Academy trusts trimming staff bills by cutting supply workers during crisis, Education Uncovered investigation hears

Major academy trusts are cutting their staffing bills during the coronavirus crisis by sacking or reducing the pay of long-term supply teachers, Education Uncovered has been told.

Some chains are said to be using the emergency to reduce their financial overheads, even though the government has continued to fund all schools at pre-crisis levels. The trusts are likely to argue that there has been less work for some staff.

Two of the largest 20 academy trusts are said to have terminated the ongoing contracts of supply teachers as schools were about to shut their doors to most pupils in March. I have seen evidence in the case of one of these trusts, and am still investigating.

This website has also uncovered copious details about what seem much less extreme, but still controversial, actions of another high-profile trust, Future Academies.

It has not terminated contracts in cases where supply staff are in the UK, though it has done so in relation to overseas temporary workers who returned to their home countries during this emergency, a letter from the trust’s chief executive to a union representative has revealed.