The Quality Mark was launched in July 2002, as a joint initiative between the Department for Education and Skills and Recruitment and Employment Confederation to help drive up standards for everyone in the sector. The Quality Mark sets minimum standards of operation for agencies and local education authorities recruiting supply teachers, including;

• Recruiting and interviewing supply teachers,
• Checking and managing supply teachers,
• Staying at the forefront of changes within the teaching sector.

In order to achieve the Quality Mark, TES has shown that it has successfully met the minimum standards in the above listed areas which includes being assessed on how we relate to our supply teachers and how we deal with schools on a day-to-day basis.

Schools and teachers deserve a high-quality agency and the Quality Mark helps both schools and teachers become more confident about the agency they use. It gives increased confidence to schools, parents and pupils that staff supplied through agencies are recruited properly and have ongoing support. For TES it provides both assurance and official recognition that the highest standards of recruitment practice are being adhered to; and Teachers can be confident that they have selected an accredited and reputable service that will add value to their experience as supply teachers.

For more information about the Quality Mark http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/supplyteachers/