Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will write to schools to clarify his Department's guidance on how they should pay supply teachers who are currently employed by them on either (a) day-to-day or (b) long term assignments, during school closures as a result of the January 2021 covid-19 lockdown.

All primary schools, secondary schools and colleges in England are now expected to provide remote education for the majority of their pupils and students, with the exception of vulnerable children and young people and the children of critical workers, who can attend school or college in person. Where vulnerable children and young people and children of critical workers do not attend school, we expect schools to provide them with remote education.

Schools will continue to receive their budgets for the coming year as usual, regardless of any periods of partial or complete closure. Schools have autonomy over these budgets and their employment arrangements and decisions on staffing are made at the local level.

Schools can continue to engage supply teachers and other supply staff during this lockdown period and schools may want to consider how supply teachers, and other temporary staff, can assist in delivering face to face education to pupils who continue to attend school and to deliver remote education for those who are not attending.

The Department is considering what further guidance may be helpful to schools with their workforce planning. Schools should continue to check updates to our guidance on restricting attendance in the national lockdown, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/950510/School_national_restrictions_guidance.pdf.