The downsides of supply teaching

[leccybill]

Are there any? I want to know what it's really like.

I'm thinking of resigning my post as MFL teacher. I'm on UPS2. After 11 years, it's all gotten a bit unbearable at my current place. Special Measures, mismanagement, falling roll, redundancies everywhere. I hate it and it's making me ill.

Would I get work? How daunting is it going into a school you don't know? Do other staff make you feel welcome?
Can any supply teachers give me their experiences. I'm in the north west, always thought to be an overpopulated area for teachers due to the amount of training establishments.

[shanefolan29]

Did supply on and off for a few years and yes while the big pressure is off usually there are still downsides-

1. If you get put in very bad schools you can be sure behavior will be much worse towards you as kids know you are just supply, you don't have authority and won't know the systems so be careful of this as facing this constantly can ruin confidence and diminish passion. If you are serious about staying in teaching and find yourself constantly supplying in bad schools that are like zoos where you are merely babysitting and been abused rather than teaching then you need to examine your situation.
   

1. If you want to take along term position i'd strongly recommend to steer away from supply and apply directly schools if that's what you want as I have found that your rights,support and respect from senior staff can be compromised here. Put it this way-it's much easier for them to ditch you if you face a problem with supply, with a full contract they are obliged to support you more. That and you miss holiday pay.
   

1. Some staff too will regard you as lesser if you are a supply teacher- ridiculous I know but it happens and I've experienced complete condescending attitudes from staff in schools simply because I was supply. One even told me to my face schools wouldn't want to be hiring supply full time as they are not good enough.The same is true from slt, I've faced some very hostile behaviour from slt on supply gigs and any complaints from kids no matter how completely false will not be investigated properly as would be for permanent staff but they will ring the agency without having questioned you and give a child's version of some fictional incident and you get no say in it. I've had complaints that were completely and utter ridiculous made up chinese whispers.
   

1. Supply to many can eventually become boring especially if you are going school to school, it can prevent you from forming networks with colleagues and the kids. Moreover, if you are just doing different classes all the time the job satisfaction can be diminished, supply can lead to just going through the motions and not been challenged enough.
   

Supply is nice yes especially for those who want a break or struggle in full teaching and need time but the downsides are there too-i would not really say it's a long term ideal job for most.

[2isamagicnumber]

I'm a NQT and I'm currently doing daily supply in Primary. I'm really enjoying it. Yes you have to be adaptable but I've found all the schools so far very welcoming. I'm currently enjoying doing no planning and very little marking! I think it's giving me good experience across ks1 and ks2 plus my behaviour management is quickly improving.

[absolutelynotfabulous]

Thanks again. I'm going to try that service!

[GinandJag]

With the DBS, you should subscribe to the update service. It costs £13 per year but saves the hassle of going through all your documents again and again.

[absolutelynotfabulous]

Thanks ginand I'm debating whether to give supply another go. I'm glad it's not just me with negative experiences of supply. One school I went to had keypads on all the doors to keep the kids out, and the secretarial staff were behind reinforced screens. It was more like a prison than a school. Awful place. I know all school are not like this; my dd' s school is lovely with a really nice vibe.

Another thing I found was that I was constantly renewing my DBS (CRB as was) check at 40-odd quid a pop. In the end the paltry bit of supply I got simply wasn't worth the aggro.

I think contacting schools direct rather than agencies is a good idea too.

[GinandJag]

AbFab,

You definitely have experienced a particular experience of supply. When I did day to day agency work, when you would be phoned up at 7am to go to a school you have never heard of, it would probably be a school that others have given a wide berth.

You would think that those schools were unattractive because of bad behaviour. I found that they also had the most unfriendly staff rooms. Classroom doors would be locked, and you would not know who to track down for the key. There would be no board markers, etc etc.

If you are doing daily cover, the best scenario is to get on the books of a good school so that they call you first. You get to know the students, and generally become a familiar face.

If you land a good school, or schools, it is brilliant. It's an excellent way to become a great teacher because you get so much experience packed into a short amount of time.

[GinandJag]

The key thing is the bottom line. If I drive a 50 mile round trip, getting travel expenses makes a difference.

When employers reimburse travel expenses, they make a claim against tax.

