Total spend on agency teaching staff from UK agencies

WQ.313/2023

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR CHILDREN AND EDUCATION

BY DEPUTY R.J. WARD OF ST. HELIER CENTRAL

QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 10th JULY 2023

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 17th JULY 2023

Question

“Further to the response to Written Question 18/2023, will the Minister state the total expenditure on agency teaching staff from UK agencies from 1st January 2023 to date, broken down into the following categories –

1. travel to and from Jersey for staff;
2. accommodation;
3. daily rate of pay to staff; and
4. daily rate paid to agency?”

Answer

There were at various times between five and eleven agency teachers employed for teaching vacancies between January and July 2023. In total we have worked with 16 teachers, some for only 2-3 weeks, others for two full terms. Five were in primary schools, the remainder in secondary placements, covering for either parental leave or unfilled fixed term vacancies.

The figures below are for expenditure on agency staff employed directly through CYPES central resourcing and does not include any similar expenditure made by schools directly with agencies.

1. £4,857
2. £82,910
3. daily rate of pay to staff; this is a private arrangement between the teacher and their agency
4. £297 average (range £273 - £380 per day depending on agency rates, experience and qualifications levels of candidates, and level of subject shortage.)

Total spend on staff £226,063 (paid from school supply budgets, invoiced to each relevant school directly)

Grand Total £313,830.

It continues to be the Minister’s preference to employ substantive permanent teachers wherever possible. Overseas agency teachers are only used for vacancies that have been unsuccessfully advertised on and off island and, for a variety of reasons, it has not been possible to make an appropriate substantive appointment.

Comparison of costs