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Written Question
Special Educational Needs: Stockport Metropolitan Borough Counci
Thursday 18th April 2024

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2024 to Question 13342 on Special Educational Needs, what steps her Department is taking to help Stockport Council (a) increase its capacity to undertake and (b) improve the quality of its education, health and care plan assessments.

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The cost of local authorities’ Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment and planning function is paid from authorities’ general fund from, for example, council tax, business rates or the Revenue Support Grant provided by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). Any increase in capacity for the EHC needs assessment team must be met from the local authority’s general fund.

Stockport special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Local Area Partnership’s Accelerated Progress Plan (APP), which has been in place since the Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) joint area SEND revisit in September 2022, includes actions to address the quality of EHC plans in the area. Department for Education officials and NHS (England) SEND advisers have been providing support, challenge and advice in monitoring the progress of the APP.

Stockport is also one of the 55 local areas which have been invited to join the government’s £85 million Delivering Better Value Programme to support local areas to achieve maximum value for money in delivering SEND provision, whilst maintaining and improving the outcomes they achieve. One of the workstreams being funded by this grant is ‘Governance and Accountability of SEN Support and EHC Needs Assessments’ through which the department is assisting Stockport to improve their EHC plan processes and the quality of plans.

The department wants to ensure that EHC needs assessments, where required, are conducted as quickly as possible, so that children and young people can access the support they need. In March 2023, the government set out its plans to reform and improve the SEND system through its SEND and alternative provision (AP) Improvement Plan. The plan commits to establishing a single national system that delivers for every child and young person with SEND so that they enjoy their childhood, achieve good outcomes and are well prepared for adulthood and employment.

In the short term, the department is working hard to improve the current EHC plan system through a range of measures to improve the SEND system. The department is investing heavily in the SEND system. Examples of the department’s investments include: improving specialist capacity by investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from 2024, investing £2.6 billion between 2022 and 2025 to fund new special and AP places and improve existing provision (including announcing 41 new special free schools and 38 special free schools that are currently in the pipeline), investing £30 million to develop innovative approaches for short breaks for children, young people and their families over three years and investing over £7 million to fund extension of the Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce pilot programme, (delivering now in 22 local authorities) to run until 2025.

The department is also putting in place measures to improve the SEND system in the longer term, so that where an EHC plan is needed they can be issued as quickly as possible, so that children and young people can access the support they need.


Written Question
Supply Teachers
Tuesday 16th April 2024

Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the level of (a) qualification and (b) experience of staff employed through teacher supply agencies on educational standards.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.

The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:

  • Trainee teachers working towards QTS.
  • Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.
  • Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).

Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.

Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.

In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.

The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:

  • Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.
  • Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.
  • Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
  • Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.

The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.

Schools can learn more about the deal at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.

The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.


Written Question
Music: Education
Tuesday 16th April 2024

Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the decision to create 43 Hub Lead Organisations by Arts Council England on the future of (a) Music Education Hubs and (b) the wider music provision at schools.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

Music Hubs are partnerships co-ordinated by a Hub Lead Organisation (HLO) and made up of schools and academy trusts, local authorities, music and wider arts and education organisations and charities, community or youth organisations and more. Having 43 HLOs working across a wider set of music education partnerships from September 2024 should bring significant benefits to children, young people and schools, as HLOs will be able to be more strategic, building stronger partnerships with those they work with, resulting in high-quality support in every local area and to ensure there are no local ‘cold spots’ where access to provision is limited.

This should also support a more consistent high-quality approach to music education for all children regardless of where they live or go to school, by offering:

  • Improved and more equitable access to a diverse range of musical activities, opportunities, teachers, instruments and equipment.
  • Greater consistency of provision and ability to scale up effective programmes and ways of working for children and young people and schools.
  • Greater access to more advanced ensembles and a wider range of progression opportunities.
  • Greater access to the cultural capital centred around urban centres, thus improving connections and reducing isolation for rural communities.
  • More strategic leadership and governance, plus a wider range of employment opportunities and progression routes for the music education workforce.
  • Access to greater resources, capacity and capability to use government funding to leverage further investment.
  • An increased profile with wider musical stakeholders and a stronger connection with the music industry.

