National
Assembly for Wales
Children, Young People and Education Committee
ST 11
Inquiry into
Supply Teaching
Evidence from :
Teacher – Higher School & Parent
Consultation questions
If you believe that this results in problems (for example, for schools, pupils or teachers), how do you think they could be resolved? |
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Where schools employ additional staff internally to manage colleague absence, the situation is less critical. Schools that still utilise daily supply to cover extended absence need an alternative:
1) Schools to be required to employ additional staff to cover absence 2) Employ additional teachers across a group of schools – with staff operating across and between institutions. 3) Have a centrally facilitated, mandatory training program and management system for supply teachers – some form of central regulatory body.
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How significant is this issue? (Please select one option) |
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1 – This is a key, urgent problem. |
§ X |
2 – This is a problem that needs to be addressed. |
§ |
§ 3 – This is a minor problem |
§ |
4 – Not a problem. |
§ |
Question 2 - What are your views on the circumstances in which supply teachers are used for example, the types of classes they cover; the types of learning activities which take place under the supervision of supply teachers; whether they are qualified to teach relevant subjects? |
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High quality practitioners can (in the main) teach most subjects – and outcomes for learners are higher with a great teacher, with a range of pedagogies than a subject specialist, with great specific knowledge, nut poor teaching skills.
If supply teachers are used for very short term (1 day) cover, then KS2, KS3 and KS4 all would benefit from better teachers over subject specialists.
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If you believe there are problems in this area, how do you think they could be resolved? |
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See previous point on managing, training, CPD for supply teachers.
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How significant is this issue? (Please select one option) |
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1 – This is a key, urgent problem. |
§ |
2 – This is a problem that needs to be addressed. |
§ X |
§ 3 – This is a minor problem |
§ |
4 – Not a problem. |
§ |
Question 3 - What are your views on the impact of the use of supply teachers on the outcomes for pupils (including any impact on pupil behaviour)? |
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In a secondary setting, learners can be very tribal – and external supply teachers are seen by the pupils as someone who they “don’t have to take seriously”. As supply teachers probably don’t know school procedures, they often ignore poor behaviour. As a result, outcomes are generally less than with the class teacher.
Plus, during periods of emergency cover, the quality of the work provided for the learners is very often “make work” designed to keep the leaners busy as opposed to moving them on educationally. Learners know this, so they behave accordingly.
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If you believe there are problems in this area, how do you think they could be resolved? |
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Some school operate an “emergency” cover booklet system – with non-subject specific activities for learners. Some schools have a similar system with each subject designing a series of non related lessons to be used for emergency provision.
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How significant is this issue? (Please select one option) |
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1 – This is a key, urgent problem. |
§ |
2 – This is a problem that needs to be addressed. |
§ X |
§ 3 – This is a minor problem |
§ |
4 – Not a problem. |
§ |
Question 4 - What are your views on the Continuous Professional Development of supply teachers and the potential impact of the National Professional Learning Model? |
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The issue of line management, cpd and NPLM is a serious one. Who looks after supply teachers? Who ensures that they can “do” what the claim? How do you take a supply teacher through competency? Who do you complain to? Who pays for their CPD?
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If you believe there are problems in this area, how do you think they could be resolved? |
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Supply Agencies need to do more that “match make” and send the next teacher on the list to a school. They need to act as the employer and line manage that member of staff, provide CPD, INSET etc etc.
How about a national standard that supply agencies must (by law) adhere to?
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How significant is this issue? (Please select one option) |
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1 – This is a key, urgent problem. |
§ |
2 – This is a problem that needs to be addressed. |
§ X |
§ 3 – This is a minor problem |
§ |
4 – Not a problem. |
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Question 5 - What are your views on performance management arrangements for supply teachers? |
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None existent at present – if this was to be instigated, raises the questions of “who line manages them” and “who is responsible”
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If you think there are problems in this area, how do you think they could be resolved? |
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See Q4
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How significant is this issue? (Please select one option) |
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1 – This is a key, urgent problem. |
§ |
2 – This is a problem that needs to be addressed. |
§ X |
§ 3 – This is a minor problem |
§ |
4 – Not a problem. |
§ |
Question 6 - Do you consider that local authorities and regional consortia have sufficient oversight of the use of supply teachers? |
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Good question.
Previous models for supply cover used local agreements where the LA’s and Consortia could recommend a teacher to cover an absence – now this has been replaced with agencies and cover supervisors, these external bodies do not have any real oversight.
LA subject advisers used to maintain a list of cover teachers for their subject. These roles no longer exist in Consortia so this intelligence has been lost and schools are dependent on commercial agencies for advice.
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