Primary staff room supply teacher advice please

[Supplyadvice]

Hi

I'm moving to Scotland from teaching international baccalaureate abroad. Hoping to start with some work as a primary supply teacher.

What do I need? I'm thinking a box file with maybe three or four lessons for each age group? And a story for each age group?

I won't know the classroom/behaviour management system for each class. Is it realistic to use my own system for one day?

What's good etiquette? Do I stay after school and mark work? Leave a handover note?

When you have a supply teacher what do you like?

If you are a supply teacher do you have any hacks/tips? And any advice on winning the jobs?

Thank you

I don’t know about Scotland but taught supply in England for years. Work is usually planned but I had a maths investigation and English activity to hand . It is good form to mark the work and leave brief notes about what you did that day including any behaviour issues. There may well be a class book that they are reading but I also carried a few poetry books (Michael Rosen is great for this) Ask about school’s behaviour management system because the children will tell you that they don’t do it your way!

Have you investigated what you need to get registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland? You'll also need a PVG from Disclosure Scotland (not sure if you can apply for that until you know where you'll be working).

https://www.gtcs.org.uk/registration/qualified-outside-scotland.aspx

Hi yes thank you all that is in hand.

I’m a supply teacher though in England. I also tend to do long term contracts rather than day to day so I end up doing my own planning, however I have done some day to day stuff too.

Work is usually planned but I do have a file with a few bits and pieces with me, a memory stick with a variety of powerpoint activities and links to online stuff though of course you can’t rely on the technology always being available. I’d say 8 times out of 10 it is though. I have a few master sheets that can be copied but I try to make sure I have things I can do without any equipment or just things I can take myself - work that doesn’t need recording in books and can be done on scrap paper or mini whiteboards for example, drama activities, discussion based activities.

For getting the work you need a good agency really, then you can work on building up good relationships with schools. Get there as early as possible (not always easy with a last minute call), stay long enough to mark any work (check if there is a marking policy) and leave the classroom tidy and resources etc replenished etc. Leave the teacher a note with anything they need to know and how the activities went, always thank them and complement their class.

Ask about the behaviour management system when you arrive and try to stick to it as closely as possible.

There’s a lot to be said for supply. I generally only work with a few schools these days as I know them and they know me, but I do enjoy the variety too. It can be really hard walking into the unknown and you have dreadful days - don’t be afraid to tell the agency if there’s a school you don’t want to go back to, some places treat supply teachers really badly but it is rare.

Thank you. Sone great tips there! Planning on going through local councils. Are there supply agencies in Scotland?

@Supplyadvice

Thank you. Sone great tips there! Planning on going through local councils. Are there supply agencies in Scotland?

Up here each council handles the supply. X

Yes. We're actively trying to stop supply agencies in Scotland. It's best to contact councils directly

Thanks @groovey and @starryeyes. Good to know. Any tips for being a good supply teacher please?

@Supplyadvice

Thanks *@groovey and @starryeyes*. Good to know. Any tips for being a good supply teacher please?

Sorry I'm an EYP do no teaching advice. But from friends most Edinburgh schools the teacher has the plan for the week in the class so sometimes it's just filler you need.

Thanks all, all good stuff

There's a good Facebook page - Scottish Supply Teachers, worth joining.