Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to section 8.1.1 of her Department's publication entitled School workforce census guide 2023: Guide for schools including academies within a Multi Academy Trust, published in July 2023, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of collecting information on school support staff vacancies through the school workforce census.

School support staff play a vital role in children’s education and development. The department values and recognises the professionalism of the entire school workforce and will address recruitment and retention challenges by reinstating the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB).

The SSSNB will be tasked with establishing a national terms and conditions handbook, training, career progression routes and fair pay rates for support staff. This reform will ensure that schools can recruit and retain the staff needed to deliver high quality, inclusive education.

The department will consider the merits of collecting information on school support staff vacancies through the school workforce census during the setup of the SSSNB.