If their figure of a 40% increase is correct, someone must have put up their fees enormously

Barry Hughill, Timeplan

The survey was carried out in Newham (inner London), the outer London Boroughs of Croydon and Hillingdon, Kent and Surrey and some schools in other parts of the country.

Researchers reported that during the school year 2000/2001, most schools spent more than �10,000 a year and that a "substantial number" were spending between �20,000 and �50,000 a year.

In 10 cases, the bill for supply teachers came to more than �100,000.

The researchers found about a third of schools were not confident the supply teachers would be properly qualified.

About a third were not confident that the teachers provided would be competent in the subjects or the age ranges required.

And a fifth were worried that checks on the teachers supplied might not be properly carried out.

David Hart said: "Desperate measures are being taken to put bodies in front of classes to avoid sending pupils home."

Standards

The NAHT is calling on the government to launch an urgent inquiry into they way teacher supply agencies operate.

In the autumn the government indicated it wanted to bring in a self-regulation system for supply agencies.

Under the scheme, agencies which met certain standards - in terms of service to schools, management and rigorous checking of teaching - would be awarded a quality mark.

One of England's biggest teacher supply agencies - Timeplan - says it is surprised by the results of the survey.

Spokesman Barry Hughill said: "Our fees in the past year have gone up by about 7% - 8%.

"So if their figure of a 40% increase is correct, someone must have put up their fees enormously.

"There would be no justification for us to put our fees up so much and it would be commercial suicide."

Another big agency - Select Education - denied profiteering.

Marketing executive David Rose said the agency's daily rates had risen by about 10% or 11% in the past year.

The average daily charge was �137, he said.

"It's a market-led situation. Teachers are in short supply and they have a say in what they are paid."

He said there were regional variations and varying rates of pay related to teachers in shortage subjects.

Select worked in partnership with schools and local education authorities to provide a much-needed service, he said.

Both agencies said they carried out extensive checks on teachers and made sure they were fully aware of the demands of the national curriculum.