If you’re soaking up every last bit of the summer sun, you’ve definitely earned it. But before you get back to lesson plans, classroom prep, and staffroom coffee, there’s a quick update you’ll want on your radar. From September 2026, changes to how schools and trusts book temporary staff mean that vetted supply agencies are set to play a bigger role in how schools access teachers and support staff.
The Department for Education is updating the rules around how schools and multi‑academy trusts (MATs) choose temporary staff. Many will start using frameworks, government-approved lists of vetted agencies, more consistently.
So, what does that mean for you? The changes are aimed at schools and trusts, but they could affect where some supply teaching opportunities come from.
What is changing in September 2026?
Framework-approved suppliers are likely to become the main way for schools to access temporary staff. Frameworks set standards that agencies must meet to be approved, including requirements around quality, pay, safeguarding and compliance.
You can expect:
- Schools relying more on supplier lists
- Framework suppliers meeting specific standards
- These lists guiding how temporary staff are booked
What is a framework‑approved supplier?
A framework is a list of agencies that have passed stringent checks. Schools and MATs will use these lists to book supply teachers and support staff.
Protocol Education is on both the Government Commercial Agency (GCA) Framework (RM6376) and the ValueMatch Framework. This means we’ve met the required standards around quality, pay rates, safeguarding and compliance, giving schools and MATs confidence when they book temporary staff through us.
There are currently fewer than 200 suppliers approved on the official government framework, so it is important to check if your first-choice agency has made the cut.
For you, that means being registered with Protocol Education gives you a trusted route into schools and trusts that use framework-approved suppliers, helping you stay connected to temporary roles across local schools and trusts.
- Trusted access. A trusted route into local schools and MATs using vetted suppliers.
- More placements. As schools increasingly book temporary staff through registered suppliers, being registered keeps you in the mix for relevant roles.
- Peace of mind. You know you’re working with an agency that has met required standards.
Why does this matter to educators?
Even though the changes are aimed at schools, they still shape how temporary teaching assignments reach you. Understanding them now means you’re ready for September.
Whether you are a teacher, teaching assistant (TA), SEND specialist, cover supervisor, nursery staff member, or early career teacher (ECT), here’s what the changes could mean for you:
- More jobs may flow through framework‑approved agencies
- Framework approval means strong compliance processes
- Being registered with a supplier keeps you ready for supply teaching next academic year and beyond
The key takeaway? You don’t need to change everything about how you work. But registering with another supplier alongside your existing arrangements could help keep more doors open.
What if my agency is not on a framework?
If your current education recruitment agency isn’t on the framework, there’s no need to panic. It doesn’t automatically mean you’ll lose work or that you need to stop working with them. Schools and trusts will still make their own decisions about which suppliers they use. However, as more schools and trusts review suppliers, some education jobs may increasingly be accessed through approved suppliers.
That’s why it can make sense to broaden your options. If you’ve not done so already, registering with a framework-approved education recruitment agency can help you access more opportunities. In short: you don’t have to put all your eggs in one basket.
What should you do next?
Getting ready for the new academic year doesn’t need to be complicated. Here are a few simple steps you can take:
- Check your agency: Find out whether your current agency is on the framework, such as the GCA or ValueMatch Framework.
- Keep your options open: Consider registering with a framework-approved supplier to gain access to more jobs.
- Speak to a consultant: If you’re not sure what the changes mean for you, our team can talk you through them.
- Update your details: Make sure your information is up-to-date in the myProtocol Work app, so you’re ready to hear about relevant roles.
- Get September ready: Complete your registration now and tick one more thing off your pre-September to-do list.
Get September ready
Want to keep your options open for the new academic year? Registering with Protocol Education takes just a few minutes, so you can get set up now and be ready to hear about relevant work opportunities as they arise.