Supply rates of pay

[MaggieMcVitie]

Does anyone know anything about rates of pay for supply teachers in West Sussex? Do you have to go through an agency or would it work being independent? Would be looking for 4/5 days a week.

[GinandJag]

You can work directly for a school. When I did this, I was on the school payroll. I got paid the same when working directly for a school or going with an agency. Big schools who need lots of supply teachers are happy to employ you directly and save the agency fee.

The going rate is around £130 per day.

Do you have a DBS check on the update service? If not, then you could sign up with an agency in order to get this, and other compliance paperwork, done. You can then accept agency work as well as pursuing your own contacts with schools locally.

I have had a lot of success with Reed Education and Reeson Education.

[letseatgrandma]

The going rate is around £130 per day.

I would disagree with this if you are going through agencies. There is a good FB supply group if you are on there. Agencies vary massively, but there are some experienced teachers (UPS) on there who make a fair bit less than £100 a day and are often asked to work for CS rates or even offer their services free to endear themselves to Heads! You can say, 'no, I'm not doing that' and then the agencies don't give you work. A lot of agencies are horribe and have people over a real barrel.

[GinandJag]

If they are working at CS rates, they are not getting the going rate for QTS!

I don't think there will be many teachers in the south east getting anything outside of £110 - £150.

If they accept less than this they should question their priorities and where these fit with the local market.

If they get a CS rate at a local school, with short hours and no behaviour problems, then this might be a good deal vs £110 in a rough school, 8.30 - 3.30 in a school 45 minutes away.

My recently experience of supply is that the teacher holds all the cards. There is no reason to accept less than you are worth.

[MaggieMcVitie]

Gin is that take home?

[GinandJag]

No - pre-tax. (Teaching is a profession).

[MrsUltra]

I work with agencies and also with direct schools I have emailed my CV. I get paid more for the direct schools, but keep enrolled with the agencies for days when I don't have pre-bookings, and to ensure I will always have at least 2 referees.
I will not accept half days, or CS rate which the agencies will try to sucker you for, and also will not accept primary as they expect ridiculous amounts of marking.
I get 5 days a week, which suits me fine, but as I only do day-to-day, refuse longer term, means I can take off odd days if I feel like it.

[Icandoanything]

MrsUltra do you mind if I ask you how long you have been working directly with schools like this? I've been with my supply agency for a year and a half doing daily as I also don't really want long term, but am well aware of how much they are charging the schools compared to what I get paid.

I spoke to one of my schools last week about working directly with me as I was considering this starting Sept 2016 if I could get enough schools on board. And they said they were interested which was encouraging.

Did you email all the schools in your area or just stick to schools you knew?

Sorry if I'm coming across as nosy!

[MrsUltra]

Hi, no prob!
Am in my 5th term of doing it. I was a mature career changer and did not want to go into a an NQT job, so did supply instead. I made some rookie mistakes with a couple of agencies as below, but had one good agency which I have stuck with.
I emailed my CV to some schools near me and the ones I now work with called me back and I know work for them directly, paid PAYE through their normal school payroll.
Ironically, one school emailed me back saying they used agencies only, but were recruiting a Cover Supervisor, if I wanted to apply. I politely declined. Then a few days ago I had a call from my agency saying they have now exclusive supply contract with that school, and I have three days booked there next week through that agency.
So... Cover Supervisor plan clearly did not fulfil their needs, and they will now be paying vastly more to the agency to employ the same someone (me!) than they needed to if they had taken up my offer...

[ArmchairTraveller]

Are you close enough to manage E Sussex and Brighton/Crawley?
Primary or Secondary? How
Getting 4 or 5 days can be a challenge unless you go for a short term, job share or Maternity leave, and MrsUltra is right, building up a relationship with schools is the best way to ensure they prioritise you when looking for supply. Agencies give you access to a good range, then you can work out a deal with a school if there's work going.
Most agencies pay primary around £110 gross.

[MaggieMcVitie]

Thanks MrsUltra and Armchair she's fairly close to Brighton, Worthing area. I'll pass all this on.

[waitingforsomething]

My dm is doing a long term supply at a school in W sussex through an agency in brighton and hove. She gets £160 per day (UPS3) before tax

[sashh]

I work through agencies, I'm in the midlands.

FE colleges usually only pay the hours you are teaching, schools usually pay a day rate and an agency should negotiate on your behalf.

I mainly do long term although I have doe the odd day or half day. Because my subject is mainly 16+ I am often without work from Mid may until September but then I work fairly solidly until the following May.

My payroll provider keeps a % of my salary back to pay through the holidays.

I'm paid through an umbrella company, most agencies prefer to do this and it means that I can claim expenses as I work rather than fill in a tax return at the end of the year. Useful if you take assignments out of area and stay in a hotel (I did 6 weeks in Cambridgeshire).

My rate varies between £100 - £150 per day when working in schools.

The current school have me basically working like a permanent member of staff in their department, in other schools they have just given me everything to cover so Spanish, dance, maths, English, art - possibly more.

[Fedup21]

That's interesting that you prefer working for an umbrella company-I've heard lots of bad things about them. Don't you end up paying out your NI and then your employees NI as well?

I think the ability to claim expenses is ending in April actually.

[PrettyBrightFireflies]

My LA will only contract supply teachers through a company, so if your not with an agency you have to set up a company which employs you, rather than be self employed.

[FannyGlum]

Be careful of umbrella companies. You pay your own employer's NI as well as employee's. And there is no guarantee that everything they say you can claim for you can. You are responsible if HMRC come knocking.