Schools alone cannot provide the range of services needed for a good quality music education and Music Hubs provide many services that contribute to schools delivering high-quality music provision. Furthermore, Music Hubs will play a critical role in supporting schools who opt to implement the Model Music Curriculum published in 2021 and for schools implementing their Music Development Plans from September 2024. In time, Music Hubs will also support schools opting to use music curriculum resources from Oak National Academy, who will publish their full suite of key stage 3 and 4 resources in the summer and who recently announced a partner to produce a suite of key stages 1 and 2 resources.

The government has a long-standing commitment to high-quality music education and this is reflected in the government’s National Plan for Music Education published in June 2022. This sets out the vision to enable all children and young people to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and have the opportunity to progress their musical interests and talents, including professionally by 2030. The department believes that Music Hubs play a vital role in ensuring children and young people across the country can access high-quality music education and this government values the many achievements that the existing Music Hub network has made since 2012.

The department has invested around £380 million of funding into Music Hubs between 2016 and 2021. As part of the National Plan for Music Education 2022, the department also announced £79 million of funding per year for the Music Hub programme, up to and including the 2024/25 academic year, to provide assurance and stability in music education. The department is also providing £25 million capital funding for musical instruments as part of the programme. The department will consider future funding for the next spending review in due course.

On average, the grant funding has consistently provided around 40% of a hub’s total income and hubs have historically used this to leverage other income streams over the lifespan of the programme. This co-funding approach will continue when the new programme is in place from September 2024. As set out in the investment programme, the department also expects organisations to have evidenced, as part of their applications to become one of the new HLOs, how at least 50% of a hub’s total income will come from other sources other than the revenue grant provided by the department by the end of the funding period.

There is no expectation on Music Hubs to provide free music tuition to all children. As part of the Music Hubs Investment Programme, bidders were required to submit plans detailing their strategic approach to ensure music education is inclusive of all children and young people with a range of needs, including how the Music Hub would ensure inclusion and widening opportunity will be embedded across all activity, plans and policies. This includes specific support and resources, including access to musical instruments, that will be made available for children and young people who are eligible for pupil premium, including looked-after children and/or those who are care experienced and those who have an identified special educational need or disability.


Written Question
Music: Education
Tuesday 16th April 2024

Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support schools to offer high quality music provision for all children (a) in the curriculum and (b) through (i) local authority-run and (ii) independent Music Education Hubs.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

Music Hubs are partnerships co-ordinated by a Hub Lead Organisation (HLO) and made up of schools and academy trusts, local authorities, music and wider arts and education organisations and charities, community or youth organisations and more. Having 43 HLOs working across a wider set of music education partnerships from September 2024 should bring significant benefits to children, young people and schools, as HLOs will be able to be more strategic, building stronger partnerships with those they work with, resulting in high-quality support in every local area and to ensure there are no local ‘cold spots’ where access to provision is limited.

This should also support a more consistent high-quality approach to music education for all children regardless of where they live or go to school, by offering:

  • Improved and more equitable access to a diverse range of musical activities, opportunities, teachers, instruments and equipment.
  • Greater consistency of provision and ability to scale up effective programmes and ways of working for children and young people and schools.
  • Greater access to more advanced ensembles and a wider range of progression opportunities.
  • Greater access to the cultural capital centred around urban centres, thus improving connections and reducing isolation for rural communities.
  • More strategic leadership and governance, plus a wider range of employment opportunities and progression routes for the music education workforce.
  • Access to greater resources, capacity and capability to use government funding to leverage further investment.
  • An increased profile with wider musical stakeholders and a stronger connection with the music industry.

