Revealed: Derbyshire schools spent more than £6million on supply teachers last year

More than £6million was spent on supply teachers in Derbyshire schools in the last academic year, we can reveal.
More than 6million was spent on supply teachers in Derbyshire last year.More than 6million was spent on supply teachers in Derbyshire last year.
More than 6million was spent on supply teachers in Derbyshire last year.

A Freedom of Information request to Derbyshire County Council found that a total of £6,091,833.61 went on supply and agency staff from September 2017 to August 2018.

The statistics show that £3,956,998.95 was spent by primary schools, £1,337,771.87 by secondary schools, £786,594.43 by special schools and £10,468.36 by nurseries.

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Education chiefs at County Hall said the figure is down by £1.7m (21.7 per cent) from the previous academic year.

“Our job is to help Derbyshire children and young people get the best start in life and ensure they have the appropriate teaching which provides a high standard of education to help them achieve their full potential,” a council spokesperson said.

“This may involve some schools sometimes needing to use supply teachers or agency staff.

Schools manage their own budgets and bear the best interests of their students in mind when they make decisions about staffing.”

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Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT teachers’ union, said: “The expenditure reflects the fact that schools in the area recognise the educational value of using qualified teachers to fill in where staff are absent. They should be congratulated for not resorting to putting even more pressure on existing staff to cover for absence.

“There are however separate issues which the local authority should examine about what are the contributory factors driving staff absence. There is little doubt stress and excessive workload will be high on the list.”

Selected nursery schools:

Ripley Nursery - £4,605.96

South Normanton Nursery - £640

Selected special schools:

Alfreton Park - £4,480.07

Holly House

School - £54,987

Selected primary schools:

Leys Junior School - £16,879.59

Riddings Infant and Nursery - £45,110.13

Brampton Primary - £8,750

Creswell Junior - £24,586.63

Grassmoor Primary - £17,426.00

Cotmanhay Junior - £43,482.89

Little Eaton Primary - £19,139

Darley Dale Primary - £28,111.17

Staveley Junior - £8,530.00

Tupton Primary - £29,431.83

Spire Junior School - £29,512.50

Holme Hall Primary - £46,483.50

St John’s CE Belper - £33,010.46

Milford Community Primary - £390

Selected secondary schools:

Tibshelf - £83,997.95

Anthony Gell School - £63,335

Parkside Community School - £37,937.65

Hasland Hall Community School - £176,084.08

Frederick Gent - £23,177.14