Supply staff

Advice for supply members, whether working via agencies or directly with schools, and for NEU branch and district officers supporting such members.

Supply teachers who are in a 'pool' maintained by a local authority (LA), those located through the school's own contacts, or part-timers who wish to temporarily increase their hours, are likely to be employees of the school or LA for their period of supply work.

As employees, supply teachers will qualify for the numerous protections and benefits that arise from such status.

These include:

pay in accordance with and by reference to the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document or the School teachers’ pay and conditions (Wales) document.
membership of the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS).
redundancy payments (after two years continuous service).
protection against unfair dismissal (after two years of continuous employment).

These rights are the same as those enjoyed by full-time teachers in the maintained sector in England and Wales.

Supply members survey and charter

The NEU’s latest survey of supply members shows that, despite a teacher shortage and Covid absences, and regardless of the Government’s efforts to regulate the supply teacher market, there has been no increase in supply teacher pay compared with previous years.

Man writing on a whiteboard with people beside him

NEU supply member survey

The NEU’s annual supply member survey examines a range of issues relating to supply staff and their pay and employment.

A charter for supply educators

This charter sets out the union’s aspirations for its supply teacher and support staff members and the steps which are necessary to achieve them.

Advice for agency workers

The position of teachers working for supply teacher agencies is less beneficial. Currently, these supply staff have no employment protection because they are not employed by the end-user (the school or college where they work). Their placement can be terminated, often on 24 hours' notice, with no right of challenge or redress.

Secondly, not being employees, they have no rights of equal treatment as to terms and conditions in comparison with their colleagues in the workplace, unless they have been employed by the same employer for twelve weeks.

Supply teachers employed through an agency can not join the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS).