to ask how i might manage childcare as a supply teacher?

[turquoiseamethyst]

Just wondering how others do it? Not necessarily supply but just work where you don't know when you're going to be in?

do you just have regular slots booked at the nursery and hope for the best?

Thanks :)

Solitary I don't have a huge amount of experience. I think just general cover for a couple of days a week - cynically, so I can access MA - and then think about things then.

I don't think I am a particularly skilled or talented teacher; I'm also lazy

Im a CM and i do flexible shifts on an ad hoc basis. Maybe some do close to you?

I will ask around :)

' I think just general cover for a couple of days a week - cynically, so I can access MA - and then think about things then.

I don't think I am a particularly skilled or talented teacher; I'm also lazy '

Then perhaps you need to look for a job that doesn't have quite such an impact on children. Because I'd be very pissed off if my child was being taught by someone who didn't care much about the job, just the money.
Look outside teaching? Predictable hours?

It's secondary supply where you rarely get (on day to day basis) your subject specialism.

This is why I am explaining I am not looking for a longer term post: I just don't have the interest or enthusiasm or belief in myself, I suppose.

Work on your ex-partner, get him to either contribute financially or do his fair share of childcare, perhaps at weekends. Then you could look at a job that isn't too demanding, runs every week of the year and is rekiable.
Look at what other benefits you can claim, there's a lot of expertise on MN about everything from tax credits to HB.
Supply teaching is tough work.

My STBXH can't have the children.

I am unlikely whilst pregnant to find a position which is why I need something temporary and something that pays enough to cover nursery fees.

I can't and wont pretend that I think my talented teaching will make a difference to anybody's life - nonetheless I am qualified in my subject area and will do my best. I just don't think in terms of full time teaching my best is much good.

I am sorry if my post put you out in some way but the truth is if I am stuck teaching science or German or similar- I will be useless!

Well, good luck with the pregnancy and I hope things do turn out well for you.

Sitters will let you book ad hoc childcare. I use a different agency in London that does a very similar thing.

Essentially I pay a monthly membership fee and then pay a booking fee for each job of about £4. More if less than 12 hours notice for the job. Then they'd send a nanny for the booked period and I pay the nanny direct. We have a couple of regulars that we can request but if it was an emergency they will send someone else.

This works brilliantly well.

Thanks - that is useful to know for the future. I feel a little bit wary of potentially leaving her with someone I don't really know but it is very useful for future!

The agency we use checks references and requires a CRB. Sitters doesn't but you can ask for the details to check yourself I think.

It's not wildly different to leaving them in a nursery - you don't get to know individual staff members before you leave them. At 11 months most children would be fine. When they get a bit older it can be harder for them to adjust.

The first time we have had a new person I or my dh have always stuck around for the first half hour to check the dc are ok with them.