North Shropshire bill for supply teachers doubles

Supply teacher spending through agencies has more than doubled in north Shropshire over the past two years, new figures say.

Primary and secondary schools in north Shropshire spent £42,957.28 on temporary staffing cover in 2008/09. But the latest statistics for 2010/11 reveal that figure has rocketed to £87,226.58.

The data was disclosed in a Freedom of Information request to Shropshire Council.

It comes in spite of a countywide education shake-up aiming to tackle a decline in funding and falling pupil numbers.

Among the biggest spenders was Sir John Talbot's School in Whitchurch, which paid £12,973.58 compared to £2,389.35 in 2008/09. And the Woodlands School in Wem paid £41,324 for supply staff through agencies such as Protocol Education Ltd, a rise of more than £8,000. But Ifton Heath Primary in St Martins, which faces closure, reduced its costs for supply staff to zero last year, from £413 two years ago.

Shropshire Council chiefs said the most common use of supply teachers was to cover sickness, school trips and teacher training days. Anne Gribbin, the council's service manager for education improvement, said: "Schools want to minimise any impact on their budget and have consistency in teaching and will therefore only spend money on supply teachers when absolutely necessary."