Scotland's new Chair of Teacher Education, Professor Ian Menter at the University of Glasgow's Curriculum Studies Department, is investigating the effectiveness of deploying permanent supply teachers to short-term cover within a cluster of schools.

Working alongside Dr Merryn Hutchings, from the Institute of Policy Studies in Education at London Metropolitan University, and June Stefani at the University of Paisley, this study arises out of a project carried out for the Scottish Executive in 2002-3 focusing on the management of supply cover in the teaching profession.

The report from that study published in 2004 showed that many schools were experiencing difficulty in obtaining the supply cover that they needed. When schools were able to draw regularly on the same supply teachers, who were familiar with the school and its pupils, schools were generally satisfied with the situation. However, the use of unfamiliar supply teachers was seen as having a negative effect on pupil behaviour and achievement. Additionally, a large amount of senior staff time was devoted to trying to find suitable cover. Concern was expressed that supply teachers could be selective about the work they took on, and some, often challenging, schools were particularly disadvantaged.

In the light of this, many school managers suggested that a helpful way forward would be to employ many more permanent supply staff who would work in clusters of schools. Such teachers would not be able to refuse to go to particular schools, and they would also work regularly in the same schools. Thus the introduction of a cluster system through which permanent supply teachers could be deployed to provide short-term cover was overwhelmingly the most frequent suggestion from school managers.

This study aims to investigate current practice in the areas where permanent staff are deployed in this way, and to evaluate how effective these systems are for both schools and supply teachers.

Professor Ian Menter from the University of Glasgow commented:

'We hope that this research will be of value in building on one of the recommendations which emerged from our earlier report, it will inform both the Executive and education authorities about the advantages and disadvantages of deploying supply teachers through a cluster system, and of the different strategies used in managing such systems.'

Professor Ian Menter was appointed as the first ever Chair of Teacher Education at the University of Glasgow at the end of last year. Commenting on the creation of this new post, Hirek Kwiatkowski, Dean of the Faculty of Education said:

'As a permanent position the Chair of Teacher Education is the first of its kind in Scotland. Professor Menter has an exciting and crucial role in the effective development and co-ordination of research into initial teacher education and continuing professional development. The creation of this new post reflects the commitment to educational research underpinning initial teacher education at the University of Glasgow.'

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For more details contact Mike Findlay in the University Press Office on 0141 330-3535.

Professor Menter was previously Dean of the Faculty of Education and Media at the University of Paisley between 2001 and 2003. He has also held the posts of Head of School of Education at the University of North London (now London Metropolitan University); Principal and Senior Lecturer at the University of the West of England, Bristol; and lecturer and practitioner of primary school education.

First published: 8 February 2005