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At a Questions at Any Time session, County Councillor Graham Breeze asked the Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, Councillor James Gibson-Watt, about rising spending on supply teacher agencies in Powys schools. The Cabinet Member said the council does not hold complete, verified data on this spending, and he explained why schools use supply teachers and what action and benchmarking are under way. The minute records no decision.
Response by the Cabinet Member: Response to Question at Any Time – Supply Teacher Agency Expenditure Schools in Powys make use of supply teachers for a combination of operational necessity and strategic workforce management, with the underlying reasons differing depending on whether the requirement is short-term or sustained over a longer period, If the planned period is longer term, HR officers advise schools to use a fixed term contract rather than supply. Despite this advice to schools, supply staff are sometimes engaged over extended periods. In the short term, the deployment of supply teachers is largely reactive and designed to maintain the immediate continuity of learning. Schools face a range of unpredictable staff absences, most commonly due to short-term illness, emergency leave or compassionate circumstances. In these situations, supply teachers provide essential cover that enables the school to sustain its timetable and ensure that pupils remain supervised and engaged in learning. Beyond unplanned absence, short-term supply is also used to release staff to fulfil professional duties that cannot be accommodated within their normal timetable. This includes attendance at training and professional learning, participation in multi-agency meetings linked to safeguarding or additional learning needs, and leadership responsibilities that require time away from the classroom. In secondary settings, periods of examination and moderation can also create temporary gaps in staffing, as teachers undertake external examining commitments. More broadly, the use of supply teachers helps schools to avoid placing excessive pressure on existing staff through internal cover arrangements, thereby supporting staff wellbeing and workforce sustainability. In contrast, the use of supply teachers over a longer period tends to reflect more strategic or structural challenges within the school’s staffing model. One of the most common drivers is planned absence, such as maternity, paternity or adoption leave, where schools require continuity of provision over a known and extended timeframe. Absences of this type should be covered by fixed term contracts as previously mentioned. Similarly, long-term sickness can create sustained gaps that necessitate a stable teaching presence to maintain consistency for learners. In other cases, schools turn to long-term supply when they encounter difficulties recruiting permanent staff, an issue that is particularly acute in rural areas and in shortage subjects or specialist provision, such as Welsh-medium education or additional learning needs expertise. In these circumstances, supply teachers provide an interim solution that allows curriculum delivery to continue while recruitment efforts are ongoing. Longer-term supply arrangements may also be used where there are temporary increases in pupil numbers, necessitating additional staffing to meet class size expectations or curriculum requirements. In some instances, schools deliberately employ experienced supply teachers as part of a school improvement strategy, for example to stabilise teaching quality or provide additional capacity during periods of Estyn follow-up or targeted intervention. Similarly, supply staff can offer flexibility during periods of organisational change, such as restructuring or budget-driven staffing adjustments, enabling schools to manage uncertainty while longer-term decisions are finalised. The figures quoted appear to be based on aggregated estimates. However, it is important to note that the Council does not hold complete, centrally verified data on all agency spend, as schools procure supply staff directly under delegated budgets and this is not recorded consistently at authority level. A full breakdown of agency versus direct employment, and spend by agency, is not currently available centrally for the reasons outlined above. However, we are improving oversight through financial monitoring and contract analysis, including identifying high-cost suppliers and patterns of use. Expenditure remains high due to: • national workforce pressures and rural recruitment challenges • increased demand for cover (including absence and ALN pressures) • a sector-wide shift towards agency supply, with the majority of supply teachers now agency-based Actions taken include: • review of the Council’s supply pool model • strengthened financial monitoring and challenge • work with schools to reduce long-term reliance on agency staff • promotion of alternative approaches such as cover supervisors Benchmarking work is in progress to provide robust comparisons (including spend per pupil and agency reliance). Nationally, most authorities are experiencing similar upward pressures. The Council is implementing a clear programme to reduce reliance on agency staff, including: • redesign of the supply pool • improved workforce planning in schools • tighter financial monitoring and accountability • exploration of regional approaches This work will include clear milestones aligned to the Council’s financial strategy. Supply costs contribute to wider financial pressures in schools. Improving financial sustainability, including reducing agency reliance, forms part of the Council’s broader recovery approach, alongside strengthened monitoring and support for schools. While supply expenditure remains a significant challenge, it reflects wider national workforce issues and the current delegated model. The Council is actively strengthening oversight, improving data, and taking targeted action to reduce costs while maintaining safe and effective provision in schools.
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