CAMPAIGNERS have blasted Dorset schools for spending more than £700,000 on agency staff in just one year.

Between December 2012 and December 2013 headteachers gave the go-ahead to spend the “horrendous” sum to cover events such as staff shortages and sickness.

The biggest spender overall was Queen Elizabeth’s School in Wimborne, which splashed out more than £100,000 – the equivalent of £68.79 per pupil.

However, deputy headteacher Tim Farrer said the real cost is only equivalent to £6 per student because of the school’s comprehensive insurance.

He explained: “The figure quoted on agency staff includes the school’s daily cleaning and catering costs, as well as covering absent staff during maternity leave and periods of short and long-term sickness.

“The figures do not take into account the money recouped via our comprehensive insurance, so the real cost to the school is approximately £10,000 per academic year, equivalent to £6 per student.”

Verwood’s Emmanuel Middle School is second on the list of highest spenders. It forked out £76,133 – the equivalent of £158 per pupil.

Headteacher Jill Watson, pictured, said: “Unfortunately last year we found ourselves in a situation where we had two temporary posts that we struggled to fill from January to July so as a result we used agency cover.”

Concerns have been raised over the “unsustainable” bill amid worries that it is taking away money from children’s education.

The figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, show that agency Teaching Personnel Ltd received £143,339.25 from Dorset schools in those 12 months.

All the money comes from school’s budgets – funded by the council, Government and some other sources.

Of the huge sum, £249,725 was taken from schools’ local bank accounts, which means the council can’t be sure to which agencies it was paid.

Margaret Morrissey, of pressure group Parents Outloud, said she is concerned about what schools spending out on agencies means for the quality of teaching.

She said: “Of course, you never want a child to be left without a teacher, but there’s something seriously wrong if £700,000 needs to be spent.

If you keep getting different teachers it can be very unsettling.”