Schools alone cannot provide the range of services needed for a good quality music education and Music Hubs provide many services that contribute to schools delivering high-quality music provision. Furthermore, Music Hubs will play a critical role in supporting schools who opt to implement the Model Music Curriculum published in 2021 and for schools implementing their Music Development Plans from September 2024. In time, Music Hubs will also support schools opting to use music curriculum resources from Oak National Academy, who will publish their full suite of key stage 3 and 4 resources in the summer and who recently announced a partner to produce a suite of key stages 1 and 2 resources.

The government has a long-standing commitment to high-quality music education and this is reflected in the government’s National Plan for Music Education published in June 2022. This sets out the vision to enable all children and young people to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and have the opportunity to progress their musical interests and talents, including professionally by 2030. The department believes that Music Hubs play a vital role in ensuring children and young people across the country can access high-quality music education and this government values the many achievements that the existing Music Hub network has made since 2012.

The department has invested around £380 million of funding into Music Hubs between 2016 and 2021. As part of the National Plan for Music Education 2022, the department also announced £79 million of funding per year for the Music Hub programme, up to and including the 2024/25 academic year, to provide assurance and stability in music education. The department is also providing £25 million capital funding for musical instruments as part of the programme. The department will consider future funding for the next spending review in due course.

On average, the grant funding has consistently provided around 40% of a hub’s total income and hubs have historically used this to leverage other income streams over the lifespan of the programme. This co-funding approach will continue when the new programme is in place from September 2024. As set out in the investment programme, the department also expects organisations to have evidenced, as part of their applications to become one of the new HLOs, how at least 50% of a hub’s total income will come from other sources other than the revenue grant provided by the department by the end of the funding period.

There is no expectation on Music Hubs to provide free music tuition to all children. As part of the Music Hubs Investment Programme, bidders were required to submit plans detailing their strategic approach to ensure music education is inclusive of all children and young people with a range of needs, including how the Music Hub would ensure inclusion and widening opportunity will be embedded across all activity, plans and policies. This includes specific support and resources, including access to musical instruments, that will be made available for children and young people who are eligible for pupil premium, including looked-after children and/or those who are care experienced and those who have an identified special educational need or disability.


Written Question
Music: Education
Tuesday 16th April 2024

Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how the Government’s Music Hub Investment Programme will support independent Music Education Hubs to provide free music education to all children.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

Music Hubs are partnerships co-ordinated by a Hub Lead Organisation (HLO) and made up of schools and academy trusts, local authorities, music and wider arts and education organisations and charities, community or youth organisations and more. Having 43 HLOs working across a wider set of music education partnerships from September 2024 should bring significant benefits to children, young people and schools, as HLOs will be able to be more strategic, building stronger partnerships with those they work with, resulting in high-quality support in every local area and to ensure there are no local ‘cold spots’ where access to provision is limited.

This should also support a more consistent high-quality approach to music education for all children regardless of where they live or go to school, by offering:

  • Improved and more equitable access to a diverse range of musical activities, opportunities, teachers, instruments and equipment.
  • Greater consistency of provision and ability to scale up effective programmes and ways of working for children and young people and schools.
  • Greater access to more advanced ensembles and a wider range of progression opportunities.
  • Greater access to the cultural capital centred around urban centres, thus improving connections and reducing isolation for rural communities.
  • More strategic leadership and governance, plus a wider range of employment opportunities and progression routes for the music education workforce.
  • Access to greater resources, capacity and capability to use government funding to leverage further investment.
  • An increased profile with wider musical stakeholders and a stronger connection with the music industry.

Schools alone cannot provide the range of services needed for a good quality music education and Music Hubs provide many services that contribute to schools delivering high-quality music provision. Furthermore, Music Hubs will play a critical role in supporting schools who opt to implement the Model Music Curriculum published in 2021 and for schools implementing their Music Development Plans from September 2024. In time, Music Hubs will also support schools opting to use music curriculum resources from Oak National Academy, who will publish their full suite of key stage 3 and 4 resources in the summer and who recently announced a partner to produce a suite of key stages 1 and 2 resources.

