Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an estimate of the number of lessons in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools that have been taught by supply teachers in England in each academic years since 2015-16.

The information requested on the number of lessons in primary and secondary schools that have been taught by supply teachers is not held by the Department. Information on the state funded school workforce in England, including subjects taught in a typical week in secondary schools is collected as part of the annual School Workforce Census each November. This is published in the annual ‘School Workforce in England’ national statistics release, which can be accessed at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

Information on subjects taught is only collected from a sample of secondary schools, based on hours taught as opposed to lessons, and does not identify whether the teacher was a supply teacher.