12 August 2023 , 21:30
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The Tories have been accused of flunking again – as spending on supply teachers has rocketed more than 50% in a year.
Figures reveal the bill to paper over classroom staffing cracks rocketed from £839million in 2020/2021 to £1.27billion in 2021/2022.
Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, who uncovered the details, said: “Supply teachers make a valuable contribution to our classrooms, but this rise in spending by schools suggests there are profound problems in teacher recruitment and retention.”
She added: “The Conservatives have created the perfect storm in our teaching workforce, with teachers old and new leaving and with too few replacing them.
“Our children will reap the whirlwind of lower school standards and worse life chances in years to come unless the Conservatives get to grips with the dangerous exodus of teachers that they have created. ”
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The total spending by local authority schools, including on supply teacher insurance and agency staff costs, rose from £394m to £552m in the period. In academies the cost shot up from about £444m to £718m, Labour said. Freedom of Information requests submitted by the party also found that several local authorities, including Conservative-led councils, spent more than £5m on cover.
In July, separate analysis found that 32% of those who qualified as teachers in the past 11 years have left the profession. Keir Starmer ’s party has already set out plans to end the exodus. Labour’s strategy includes bonus incentives of £2,400 for new teachers – totalling £500m. It will be funded by ending the tax break given to private schools.
The party is also vowing to reform other incentives to focus on areas with acute shortages and to secure around 6,500 new teachers. Ms Phillipson said: “Labour’s plan to recruit an additional 6,500 teachers and reform incentive schemes will tackle teaching shortages, and drive high and rising standards in our schools so we can break down barriers to opportunity for our young people”. The Department for Education was contacted for comment.
The research from Labour comes after mass school strikes were cancelled two weeks ago following major teaching unions voting to accept a 6.5% pay increase. The decision has averted potentially crippling industrial action when pupils return to the classroom after the summer holidays.