Member Article

North East supply teachers at risk under PM's plans

Newcastle supply teacher agency PK education is urging Prime Minister David Cameron to make special provision for temporary staff in schools following his proposal that teachers who fail to alert police to evidence that children are being sexually abused will face criminal prosecution and imprisonment.

As part of the Data Protection Act, supply teachers are not given access to pupil information and are unaware of vulnerable students in the classes they may teach which, under the new measures, will put them at a disadvantage to permanent teaching staff.

PK education, which is based on Collingwood Street in the City Centre, is urging David Cameron to make it a legal requirement that schools disclose identities of vulnerable students to temporary teaching staff before they enter the classroom.

The measures, which were announced by David Cameron on Tuesday 3 March, follows evidence of multiple failures by the public authorities in Rotherham, where more than 1,400 girls fell victim to paedophile gangs of mainly Pakistani backgrounds over 16 years. In his new plan teachers could face five years in prison for turning blind eye to child abuse.

Director of PK education Karl Housley said: “While we wholeheartedly support the Prime Minister’s plan to safeguard young people, the proposed reforms must make provision for temporary teaching staff who do not have access to pupil information or the knowledge gleaned from staff meetings to identify students at risk.

“As the proposed plan stands it very much puts supply teachers on the back foot and could leave them open to devastating consequences. A simple addition to the proposal ensuring that information about vulnerable students is shared with supply teachers before they enter the classroom would safeguard the students, temporary teaching staff and the school.”

PK education supplies 1000s of supply teachers and cover supervisors to schools across the North East, Northumberland, County Durham,Tyne & Wear and Teesside every year. Demand for temporary teaching staff has grown significantly in recent years in line with teacher shortages.

Almost three out of four local education authorities in England are experiencing a shortage. Maths and modern languages teachers are hardest to find - a fact ministers have attempted to address by introducing £4,000 ‘golden hellos’ for graduates in those subjects who enter training.

Karl added: “Supply teachers are playing an increasingly vital role in our children’s education. They are fundamental to the running of schools and they should not be forgotten about when introducing major legislation to the education sector.”

For more information about PK education or for details of available roles, visit www.pkeducation.co.uk

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This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Melton .