Supply teacher needs advice with contract

[Icandoanything]

I've been working as a supply teacher with the same agency for approx a year and a half. For the past two terms, I've been on a guaranteed work agreement (which means that they guarantee me 4 days a week and if I don't get it, they still pay me anyway - there has only been 3 days since Sept that I had no work and then they offered me to a school for free as it improves their relationship with the school, I still get paid, it's just better to offer a free teacher than have one sitting at home that they have to pay. Oh and it also means I only work exclusively with that agency.)with them and it's worked really well for me....until now.

I got sent my new contract today starting in Jan and the dates it covers means I will be contracted to working 17 days less with them compared to the same time last year, this means a fall in income of nearly £2000.

I have emailed them and asked if I could have the dates adjusted (eg - at the moment the contract starts 2 weeks after the Summer team starts in April and finishes 2 weeks before the end of term) but being Christmas, they've either decided not to reply or are too busy.

I'm really quite worried about this, I'm the sole earner in a single parent household and was relying on that money - perhaps I shouldn't have been so naive to think the dates would be the same but the 2 contracts I've had have covered me for the majority of the term so I really didn't think it would be different come Jan.

I now face the quandary of what to do if this agency comes back and says the dates are unmoveable. Do I then move onto another agency with the hope that they can offer me enough work? Or say I won't sign it and work with more than 1 agency and hope between them I get enough? Or go back to full time teaching - something I really don't want to do but at the moment see it as a viable option I may have to take.

Any advice welcome.

[MrsUltra]

Sign up with an additional agency for the other days. You will have more bargaining power if each knows you are not tied to them.
I have managed to increase my rate substantially by playing agencies off against each other.

[Icandoanything]

So don't sign the contract and sign up with other agencies? Because I can't sign the contract AND work for another agency

[Jux]

Sound out other agencies. See if any can give you a better deal. So, hold off on signing your contract until you've checked the others.

[leccybill]

Have you been to the same schools quite frequently? Might any of them take you on privately as supply/PPA cover - might be worth asking? Cut out the middle man so to speak?
I've only been on supply for a half term and two schools have enquired if I would like to 'go on their books'. One is my DD's school, not sure how I feel about that!