The government has a long-standing commitment to high-quality music education and this is reflected in the government’s National Plan for Music Education published in June 2022. This sets out the vision to enable all children and young people to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and have the opportunity to progress their musical interests and talents, including professionally by 2030. The department believes that Music Hubs play a vital role in ensuring children and young people across the country can access high-quality music education and this government values the many achievements that the existing Music Hub network has made since 2012.

The department has invested around £380 million of funding into Music Hubs between 2016 and 2021. As part of the National Plan for Music Education 2022, the department also announced £79 million of funding per year for the Music Hub programme, up to and including the 2024/25 academic year, to provide assurance and stability in music education. The department is also providing £25 million capital funding for musical instruments as part of the programme. The department will consider future funding for the next spending review in due course.

On average, the grant funding has consistently provided around 40% of a hub’s total income and hubs have historically used this to leverage other income streams over the lifespan of the programme. This co-funding approach will continue when the new programme is in place from September 2024. As set out in the investment programme, the department also expects organisations to have evidenced, as part of their applications to become one of the new HLOs, how at least 50% of a hub’s total income will come from other sources other than the revenue grant provided by the department by the end of the funding period.

There is no expectation on Music Hubs to provide free music tuition to all children. As part of the Music Hubs Investment Programme, bidders were required to submit plans detailing their strategic approach to ensure music education is inclusive of all children and young people with a range of needs, including how the Music Hub would ensure inclusion and widening opportunity will be embedded across all activity, plans and policies. This includes specific support and resources, including access to musical instruments, that will be made available for children and young people who are eligible for pupil premium, including looked-after children and/or those who are care experienced and those who have an identified special educational need or disability.


Written Question
Supply Teachers
Tuesday 16th April 2024

Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) adequacy of the level of experience of cover supervisors in schools and (b) potential impact of the use of cover supervisors on (i) student safety and (ii) educational outcomes.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.

The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:

  • Trainee teachers working towards QTS.
  • Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.
  • Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).

Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.

Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.

In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.

The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:

  • Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.
  • Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.
  • Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
  • Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.

The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.

Schools can learn more about the deal at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.

The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.


Written Question
Supply Teachers
Tuesday 16th April 2024

Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of regulating the qualifications and experience of staff made available to schools through teacher supply agencies.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.

The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:

  • Trainee teachers working towards QTS.
  • Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.
  • Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).

Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.

Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.

In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.

The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:

  • Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.
  • Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.
  • Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
  • Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.

The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.

Schools can learn more about the deal at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.

The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.


Written Question
Supply Teachers
Tuesday 16th April 2024

Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to support schools in low income areas that may experience challenges in securing qualified supply teachers.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.

The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:

  • Trainee teachers working towards QTS.
  • Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.
  • Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).

Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.

Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.

In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.

The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:

  • Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.
  • Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.
  • Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
  • Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.

The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.

Schools can learn more about the deal at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.

The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.


Written Question
Supply Teachers
Tuesday 16th April 2024

Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to take steps to assess the adequacy of qualifications held by people recruited to teacher supply agencies.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.

The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:

  • Trainee teachers working towards QTS.
  • Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.
  • Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).

Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.

Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.

In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.

The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:

  • Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.
  • Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.
  • Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
  • Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.

The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.

Schools can learn more about the deal at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.

The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.


Written Question
Regional Schools Commissioners: Finance and Staff
Tuesday 16th April 2024

Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the annual budget is for regional schools commissioners, per commissioner per region in each financial year since 2014-15; and how many staff were employed by each commissioner on average in each financial year since 2014-15.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

The department has identified the costs as the workforce costs and the General Administration Expenditure for the Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) and their teams up to 2022, and for Regional Directors and their teams from 2022 onwards. RSCs were replaced in 2022 by Regional Directors with an expanded remit.

The department's policy of retaining financial records for seven years limits access to data before the 2016/17 financial year.

In 2019 the department underwent re-organisation to align its delivery work in relation to academies, free schools and school improvement, bringing together functions that were previously delivered in different parts of the department. This data for 2019/2022 is therefore not directly comparable to previous years, as the functions delivered by the RSC teams expanded.

