Supply teaching agencies came under fire last week as agency TimePlan was slammed by the government over the Gehring case.

The agency ignored warnings and placed the teacher, against whom allegations of sexual misconduct had already been made. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is to meet with agencies to discuss ‘serious issues’ arising from the case and greater regulation of the sector.

Supply teacher Amy Gehring was cleared on 4 February of having indecently assaulted two teenage boys at the Surrey school she was working in. After the trial it emerged Gehring had been the subject of previous allegations.

TimePlan – the agency supplying her – had ignored a letter from child protection experts warning: ‘She may act in the same way again if she obtains another teaching position and pose a threat to children.’

Education secretary Estelle Morris attacked the agency on the BBC Today programme: ‘TimePlan made a monumental error and as a result of this, this teacher was allowed back into schools.’

TimePlan admitted responsibility but criticised Morris’ attack: ‘We don’t think anything is to be gained from government ministers going round trading blows and saying “it’s just TimePlan”,’ spokesperson Barry Hugill told Professional Recruiter.

‘Of course the major error was TimePlan’s. But the DfES (Department for Education and Skills) was aware of what had happened soon afterwards, the police have confirmed that they informed them. It doesn’t take away our culpability, but the department could have acted.’

The news has provoked widespread calls for improved control of the £600m a year private supply industry. The sector is currently regulated as other recruitment agencies, not as providers of staff working closely with children.

But TimePlan itself says the government’s proposed quality kitemark scheme will ‘not make any difference’. ‘It’s self-regulatory and fairly toothless. As far as we’re concerned, the tougher the government regulations the better,’ said Hugill.

The director of TimePlan’s Surrey office Rob Stonier has been sacked, and national director Chris King has resigned.