This is the final post in a three-part series. In our first post, we outlined the supply staffing challenges Shaw Education Trust (SET) faced. In our second post, we explained how they built their compliant master vendor model. Here, we share what it delivered.
For Shaw Education Trust, transforming supply staffing was never just about cutting costs. It was about making sure every pound was working as hard as possible for pupils. The results have exceeded expectations - and your trust could see similar outcomes.
The savings are real
For the academic year 2025-2026, SET has achieved over £1 million in annual savings*. One hundred per cent of supply is now managed through a compliant procurement route, with full central visibility and control of spend. Those savings have been reinvested directly into frontline provision - which was always the goal.
The benefits go further than finance
Safeguarding assurance has been significantly strengthened, with standardised and auditable processes applied consistently across all schools. Workforce planning has improved, supported by detailed data on supply usage and emerging staffing pressures. School leaders now have the information they need to act with confidence.
Staffing stability for pupils has improved through better matching and repeat placements. A structured quality assurance process has raised consistency across the trust.
Perhaps most significantly, SET has been able to use supply staffing as part of a longer-term workforce strategy. Since 1 September 2025, 18 individuals have converted from supply into permanent positions across teaching and support roles, with no permanent placement fees incurred. (Market standards can be to charge up to 20% of salary for permanent conversions).
From reactive to strategic
Reactive booking practices are reducing as data-led decision-making becomes embedded. The trust is now progressing a broader programme of workforce and operational improvement, built on the data, systems and governance this project has established.
Supply staffing, once a fragmented and costly afterthought, has become a strategic lever for school improvement.
If you are a trust or school leader considering your approach ahead of the launch of the 2026 Academy Trust Handbook, the DfE's Maximising Value for Pupils programme can help you get started. The journey is achievable - and as SET's experience shows, the benefits are real.
This blog was produced in collaboration between the DfE Maximising Value for Pupils programme team and Shaw Education Trust to share good practice and help every pound deliver for children. Connex are one of over 200 agencies that have been awarded to the framework agreement.
*Figures supplied by Shaw Education Trust and have not been verified by the Department for Education.
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