The RSC Staff programme budget, represented in the table below, was held centrally until the 2020/2021 financial year and then was split and allocated to the individual regions from 2021/2022. This was a change in where the budget sat rather than a change in staffing levels.

Workforce actual spend data for Regional Schools Commissioner teams 2016/2022

Workforce Actual Spend (Millions of GBP)

FY 2016/17

FY 2017-18

FY 2018/19

FY 2019/20

FY 2020/21

FY 2021/22

RSC East of England and North East London

£1.60

£1.62

£1.15

£1.07

£1.20

£1.99

RSC East Midlands and Humber

£1.90

£1.48

£1.39

£1.10

£1.33

£2.58

RSC Lancashire and West Yorkshire

£1.85

£1.91

£1.45

£1.33

£1.39

£2.86

RSC North & Opportunity North East

£1.57

£1.29

£1.16

£0.74

£0.93

£3.36

RSC North West London and South Central England

£1.89

£1.62

£1.27

£1.33

£1.51

£3.06

RSC South East and South London

£2.18

£1.66

£1.43

£1.11

£1.63

£3.40

RSD South West

£2.20

£1.98

£1.39

£1.59

£1.81

£3.55

RSC West Midlands

£1.90

£1.91

£1.15

£1.20

£1.67

£3.18

RSC Staff Programme Costs*

£4.08

£9.95

£14.68

£15.90

£16.31

£0.37

Full Time Equivalent staffing data for Regional Schools Commissioner teams 2016/2022

Full Time Equivalent Staff per Region

FY16/17

FY17/18

FY18/19

FY19/20

FY20/21

FY21/22

RSC East of England and North East London

44.01

41.46

42.6

47.4

41

41.6

RSC East Midlands and Humber

46.99

59.93

47

51.4

53

49.9

RSC Lancashire and West Yorkshire

54.16

68.71

48.6

64.2

64.1

54.5

RSC North & Opportunity North East

40.48

41.28

32.6

41.9

37.7

37.3

RSC North West London and South Central England

49.35

52.43

48.4

64.1

51.6

43

RSC South East and South London

54.19

58.52

42.4

61.7

54.8

52.3

RSC South West

54.66

55.59

53.7

67.2

59.2

58.9

RSC West Midlands

58.62

52.57

46.7

57.9

58.6

56.3

In July 2022, the creation of Regions Group within the department led to the replacement of the RSC role with Regional Directors, with a broader remit for the delivery of special educational needs and disabilities support and children’s social care improvement and interventions in their regions alongside their role in relation to academies and free schools. The regional structures were also re-organised to align with geographical boundaries of English regions. This data is therefore not directly comparable to the previous years.

Workforce actual spend data for Regional Director teams 2022/2024

Workforce Actual Spend Data for Regional Director Teams 2022 – 2024 (Millions of GBP)

Workforce Actual

Workforce Actual (at end of Feb 2024)

FY 2022/23

FY 2023/24

Regional Directorate - East Midlands

£2.70

£3.11

Regional Directorate - East of England

£3.60

£3.58

Regional Directorate - London

£4.06

£3.68

Regional Directorate - North East

£2.47

£2.09

Regional Directorate - North West

£4.44

£4.36

Regional Directorate - South East

£4.04

£3.93

Regional Directorate - South West

£4.34

£4.13

Regional Directorate - West Midlands

£4.26

£3.91

Regional Directorate - Yorkshire and the Humber

£4.00

£3.89

Full Time Equivalent staffing data for Regional Director teams 2022/2024

Full Time Equivalent Staff per Region

FY22/23

FY23/24 (Actual FTE at end of Feb 24)

Regional Directorate - East Midlands

47.7

54.6

Regional Directorate - East of England

53.0

65.5

Regional Directorate - London

55.6

56.3

Regional Directorate - North East

38.3

33.2

Regional Directorate - North West

76.2

80.0

Regional Directorate - South East

62.8

61.2

Regional Directorate - South West

66.3

78.5

Regional Directorate - West Midlands

69.7

70.7

Regional Directorate - Yorkshire and the Humber

62.7

71.7