A supply teacher agency has launched a scheme where schools can earn loyalty ‘stars’ to buy equipment for their classrooms.

Protocol Teachers, which supplies daily, short-term and long-term teaching staff across the UK, set up the Partnership Star Scheme at the start of this academic year with high street retailer Argos.

For every £500 which a school spends on recruiting staff from Protocol, it receives a star. Schools then receive a monthly statement to let them know how many stars they have accumulated, and the stars can be redeemed against products in the Argos catalogue.

“We know how hard-pressed schools are. For many schools these will be much needed items,” said Matthew White, marketing manager at Protocol.

More than 100 schools have registered since the scheme was launched, and many have reported using Protocol again because they were collecting stars. “It’s definitely increased business and it can only get bigger,” said White.