Sandwell schools spent £5m on agency staff

Almost £5million was spent by schools across Sandwell employing agency staff during 12 months, new figures reveal.

Casual workers were used to cover sickness absences and maternity leave to ensure pupils did not miss vital lessons at primary, secondary and special schools.

Money has also been spent on bringing in additional teaching specialists and coaches.

Agency staff may also be drafted in to help with exams and recruitment.

A total of £3,714,074 was spent by primary schools and £767,909 by secondaries in the borough between April 2013 and March 2014.

While special schools paid out £345,275 bringing the total for the borough to £4,827,259.25.

The amount spent per school ranged from £338 to £183,634, according to the statistics.

Deputy leader of Sandwell Council, Councillor Steve Eling, who is a governor at Bearwood Primary School, said that he believed schools mostly used temporary workers to cover staff sickness and ensure there was no disruption to lessons for pupils.

"It will mostly be supply teachers who are needed to cover when somebody who is off sick and it's important for them to do this. It may also be to cover long-term sickness or absence," he added.

The amount spent during the period is less than the previous 12 months, the figures, which were released under a Freedom of Information request, show.

The bill in 2012/13 was more than £5.3million and was one of the highest in the Midlands.

Among the highest spending primary schools were Uplands Manor in Smethwick where the bill was £183,634.47, Guns Village in West Bromwich which spent £138,230.77 and Blackheath Primary which paid out £136,093.56.

While out of secondary schools, the biggest bills were at Holly Lodge High School in Smethwick which spent £307,183.33 during 12 months and Phoenix Collegiate High in West Bromwich, which paid out £215,695.55.

Sandwell Council does not get involved in school finances as each school controls their own budget and decides on any additional staff they need to bring in.

But the council has previously said it works with schools to help them retain staff and reduce sickness absence.

Elsewhere in the Black Country, in January, it was revealed that more than £500,000 was spent on supply teachers at schools and nurseries in Walsall in just three months.