NewsEducationEducation NewsGovernment pledges to help former teachers get back in schools amid Covid staff absences

‘We want to make sure that as many supply staff as possible are available to schools and colleges’

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Nadhim Zahawi says the government will help former teachers to register for supply agencies

(REUTERS)

The government will help former teachers to get back in schools to support those facing staff absences, the education secretary has said.

In a letter to headteachers, Nadhim Zahawi said the Department for Education (DfE) would help ex-teachers to register with supply agencies in a bid to boost the number of temporary staff available.

The Covid pandemic has already seen former NHS staff return to work to help the service in its fight against the virus.

Headteachers have also told The Independent staff absences were the biggest threat to keeping schools open in January.

In his letter to schools published on Thursday, Mr Zahawi said: “We know that in areas with high absence, a particular issue can be the availability of supply staff.”

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The education secretary added: “We want to make sure that as many supply staff as possible are available to schools and colleges. That is why we are now looking at what steps and measures we can put in place to boost supply capacity.”

He said the DfE would work with supply agencies and sector leaders to offer advice to former teachers who want to return.

“We will help them to register with supply agencies as the best way to boost the temporary workforce available to the sector,” he said.

The education secretary added: “From now, you can support this effort by using your own professional and personal networks to encourage others to sign up to offer temporary help.”

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On Wednesday, the chair of the education select committee, Tory MP Robert Halfon, raised the idea of bringing retired teachers back into the workforce to help ease staffing pressures.

“There’s a nationwide campaign for an army of NHS volunteers but not for education,” he told parliament.

“Why is a similar army of retired teachers or Ofsted inspectors not being recruited to support schools struggling to cope with staffing requirements?”

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According to the latest government figures, an estimated 2.4 per cent of teachers were not in school last Thursday due to a Covid-related reason.

Most of these - 1.7 per cent of teachers and school leaders in England - were absent from open schools due to a confirmed case of Covid.

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Comments {"currentIndex":0}1/1Ex-teachers could return to schools amid Covid staff absences Ex-teachers could return to schools amid Covid staff absences

Nadhim Zahawi says the government will help former teachers to register for supply agencies

REUTERS

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