Mumsnet Talk

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I have absolutely no idea what goes on at my child's school every minute of the working day

Not sure I need to, tbh

Why are you so concerned about it?

You could go into hospital for a major operation and the majority of your care could be delivered by an unqualified healthcare worker. Would that bother you, even if you were being appropriately looked after and cared for?

Cover supervisors are based full-time in schools, so, on the whole, know the pupils, unlike agency supply teachers who may never have been to the school and may never come again. Cover supervisors are only allowed to cover a teacher for the first couple of days of absence and most of the ones I know try their hardest to teach the classes - even if it isn't their subject and even if they are not qualified teachers.

You are being sensationalist and a bit hysterical imho and I don't really see what you want people to reply to you.

I say what would you prefer? A suply teacher who has never met the children before, never been in the school before, who may not specialise in the subject they are covering?

And I think you are treading on this ice with "glorified TAs"

supply teachers haven't been used in my school for years. Far better for teachers to have their 'free' time to prepare for your precious darlings than to be covering for an absent colleaugue. At least cover supervisors know the school, the rules, the kids

Nope. Previously, if a teacher were absent for a few days, his or her classes would be covered not by an 'actively teaching' supply teacher, but by other teachers during their free periods, who would write the cover work on the board and let the class get on with it. Cover supervisors more likely to engage with students IME.

I have seen some awful cover supervisors in my school. I witnessed one who told the students that they needn't do the work (which a teacher had spent a few hours on) and let them play on computer games for the lesson.

Some are OK but the students know that they are not trained teachers and the behaviour I have witnessed has been generally bad.

What training do cover supervisors get? I'd be concerned about level of English and Maths etc and ability to answer questions and help them. Only very few classes will just get on with work set with no fuss/questions/discipline issues.

What training do cover supervisors get? I'd be concerned about level of English and Maths etc and ability to answer questions and help them. Only very few classes will just get on with work set with no fuss/questions/discipline issues.

No specific qualifications are required.

Janeite, I believe cover supervisors can cover up to 3 days.

Training is left up to the school.

You sound like someone familar from the TES website?

Positives are that a good CS gets to know the workings of a school and the kids within it and can supervise well.

Negatives are that they sometimes get longer sick leave/marternity contracts and are not qualified! There's a rumour that one at our school promised to do a 'crab' in front of the class if they behaved

I know a cover supervisor has taught a FULL GCSE course at my school. She was, in effect, their 'teacher'. I think this is disgusting, to be honest (not least because she was being exploited in my opinion).

You will find CSes saying that they have degrees, intend to become teachers etc etc. I think this is irrelevant, because the basic entry requirements are nearly always fairly low - they don't necessarily require a degree, for example. So there are people without degrees, let alone QTS, teaching full-time in schools.

I haven't got a clue - think we've got quite a few "cover supervisors" at least at the infant school. TBH don't really care

Cover supervisors need PM just like the rest of us. If they can't manage the class then they need support and training. Ours are excellent, because we have chosed good people and provided them with appropriate support.
Same as teachers really...

chosen

and actually I know some TA's that would be better teachers than some of the NQT's that are churned out these days...........

What do I think? First of all I would like to say what an interesting first post.

I think that you are doing research for an article and should have posted this in the media request section. I've reported your post.

No, MollieO. I am a teacher. I posed the question on the Times Educational Supplement forum because some parents do scan it and someone suggested I pose the question on Mumsnet. I am just curious to see what the general feeling is and so far it appears to be mixed. Shame on the poster who stated she/he didn't really care. These are your children we are talking about here!

Sorry, the whole phrasing of your post reads as if you are a journo rather than a teacher.

Not just a journo, but a Daily Mail one at that. Scaremongering.

I care about my kids' education, but I also accept that there will be odd occasions when their usual teachers are absent. It won't kill them to have someone else supervising, and I'm not about to work myself into a tizz about that person's qualifications. I trust that the school will be on top of that. After all, it's not in their interests to have riots erupting.

oh yes shame on me for not really being too bothered so long as my children are learning and enjoying school then guess what - no I don't care.

They could have the man from mars supervising them for all I care so long as they're doing ok (which they are).

Message withdrawn

If you were a teacher, as I am, you'd know the value of cover supervisors and the tremendous difference they make to schools compared to supply teachers, who don't have to be qualified either.

You are a journalist, and a lazy one to boot.

Either that or you're a jumped up trainee teacher who thinks she knows it all after 5 minutes. Good luck.

In both my DCs' schools, they are taught by subject specialists for all their lessons. If there is staff absence, the lesson is taught by someone from within their department if at all possible. Their schools do not use supply teachers or unqualified staff.

Well, abbierhodes and others, I hadn't expected a genuinely put enquiry (now "pulled" I see) to generate such bile. I am just over 60 years of age and have been teaching in secondary schools since 1972. I am acutely aware that some supply teachers are a waste of space whilst others are diamonds. The former don't get called much! My school would tell an agency not to send that person again. I have cover supervisors in my school who are well liked by staff and children and who, yes, know the children - a regularly used supply also does - but it is the principle of professionalism that I worry about, that's all. They are not necessarily properly qualified people and as one poster has noted, don't TEACH children. In discussing the issue with colleagues and hoping to be able to do something about it I thought it was a good idea to get a sample of views from parents and not just those of pupils from my school. A wider view. I am sorry I upset so many people.
And the Daily Mail? PUH-LEEEASE!!