Revealed: The amount schools in Telford spend on agency staff

The Bridge School, a Hadley-based special school for children aged five to 16 with severe and profound learning difficulties, paid a total of £359,871.43 to 11 companies, according to figures provided by Telford & Wrekin Council following a freedom of information request.

Haughton School, Telford, and Burton Borough School, Newport, meanwhile, each forked out over £182,000, while Teagues Bridge Primary School and The Linden Centre, both based in Telford, spent £148,536.11 and £122,491.90 respectively.

In total, £2,176,871.41 was spent on agency staff by schools in the borough.

ABC Teachers Limited was the firm that benefited the most, with a total of £633,351.67 being received.

Other companies that were paid handsomely include Tara Professional Recruitment (£528,676.75) and Monarch Education (£190,963.63), with Protocol Education Ltd (£173,485.63) and Teacheractive Ltd (£134,297.91) completing the top five.

Amount spent on agency by schools in Telford and Wrekin during 2023/24

Apley Wood Primary School: £44,509.25

Burton Boroughg School: £182,113.88

Captain Webb Primary School: £60,052.38

Church Aston Infant School: £561.68

Coalbrookdale & Ironbridge CE Primary School: £76,906.08

Donnington St Matthews CE Primary School: £39,026.24

Donnington Wood CE Junior School: £91,263

Donnington Wood Infant School: £12,793.33

Dothill Learning Community: £35,450.45

Haughton School: £182,431.97

Hollingswood Primary School & Nursery: £62,314.92

Holmer Lake Primary School: £36,926.72

Holy Trinity Academy: £72,735.92

John Fletcher Junior School: £37,721.13

John Randall Primary School: £13,873.60

Ladygrove Primary School: £25,341.93

Lawley Primary School: £64,770.80

Lightmoor Village Primary School: £16,540.55

Lilleshall Primary School: £548.04

Linden Centre KSI-3 PRU: £122,491.90

Madeley St Mary’s Catholic Primary School: £37,871.96

Meadows Primary School: £54,043.33

Millbrook Primary School: £0.00

Moorfield Primary School: £52,960.00

Muxton Primary School: £53,430.29

Newport CE Junior School: £394.54

Newport Infant School: £11,102.40

Newport St Peter & St Pauk Catholic Primary School: £10,232.38

Oakengates Childrens Centre: £14,727.00

Old Park Primary School: £13,535.20

Preston St Lawrence CE Primary School: £11,099.00

Randlay Primary School: £220.00

Short Wood Primary School: £4,929.05

Sir Alexander Fleming Primary School: £22,558.95

Southall School: £22,558.95

Special Unit @ John Fletcher of Madeley: £2,141.50

Special Unit @ Langley Academy: £23.088.76

St Georges CE Primary School: £7,215.00

Teagues Bridge Primary School: £148,536.11

The Bridge School: £359,871.43

Tibberton CE Primary School: £11,112.50

Trench St Lukes Catholic Primary School: £13,330.00

Wellington St Patricks Catholic Primary School: £15,387.00

William Reynolds Junior School: £0.00

Wombridge Primary School: £10,069.99

Woodlands Primary School: £63,550.49

Wrockwardine Wood CE Junior School: £2,735.13

Wrockwardine Wood Infant School: £19,086.00

Telford & Wrekin Council said it does not provide guidance or policy to schools on agency workers and, other than the finance regulations, schools have delegated budgets and determine their own need for employing agency staff.

“Schools receive a delegated budget each year which is used to cover a number of items of expenditure, including staffing costs,” said a spokesperson.

“Should a school consider that there is a need for agency staff, the costs will be met from this existing budget.”

Shropshire Council, meanwhile, said it does not hold the data on how much was spent on agency staff from its schools, adding that each individual school would have to be contacted.