Ms V Chalk v Green Hammerton Church of England Primary School — 2026

The claimant, a supply teacher engaged through a recruitment agency, brought complaints under regulations 5, 13 and 17 of the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 against the respondent school. Employment Judge Shepherd, sitting alone at Leeds, heard evidence from the claimant and the headteacher and considered a bundle of documents running to 545 pages.

On regulation 5, the tribunal found the claimant had not completed the 12-week qualifying period under regulation 7: there was an eight-week break between her first assignment ending on 21 July 2023 and her return on 21 September 2023, and only six weeks of that break counted as a temporary cessation of the hirer's requirement. The tribunal was also not satisfied that the claimant was carrying out the same or broadly similar role to that of a permanent teacher in assignments 2, 3 and 4, noting she did not have full class responsibilities such as planning, long-term assessment, report writing and participation in parents' evenings and staff meetings.

On regulation 13, the tribunal accepted the headteacher's evidence that vacancies were advertised on an internal school noticeboard and that the claimant had the same access to vacancy information as permanent staff. On regulation 17, the tribunal found the claimant had not requested a written statement under regulation 16 or alleged a breach of the Regulations before the alleged detriment on 22 January 2024, and that the respondent had not in fact terminated the assignment. All complaints were dismissed.