There’s a growing crisis in the education sector, and it’s not just about funding, recruitment, or retention. It’s about where your school’s precious resources are going.
While many schools continue to struggle with staff absences and long-term vacancies, the supply agency sector is quietly profiting – heavily. The media often reports that some supply agencies are charging extortionate rates, profiting at the expense of already stretched education budgets, and delivering poor value for money. And yet, the cycle continues.
But it doesn’t have to.
Schools Mutual Services (SMS) was created precisely because of this problem. Frustrated school leaders recognised the blatant imbalance: agencies making eye-watering profits while schools struggle to make ends meet. That’s why SMS was formed—by schools, for schools.
If you are a school or academy leader and you haven’t yet talked to SMS about your supply staff provision, it’s time to ask yourself: Why not?
We aren’t just another supply agency. SMS is different—intentionally, transparently, and fundamentally:
- We are school-owned, school-led, and governed by education leaders.
- We cap our margins and operate ethically.
- Our costs are transparent, our service is legally compliant, and our mission is to put every possible penny back into education.
It’s no secret that budgets are tight. Every pound spent with a profit-hungry agency is a pound lost from classrooms, pupils, and progress. Yet some schools continue to accept this as the status quo.
SMS is not a stopgap. It’s a sustainable, values-driven solution.
We urge school leaders to take a hard look at how their supply staffing is being managed—and who is truly benefiting. If you haven’t had a conversation with SMS yet, now is the time. We are here, ready to show you exactly how we operate and how we can make a measurable difference to your school’s budget and supply staffing outcomes.
This isn’t about doing things differently for the sake of it. It’s about doing things better—ethically, responsibly, and with education, not profit, at the heart of every decision.
Contact the team today and take back control of your staffing provision.
With regional offices in Newcastle, Oxford, and Nottingham, SMS works with schools across the whole of the North East, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicester, Oxfordshire and Swindon. Each office is embedded within its local education community, working in partnership with school trusts, teaching alliances such as OTSA, and local authorities to deliver tailored supply staffing support across primary and secondary education, whether that is day-to-day supply teaching or long-term placements. From multi academy trusts to community primary and special schools, SMS is helping educational establishments navigate financial pressures with a smarter, more sustainable solution for supply teachers and support staff, that puts pupil outcomes first.
North East Hub
Portland House, Newcastle, NE1 8AL
📞 0191 933 8300
✉️ info@schoolsmutualservices.co.uk
South East Hub
Podium Sandford Gate, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 6LB
📞 01865 597 771
✉️ oxford@schoolsmutualservices.co.uk
East Midlands Hub
16 Commerce Square, Nottingham NG1 1HS
📞 0115 646 6460
✉️ nottingham@schoolsmutualservices.co.uk