Supply Teachers

[DanyellasDonkey]

I did supply when my kids were small and always went prepared with a bag full of stuff, but was delighted if any work was left for me to do with the class.

We have a couple of supply teachers who swan in and expect everything to be ready for them. If it isn't, they go around all the other staff beginning for stuff. It seems they are incapable of looking for things by themselves. When I was doing this, there wasn't even internet resources.

One even came into my class today and asked for stuff and when I said I didn't, she walked over to my desk, looked at some things I had and helped herself to some of them.

AIBU to think this is a bloody cheek? I get work prepared for my class - it's not up to others to do her preparation for her. Nobody minds helping people out but this is getting beyond a joke.

[superram]

I've never done supply but would expect cover to be set-how would I know how to do something worthwhile?

[cansu]

Someone in your school should be sorting out resources for the supply unless they are on a longer term basis. Somone coming in for a day who has been notified that morning will not have any appropriate work. Tbh if you work in same year group or subject in my school you would volunteer to share so that kids get good experience. However someone on slt should be sorting this by asking for stuff getting it copied etc. If supply is in for several days they can then continue.

[DanyellasDonkey]

In the past I have been phoned at 8.30 to come in to a school, had to start at 9, no idea where anything was and not given any help. I wouldn't have dreamed of saying anything about it as it would have looked as if I wasn't any good.

Some teachers didn't even have a plan of what they intended to do for the day.

[lifeissweet]

When I was on supply that never happened! Mostly work was set and resourced by the class teacher themselves or the parallel teacher if it was two or more form-entry.

I have taught most years of primary and can easily occupy a group of children for a day, but most schools could not waste a day's curriculum teaching that way and would want a supply teacher to meet the planned objectives.

It would have been very surprising to me if no work at all was set and not even skeleton planning was provided.

That is not a supply teacher's job on a one-day placement.

[lifeissweet]

And as for not having any planning for the day - I would say that's fairly rare too.

The schools I have worked at as staff (not supply) have all wanted medium term and weekly planning to be handed in. In years with more than one teacher, the planning will be done in advance by one or both.

If I was sick on Tuesday morning and you turned up to cover my class and couldn't find my planning and my timetable I would be for the high jump when I came back. It would be completely unacceptable.

[WinkyisbackontheButterBeer]

When I did supply it was common for there to be no work left. I withdraw turn up with folders full of work for different age groups just in case.
I wouldn't have dreamed of asking other staff for work.
When I am out I tend to leave stand alone lessons anyway because supply teachers never get it quite right and I am a big control freak!

[CremeEggThief]

YABU. If there's no planning set, and the school/agency tell me in advance, that's fine. I massively judge teachers for not leaving planning, information about the class and resources ready, for planned absences. Thankfully, only one school I've been in in the last 18 months was this disorganised and I told my agency I wouldn't go there again.

[DanyellasDonkey]

One particular woman has to cover the same 3 classes every week. The class teacher tells her she wants her to cover RME or health or whatever. If I was doing that I wouldn't expect the class teacher to provide the work for me

[SawdustInMyHair]

She was still bloody rude to fish things off your desk, though! Luckily no fucker can find a single thing on mine.

[OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow]

Nope, the class teacher or hod should be leaving work (unless it's long term and therefore agreed) I've yet to have a cover teacher come fully prepared with a full range of resources.
Mind she was beyond fucking cheeky to rummage in your desk.

[CremeEggThief]

YANBU about your desk though; that was really cheeky.

[DanyellasDonkey]

I'm in Scotland so this is McCrone time that's being covered and our supply staff don't come from agencies.

Regarding plans apparently the EIS say that a teacher isn't under any obligation to provide a daily plan. Bloody disorganised if you don't imo.

[DanyellasDonkey]

As a class teacher. I always have a fairly detailed plan for my own information and in case I'm off but not including Es and Os etc.
One HR makes all her staff make up a PowerPoint every day of what they're doing with all the LIs and everything included.

--control freak-

[ginpuss]

I Supply regularly and generally have a range of resources to hand. Usually I have my trusty memory stick, which is OK unless I can't get access to the PC or laptop in class or a printer. It is really difficult to have 7 year group's resources for at least 4 different lessons to hand. Which it can be if you cover Primary Reception to Year 6. If all else fails it's write a story till I get settled.
I pride myself on being able to think on my feet, but it can be difficult when there is nobody to say where stuff is.

[DanyellasDonkey]

TheTroubleWithAngels - that HT appears to have no life other than school. Her staff moan that she makes them come in on evenings and weekends!!

We also have a problem actually getting supply teachers. We either get useless ones or the Support for Learning teacher has to do it and those pupils lose their time with her. Either way it's not good.

[bangingmyheadoffabrickwall]

I am entering the supply sector.

Any tips?

I honestly thought in 'this day and age' that classes had planning and resources left for the supply teacher to pick up and follow?

Is it wise for me to have a memory stick or bank of resources and activities to fall back on if this was not the case?

All advice welcome!

[absolutelynotfabulous]

I think I've only been left work on one occasion, and that was a planned absence. That's the best-case scenario.

More common is to be rung at 8am to travel to a school 20 miles away, and on arrival having a register thrust at you. That's it. I could be teaching any subject at any level to any ability.

Most of the time I have no idea where the rooms are, where the staffroom is, where the toilets are.

Soul-destroying.

[CarTrack]

I find this bizarre.

When I had my own class and going to be off for a course for e.g. I would leave plans/ resources ready to be picked up and taught. If it was an unplanned absence I would still have had plans/ most resources ready and left out and if not, my year group teachers would have ensured that the supply had everything they needed.

What use is there in leaving a supply to teach random lessons? How does that benefit the children?

Also as a school you want to be attractive to supply teachers, otherwise why would they bother working there. I would never return to supply at a school who left me to get on with it.

[absolutelynotfabulous]

I'm not sure if this is the case in other parts of the country, but in Wales there's a difference between "teacher" and "cover supervisor". The cover supervisor is paid substantially less.

I've rarely been employed as a "teacher"; cover supervisors are cheaper. Now which is a school going to employ, I wonder? . .

[Lindor]

I do day to day supply and some regular boosters. In my experience planning and resources are usually left, and there is often so much work that the children have to get through that the day is full on. I do have things up my sleeve just in case, BUT I won't know what they are studying, or the range of ability/behaviour/number of students in the class, which can affect what can be achieved.

I also have mornings when I get a phone call and find myself heading out to a school I've never been to before. On many occasions I have been told I will be covering year X, only to find on arrival I'm actually covering a completely different year group.

So no, I won't arrive for a day of supply with freshly planned lessons. But I can think on my feet, and will do my utmost to follow planning left, and make it a good, positive day of learning for the class.

[Lindor]

And remember that supply teachers who work through agencies are not earning "substantially more" than cover supervisors. A bit more. But nowhere near the amount earned by a teacher employed directly by the school.

[absolutelynotfabulous]

Different agencies will have different rates of pay, though. Teachers certainly earn substantially more in my neck of the woods; I'm talking double the amount.

My point is that, from a budgeting point of view, it's understandable why a school will engage a cover supervisor rather than a teacher, even though the cover supervisor will, in fact, be a qualified teacher in most, if not all, cases.