Education spending £23k a month on UK supply teachers

Tuesday 31 January 2023

The Government has spent nearly £100,000 in just four months on supply teachers from the UK to plug gaps in the workforce – with nearly £30,000 on travel and accommodation alone.

Earlier this month, it was confirmed that 11 supply teachers had been flown in from the UK to fill vacancies in Jersey schools after staffing levels were affected by illness, amid a spike in winter viruses.

As of 13 January, 28 teacher roles, 25 teaching assistant roles, and six Jersey Music Service roles were vacant - a rate of 4.13%. 17 teaching vacancies are currently listed on the government’s jobs website.

Education Minister Deputy Inna Gardiner previously said that she recognised there were “real pressures” in schools, with the vacancy rate for teachers and teaching assistants in the island, and that her department was working on “several directions” to recruit full-time staff.

Pictured: Education Minister Deputy Inna Gardiner.

And towards the end of 2022, fewer than five UK supply teachers were brought to the island. 

Responding to a written question from Deputy Rob Ward, Deputy Gardiner confirmed yesterday that “at various times up to two agency teachers” were employed between September and December last year and 11 since January. 

A total of £92,113 has been spent on agency staff from the UK during that period – roughly £23,000 per month.

A total of £63,985 has been spent on pay, £4,582 on travel to and from Jersey for staff and a further £23,546 has been spent on accommodation. 

Deputy Gardiner said that it would “always” be her preference to “employ substantive permanent teachers where possible”.

Efforts to recruit are continuing, and the government confirmed yesterday that it had received 36 applications for the latest iteration of its Jersey Graduate Teacher Training Programme, which launched last week.

For the first time this year, bursaries are being offered to trainees in subjects which are particularly short-staffed. 

Current teachers remain locked in dispute with the government over pay.

Education unions previously called for a pay rise of 15.4%, compared with the States Employment Board’s offer of 7.9%, which has already been accepted by civil servants and police.

INTERESTED IN TEACHING?

A drop-in session about the Jersey Graduate Teacher Training Programme is being held at the Education Building at Highlands this evening (Tuesday 31 January) at 18:15, and another on Monday 13 February at 18:15 and 19:15 online.

Anyone who wants to attend should email education.recruitment@gov.je to register their interest. Applications close on 16 February.