Anyone quit teaching for tutoring/supply?

[crazilybusy]

Just really fed up. Never-ending observations, inaccurate feedback, the ever-changing goal posts, new curriculum ahead, Ofsted every couple of years, prp, unrealistic targets etc etc. I love the children and they always make fantastic progress in my class, but the rest of it is just so depressing! I don't make much after childcare anyway.

So - tutoring? I currently tutor two teens for a GCSE subject, and I have tutored for 11+ in the past. Is it possible to get, say, 8 hours a week? Or 5? What is supply like?

[MinnieMousse]

I'm interested to know this. I think you might get more of a response if it was posted in The Staffroom section?

[Arisbottle]

Haver you thought about moving schools . Is the any way you can move into secondary, more chance of a promotion so more money and less work

[sheridand]

It is not less work in Secondary, far from it! I am in the process of swapping downwards the other way, so I know what i'm on about! I spent every night with a "task". GCSE and AS/A2 marking is increasingly onerous, and everything has to be levelled, just as it does in Primary. I had 1 Yr 7 class, 1 Yr 8, 2 Yr 9, and 1 GCSE, 1 As, and 1A2 class in my last year at Secondary, all of which required marking every week, in the school style, ready for spot book checks. AS/A2 essays were routinely upwards of 4 sides of A4. Then Christmas was spent readying for Mocks, Easter was spent in school doing revision sessions, after school from January to May I was scheduled at revision club, and then in the "off" time once the examinees had gone, we were used as cover or off site work experience checkers in our "free" periods.

Promotion also utterly depends on geographical area and subject. In mine, rural England, history teaching, it is "dead mens boots". More fluid when I was in London, of course.

Anyway, off topic. Tutoring being worthwhile depends on where you are. In London, I could do well, particularly with 11 plus candidates. But rurally, the charge is less and the 11 plus candidates fewer. I found that I had to travel into Cambridge to get enough uptake to make it worthwhile, and then the petrol wiped out a lot of it.

In the end, I went back as a HLTA, I do 8.30-3, have no childcare as the kids are at school with me, and no marking other than when i've covered a full day. It's lovely! And the wage is approximately what I made less childcare anyway, but with little stress and with the enjoyment of the job intact. I will consider going back, this time to primary, when I feel I can balance work and kids / life more easily. This isn't to say Primary teachers have it easy, they clearly do not, but the marking load was what killed me in Secondary, and that certainly is more manageable ( outside of Year 6, anyway).

I also found supply very on/off. It was nigh on impossible to balance it with childcare, and so last minute, unless the supply was for a teacher with a long-term illness, that it was just daft trying to juggle it.

[jussi]

Am doing supply now and loving it. Working part time though and have landed myself regular work in one school each week for 1 day. Other day I phone in on the day and 99% of time get work. Obviously depends on where you are, how far you are willing to travel, etc.
I am only available on set days so have child care/pickups sorted for those days regardless of whether I have work or not.

[GW297]

I love the flexibility and part time ness of supply!

[GampyWabbit]

I left my part time primary teaching position last year. I have been doing supply since and absolutely love it. I love the fact I have no responsibility once the children leave the classroom and I have finished marking. My time at home is my own completely. I don't have to worry about observations or monitoring and enjoy being an anonymous person in schools most if the time!

[justdoit75]

Why don't you contact www.prepschooltutor.co.uk? They offer online tutoring so super flexible for you! I've watched my niece in her tutorials and it's not hard to learn how to do it. I keep plugging them as they seem to tick every box for the kids. Not sure what your subject is but I'd enquire and see if they have any openings. All friends that have tried Supply teaching have hated it. You have to be very lucky to get a good posting...

[amistillsexy]

Miaow, I've just started doing some bits of supply. What do you mean by
however these days with the way work's dried up, the slashing of daily rates and the idiot antics of agencies (free trials, buy one get one frees etc) and the regulations changed and it all got stupid.?

I don't use an agency but have considered it. What are the 'new' regulations, and what antics do the agencies use? I really feel out of the loop, and would love someone to explain what is going on, if you could?

[amistillsexy]

I've avoided signing up with any agencies so far. It looks like I've had a lucky escape . Is there any reason not to go it alone, like we used to do in the good old days, just find a few schools you like and get paid directly from the LA?

[Oakmaiden]

I'm a supply teacher - I find it relatively easy to get close to full time work, but there are drawbacks. The pay where I live is truly rubbish - all the schools get their supplies through agencies, and I understand pay the agencies £120, of which the agency pockets £45 before passing it on to an Umbrella Agency, who pocket another £5 a day before taking out my tax and NI. Oh, and 12% for my holiday pay. I am lucky to see £50 a day.

Makes me grumpy.

[amistillsexy]

I'm getting a LOT more than that straight from the LA. I get a proportion of what my salary would be if I were a full time teacher at my current rate of pay.

I would be very, very grumpy if I were you, Oakmaiden. That is truly crap

I guess I can feel very fortunate, then, and stop complaining when I only get a couple of days' work a month!

[professorpoopsnagle]

I tutor and it's taken about a year to get really busy, so I think if you have students already and can build on that it won't take you long. ATM I do 7 'hours' of private tuition and 3 sessions in a centre so I think it would be possible to get what you're looking for, depending on your subject and if you're prepared to offer a good age range. Downside is the hours, you may need to decide if you're better doing 4 hours twice a week or 2 hours 4 times a week.

[GampyWabbit]

I do supply with an agency and feel I get paid well. I am no worse off on a working week than I when working on a contract. I work 2 days a week and have £226 paid in to my account each week. Around £30 a week (on top of the £226) of my pay goes in to my 'holiday fund', which I can request at any time.

[jussi]

GampyWabbit-where are you in the country? And what agency is it? Is it primary or secondary?

[amistillsexy]

Sounds like a good agency you've got there, GampyWabbit. I think I'd like to join up as well

[GampyWabbit]

I'm in the midlands. Have been doing supply for 7 months now and my life has changed so much for the better. Thoroughly enjoying supply teaching without the added stresses that often come with the job!

[kellyleejones]

If anyone is interested in finding out more about Supply Teaching in the Warrington, Cheshire area then please feel free to give us a call 01925-247820 to find out more or visit our website: ww.theeducationnetwork.co.uk/