THE provision of supply teachers in Wales has been to a great extent privatised, and many councils no longer provide supply teachers. Many private agencies recruit and assign supply teachers to schools in need.
I found that eight authorities spent over £8 million on employing teachers through private agencies.
Plaid Cymru believes there is a better way to do this. The creation of national Welsh co-operative for supply teaching could ensure fair pay and conditions for supply teachers and ensure they were as much a part of the national ambition of raising standards as the rest of the profession.
The Children; Young People and Education Committee is doing an inquiry into supply teachers if you wish to submit evidence, please send a submission to SeneddCYPE@ assembly.wales Or by post to: Sarah Bartlett, Deputy Clerk, Children, Young People and Education Committee, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay, CF99 1NA.
As part of the inquiry, the Committee would like to learn about whether the use of supply teachers affects pupils. The Committee has prepared surveys for young people and for parents and carers.
The surveys are available until the end of the month on the links below.
Survey for young people: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/yp-supply-teaching Survey for parents and carers: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/inquiry-intosupply- teaching
SIMON THOMAS
Mid and West AM Shadow Education Minister
Party of Wales
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