Fears that the use of experienced supply teachers would be reduced due to being priced out of the market have been allayed.

There were fears that experienced teachers could have been priced out of the general supply market because they would have to be paid at a higher rate than those they were replacing.

However, as a result of discussions between the department for business, innovation & skills (BIS) and The Employment Agencies Movement (TEAM), general supply assignments will now be paid to the cover supervisor pay scale, providing lesson planning is not required.

For assignments where lesson planning is required, it has to be completed by a qualified teacher, and therefore the pay will be according to their individual pay scale. This was not how it could have been interpreted, as there was the potential to discriminate against more experienced teachers, who could have been priced out of the general supply market.

Liz Longman, TEAM managing director, says: “TEAM welcomes the final guidance to enable agencies to gain clarity”