​If you are a trust leader, business manager or headteacher trying to make sense of the RM6376 framework before September, you have probably seen the names Lot 1 and Lot 2 come up. What they mean in practice, and which one is actually right for your trust, is where many academies are still looking for clarity.

This blog focuses on Lot 1. What it is, how it works, what it delivers for academies and trusts, and when it is the right choice.

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First, Some Context

The Government Commercial Agency, formerly Crown Commercial Service, launched the RM6376 Supply Teachers and Education Recruitment framework on 30 April 2026. It runs until 29 April 2029 with an optional one-year extension and covers temporary, fixed-term and permanent staffing across teaching and support roles in public sector education settings.

The framework was developed jointly by the DfE and GCA with one central purpose: to bring transparency, consistency and value to the estimated £1.4 billion that academies and schools spend on agency supply staff every year. It replaces the previous STaTS framework and introduces a significant new compliance requirement. From September 2026, all single and multi-academy trusts must procure supply staff through the RM6376 framework, as set out in the 2026 Academy Trust Handbook.

That is not optional. Trusts that do not route their supply staffing through the framework from September onwards will be in breach of their funding agreement unless they can demonstrate a compliant alternative that meets two strict qualifying tests, a high bar that very few alternative arrangements will clear.

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What Lot 1 Actually Is

Lot 1 is the Preferred Supplier List route within the RM6376 framework. It is the more straightforward of the two lots and the one that covers the day-to-day supply and recruitment needs of the vast majority of academies.

Under Lot 1, a trust or academy selects from a list of pre-approved agencies that have passed the GCA's rigorous assessment of their financial standing, safeguarding standards, compliance processes and pricing transparency. Once an approved supplier is identified, the academy appoints them directly using a simple short order form. There is no complex tender process required for standard placements. It is fast, auditable and fully compliant.

Lot 1 covers a wide range of roles including classroom teachers, SEND specialists, teaching assistants, learning support staff, cover supervisors and non-teaching operational roles, all with transparent pay structures and capped agency fees built into the framework terms.

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How It Works in Practice

When an academy needs supply or temporary staff, the process under Lot 1 is straightforward.

The academy identifies their requirement, selects a Lot 1 approved supplier from the GCA agency selection tool, signs a short order form to formalise the appointment, and the agency sources and places the candidate. All supplier fees operate within the framework's capped rate structure, with agency mark-ups capped at £45 per day for teachers and tutors and £38 per day for support staff, regardless of which approved supplier is used.

For larger or more complex Lot 1 requirements, academies can also run a mini-competition, inviting multiple approved suppliers to put forward proposals. This approach is more appropriate for extended fixed-term or specialist roles where the additional rigour is warranted, but for most day-to-day supply needs, direct appointment is the standard and most efficient route.

Every placement made through Lot 1 is documented in a way that provides a clear, auditable procurement trail. That documentation is exactly what the ESFA and Academy Trust Handbook compliance requirements demand.

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The Benefits for Academies and Trusts

Compliance built in from the start. Every Lot 1 supplier has already passed the GCA's assessment of safeguarding, financial standing and information security. When your academy uses a Lot 1 approved supplier, you are not just meeting your procurement obligation. You are working with an agency that has been independently verified to meet the standards the DfE expects.

Transparent, capped costs. One of the most significant practical improvements the new framework delivers is cost transparency. Academies can see exactly what is being charged on top of worker pay. Fee caps apply to every supplier on the list, which means you are protected from inflated agency mark-ups and can plan and report your supply spend with confidence.

Flexibility and control. Unlike Lot 2, where a single master vendor manages all supply staffing centrally, Lot 1 gives academies the ability to choose which approved supplier they work with for each requirement. That flexibility matters if you already have a strong relationship with a particular agency, if different schools within your trust have different needs, or if you want to spread placements across more than one approved supplier.

Simplicity for existing relationships. If your trust already works with an agency that has been awarded a place on Lot 1, your existing working relationship can continue without disruption. You simply formalise it through the short order form process and you are compliant. There is no requirement to change agency or restart relationships from scratch, provided your current supplier is on the approved list.

Breadth of roles covered. Lot 1 covers everything from day-to-day supply cover to fixed-term contracts and permanent recruitment across teaching and support roles. That breadth means academies can use a single compliant route for the full range of their staffing requirements rather than managing different procurement approaches for different role types.

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When Lot 1 Is the Right Option

Lot 1 suits the majority of academies, including single academies and smaller multi-academy trusts where supply needs are manageable and the administration of working with one or more agencies is not a significant burden.

It is the right route if your academy values the flexibility to choose and switch between approved suppliers. If your trust has established agency relationships you want to preserve. If your supply requirements are relatively predictable and do not require centralised management across a large number of academies. And if you want a compliant, auditable procurement route without the complexity of a managed service arrangement.

For larger trusts managing high volumes of supply across many academies, where the administration of multiple agency relationships has become genuinely unwieldy, Lot 2 may offer better operational efficiency. But for the majority of trusts, Lot 1 is the practical, flexible and fully compliant answer.

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Where Link3 Fits In

Link3 Recruitment is an approved supplier on the RM6376 framework across both Lot 1 and Lot 2. For academies and trusts looking to meet the September 2026 compliance requirement through Lot 1, working with Link3 gives you access to a Midlands-based agency with a strong track record in education recruitment, rigorous safeguarding standards, and the relationships and candidate pool to fill supply, fixed-term and permanent roles efficiently.

If you want to understand how Lot 1 works for your specific situation before September, we are happy to walk you through it.

Get in touch with the Link3 Recruitment team today. Visit: www.link3recruitment.co.uk | Call: 0115 6972550

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Link3 Recruitment is an award-winning education recruitment agency and approved supplier on the RM6376 Supply Teachers and Education Recruitment framework across both Lot 1 and Lot 2, working with nurseries, primary schools, secondary schools, academies and Multi-Academy Trusts across the Midlands.