£622 million was spent on supply cover teachers last year whilst a net loss of 7838 teachers will exaserbate the problem. The government quites increased dpending on education and health but fails to say how much goes directly into cover payments. having been a supply teacher for a while and worked closely with many tye following statements are true: Students see a supply teacher as game on time; many supply teachers (not all) are doing it because they are not good enough to get a full time job; schools do not care about the quality as long as no problems are created.
Raise the wages and attract a higher quality of teacher and health workers. The money is there – it is just going to the wrong places! Secretarial costs have spiralled at at one time my old school had more than 10 on the SMT with commensurate salaries. Those at the “chalk face” are those deserving the pay rise – we promote the best teachers so they can teach less! Nonsensical! And they are promoted to use skills they have no training or experience of!