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Ant supply teachers out there? Finding work

7 replies

pugsandseals · 20/07/2011 18:44

Have been told gently persuaded today that my teaching contract will reduce by between 0.1 & 0.25 from September Sad

Obviously I need to find some supplimental income asap, but which are the best agencies to find me work? Secondary qualified but have experience in primaries too, so pretty flexible but who to contact? Will be available 3 days per week if that makes any difference.

Just wondering where to turn next...

OP posts:
pugsandseals · 20/07/2011 18:45

Oops, that obviously should have been ANY not ANT teachers!!! Blush

OP posts:
usualsuspect · 20/07/2011 18:46

Grin at ant teacher

no advice sorry

PotteringAlong · 20/07/2011 18:48

I'd ask the cover person at your school which agency they use and get yourself signed up; ditto local secondary schools. I'd also letter drop your cv and a covering letter to every local school and see what you get.

Are they changing your teaching contract? They can't just reduce your hours...

pugsandseals · 20/07/2011 19:23

They want me to accept a change in contract in preference to going through a redundency exercise with everyone & the morale issues that would bring. Am still pondering over whether to sign the new contract, but in the meantime I thought I'd be best off being prepared with other options as I'm not particularly happy with what I'm doing Sad

I'd also like to try and keep ant supply work I do totally unconnected with my current workplace for obvious reasons - would also like to get closer to home as I currently work in a neighbouring county.

All rather depressing I know Sad

OP posts:
pugsandseals · 20/07/2011 19:23

where does ant keep coming from???? Blush

OP posts:
SilveryMoon · 20/07/2011 19:29

I signed up with axcis.
I met with a consultant in the morning and got a call in the afternoon for an interview at 1 local school and a trial day at another school for the following day.
I went along to the trial day, and the school have asked for me to do a year from september.
The rates of pay are good too, much better than other agencies I've used.
They are very friendly and helpful.

emptyshell · 21/07/2011 16:37

I've done supply for years. It's hard to recommend an agency outright as even with the big nationals - branch quality varies and any agency is only as good as the consultant working your desk. Also makes a difference if they're one really prone to high levels of staff turnover - there's nothing worse than having a great rapport with a consultant who knows the schools you enjoy and work well in, knows your preferences and gets you work according to that and you're quite high on his list of teachers to call through for a booking that comes in - and they leave and you're back to square one with a consultant that doesn't like you as much (one reason I'd never ever just be with one agency myself).

As for ones I've worked through in my area Kelly - lost my registration file and were never heard from again, Select/Ranstad - started off good, then got very arm-twisty and pressed me to only go to utterly horrific schools then installed a new computer system that deletes your registration periodically meaning you need to go through EVERYTHING (references - nightmare on supply anyway, CRB, qualifications checks again every 6 months or so), Supply Desk - go in fits and starts with being good and bad (see the staff turnover thing above), Celsian - fabby, can't praise 'em highly enough - they're actually HONEST (it's really refreshing to be actually told "it's a quiet week" rather than the pat "oh we're really busy here" bollocks the middle week in July) and I've got into some lovely schools working through 'em. I'm primary though - secondary mileage may vary.

Because of where I am geographically I work across four LEAs (comes in handy when half-terms land at different weeks and you can keep working)! Do have an ongoing battle where they ring saying "our computer says this school is just down the road" and the road in question is the sodding M1 motorway - yep - London and Scotland are just down that road as well but I ain't gonna get there for 8.45!

Have you looked into exam marking as well? I mark KS2 SATs (yes I KNOW they're not strictly called that before the pedants among us strike) but things like GCSEs as well - the money comes in just as supply work dies off over the summer.

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