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AMs call for supply teaching improvements

Assembly Members on the Public Accounts Committee have called on the Welsh Government to make a series of changes, to ensure pupils' learning does not suffer when they are being taught by supply teachers.

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AMs: Supply teaching monitoring and support needed

The Welsh Assembly's Public Accounts Committee has called for more information to be gathered on teachers' absence, and how children progress under supply teaching - as well as more support for school leaders and supply teachers themselves in covering absence.

No teacher walks into a class with the intention of giving a poor standard of education, but a supply teacher covering a period of absence often has to adjust at short notice to different surroundings and different learners while trying to pick up where the permanent teacher has left off.

The Committee believes it is vital that children's education should not suffer during these periods.

It is surprising then that data on absence and cover is not routinely collected to give a detailed picture of the impact this has on education standards, and we note the Welsh Government's acknowledgement that it must do more in this area.

We also want to see better support for school governors, headteachers and supply teachers in covering absence, including improved access to appropriate professional development, to maintain the standards our school children should expect.

– Darren Millar AM, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee
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AMs call for supply teaching improvements

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