government. In particular, the Committee has sympathy with the case made by the petitioners and considers that a public sector solution would have significant advantages over the current model.
Access the report in full and get more information on the petition.