Teachers/support staff in secondary schools

[LucyJones]

Can you tell me what a Cover Supervisor ivolves and if it is a pita sort of a job ?

It's a permanent role so what sort of cover would it be for?

I've seen an advert for one and it doesn't look like you need a teaching qualification or experience beforehand, says training will be on the job

It's classed as a support staff role but surely it's more of a teaching role?

It's covering classes when a teacher is absent. Not teaching but leading through preprepared work. Usually paid at TA rates

You don't need a teaching qualification. You manage a class when a teacher is absent. The work is provided for you, and it should be such that no teaching is required: no planning, no actual class teaching and no marking. Classroom management is the key thing. I love our classroom supervisors, and for day to day absence they are vastly superior to agency supply teachers because they know the school and its systems and they know the students. Some build up a lot of knowledge in the subject areas they usually cover. You have to like teenagers. That is the main requirement I think, as it is for teachers TBH.

So presumably they would train me in crowd control and how to get the teenagers to sit down and do whatever they are meant to be doing?!!

They should offer you some training Lucy, but in order to succeed in the job you need to have significant presence and confidence. I worked as as C/S for 4 years and it's a very challenging role. You are on your own largely and have the health and safety responsibility for the class of students as well as the task of getting them to work/learn something in the lesson. As Fallen Madonna says classroom management is absolutely crucial in this role. I learned a lot through doing it, but wouldn't want to do it longterm. At my current school I think all the C/S are trained teachers who either don't want a full teaching job at the moment, or can't find a suitable job.

It is an awful job. Cover is horrible for experienced teachers who are used to dealing with challenging behaviour, know the students and have a reputation. The kids will give you hell. Remember when you were at school and you saw that supply teacher arrive and you gave them hell! well that will be you! You are given the work ready prepared but it will sometimes be unsuitable, dull and uninspiring or far too easy. You then have to make the class do it. All for a pretty low level of pay.
If you have presence and have experience of working with young people, it can be Ok but if you have no experience it can be soul destroying. The turnover is very high and as someone has already said most of them are qualified teachers.

One of our cover supervisors has become a deputy head of year!!

She is brilliant with the kids and very effective. It doesn't have to be an awful job, although I can appreciate that it could be.

Of the three we started with, we still have 2 of them! None of them is a qualified teacher although one of them has gone on to be.

I think if you are outgoing and confident and like children, it can be a great job.

None of our CS is a qualified teacher. And they have all been there longer than me. I would imagine it's like being a teacher - if it's the right job for you, it is fab (I can say that because today is the first day of the holidays ), but if it is the wrong job, it must be dreadful.

And there do seem to be lots more opportunities for support staff nowadays.

Hi I am a CS and just finished my 3rd year on the job
I personally love it, as do my team (there are 5 of us in total) We are currently changing our recruitment policy for CS to be in line with the Govt view that unqualified support staff is of no use to the pupils. All our CS have to have a level 3 qualification (A levels or equivalent) and we expect them to do on the job training in classroom management and effective ways to deliver cover to ensure that even though no active teaching is taking place, learning is occuring. Two of our Cs have just graduated from the Dip Ed qualification and 2 have degrees.
Unlike supply teachers who do not know the pupils or the schools policies well, Our team of CS are seen as full members of the school team and are able to hand out detentions, referrals and good works. Due to this, the pupils do not mess about as they would for supply teachers. A huge liking of teenagers is essential as is a good sense of humour!

There are lots of opportunites to be had.... I am very lucky I have a science based degree and have just completed the Dip Ed. In Sept I will start the certificate in speech, language and communication at university. and will be allocated time each week once qualified to help those with speech and language delay. In times that we are not needed for cover we also help out the SEN dept and the TA's.

Part of my interview was to take a lesson... I had never done this before, so I know they weren't looking for something amazing but they said my ability to communicate, basic general knowledge and how I projected and spoke to the class helped me to get the pupils motivated to do the cover which incidentally was a Yr9 French lesson (eugh!!)

My pay is £15,000 pro rata, so I take home about £11,000, its not bad..... and as a mum it enables me to have time off for school hols to be with my children!

best of luck if you choose to become a CS xx
btw I'm starting uni Sept 2011 to train as a teacher! (thats how much I enjoy it!!)

It's quite a tough role (& relatively poorly paid) - you do need quite a bit of classroom presence.

Where I teach, you'd generally be given something very structured ie. read page 93, answer questions, draw & label diagram. It's very much down to you to see that the kids do as the absent teacher/HOD has directed, which can be difficult if they decide to play up.

We have two CSs - both are much better than supply, in that they're reliable & the kids know they'll be there next day to follow up any poor behaviour.

& as CowsGoMoo says, it can be a route into teaching.