Secretary of State for Education Damian Hinds has launched a clampdown on agencies charging schools “excessive” fees to recruit staff and advertise vacancies, in a push to help save money and tackle “unnecessary costs”.

“Many schools rely on supply teachers at some point in the year to cover short and longer-term vacancies, or pay for adverts to recruit the staff they need,” Hinds said. “Some agencies charge schools costly finder’s fees if head teachers want to make supply staff permanent and do not set out how much they are charging on top of the basic wages paid to supply staff.”

Among the government’s steps to save on recruitment agency costs, Hinds announced the launch of a free website to advertise vacancies, which the government states currently costs schools up to £75 million a year. The website will include part-time roles and job shares.

Additionally, Hinds will also launch a new nationwide deal for head teachers from September 2018, developed with Crown Commercial Service, providing them with a list of supply agencies that do not charge fees when making supply staff permanent after 12 weeks.

According to Hinds, the preferred suppliers on the list will also be required to clearly set out how much they are charging on top of the wages for staff. This will make it easier for schools to avoid being charged excessive fees and reduce the cost burden on schools of recruiting supply teachers through agencies.

“Every pound that’s spent on excessive agency fees, or on advertising jobs, is a pound that I want to help schools spend on what really matters: making sure every child, whatever their background, is inspired to learn and to reach their potential,” Hinds said.

John Nurthen, executive director global research for Staffing Industry Analysts said, “Hinds has not announced any new government money to either train or retain teachers which makes staffing firms a convenient scapegoat for lack of public investment.”

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told the BBC that reducing the cost of supply teacher agencies would be welcome. But he warned that these costs were "driven upwards by the fact that schools have to constantly plug gaps because of the ongoing crisis in teacher recruitment and retention".