Same difference, at the end of the day.

Bottom line is that a supply teacher is a contractor, and contractors get to claim travel, subsistence and home office expenses.

[MrsUltracrepidarian]

The difference is, then your employers paid your travel on top of your salary.
Now your umbrella company reduces your 'hourly rate' to the minimum wage and then bumps it up with 'expenses' to reduce their and your tax liability.
if you are okay with the morality of dodging tax, no prob, plenty of people are. (Though not usually those in the public sector who see the benefits of people paying the tax they owe for education health etc)

[absolutelynotfabulous]

I hated it, but I was a relatively inexperienced class teacher. Some schools were quite nice, others were truly awful. And some of those kids are huge and know they can get away with more with a supply. I was seriously quite scared at times. Very few staff were friendly; it was embarrassing to not know basic stuff like "where's the toilet" orc"where's this or that room"? I felt a right chump most of the time.

And in my area the agencies advertise work that is not actually available just to get you on their books. In the olden days you just phoned the LEA and got loads of work.

[GinandJag]

Why is it a tax dodge to reclaim expenses? When I worked in industry, wouldn't have dreamed of funding my own off site commitments.

[MrsUltracrepidarian]

It's a tax dodge.
The agencies have all sorts of tricks to limit their tax - great until HMRC catch up, then the small print exonerates the agencies and the teachers are left with the bill.

[GinandJag]

It's not a tax dodge. It's a legitimate work expense for when you are working away from your base.

[MrsUltracrepidarian]

If the work 'includes travel expenses' beware. If you are being paid through an umbrella company, they will be reducing your hourly rate and making it up with 'expenses' to dodge tax.

[GinandJag]

I have just started supply. My preference is for short term block work doing the full job of the teacher, rather than covering every lesson. I was in work less than a week after putting my CV into the ether.

I'm coming to the end of a five week block and don't really know what I will be doing next week. Hopefully something will come up.

My take home pay is about £105 per day, which is fine. I claim travel expenses so that takes the sting out of long commutes.

I find agents to be really pushy. The call you up to tell you about a job that really doesn't fit and persuade you to let them send your CV to the school, and then you never hear about it again. I think they have a very scattergun approach.

It's a zero-hours contract, so you have to think carefully about giving up a secure job. Maybe in half-term you can visit some agencies and get a feel for what MFL work is out there?

[MrsUltracrepidarian]

I love it!
Retrained as secondary teacher 2 yrs ago - rubbish course from useless 'Uni', so decided to do supply instead of NQT. Started last Oct, have had all the days I wanted. Last with four agencies, ditched 2 this year and now with 2 agencies and one school direct.
You have to be on the ball re agency tricks and the turnover of their staff.
Don't believe them if they say the school will only pay a lower rate - rubbish, they will charge the school the same and pay you less of you let them sucker you for that.
Don't undersell yourself - a day's supply is perishable goods , like and airline seat. if they don't fill it with you, another agency might get it with one of theirs - their worst nightmare .
Figure their angle, and then exploit the agency anxiety to get a good deal for you.

[leccybill]

Just revisiting this thread to say I did indeed quit my job in the summer and I am hopefully beginning supply teaching next week, with a couple of self-employed mornings I have arranged myself on a rolling contract.
Feel liberated and actually quite excited. Thank you for all of the brilliant advice given on this thread - I've got my supply 'kit' at the ready!

[quellerosiel]

Oh thank you so much for those lovely words! Totally unexpected

Yea its sucky and didn't have much choice in the matter. Starting a nice little mat cover in September which will hopefully give me a boost! I did a post compulsory PGCE so no NQT year as such, do have to do some stuff for my professional status which amounts to more or less the same thing.

Covering has hugely sucked but I've learnt so much and met some lovely people so not all bad. I took a decision a few months ago to not do standby, that helped hugely. Just going to bed at night knowing what I'm doing the next day was much better. Something will turn up at some point, its just difficult being in an unpopular subject Sometimes.

[happyteacher1]

I totally agree. I have been a teacher for many years, but I still remember doing supply straight after my PGCE: I had absolutely no confidence and no classroom control. The teacher next door at one school had to come in and sort out the class. Now, I can quash a naughty child with a flick of an eyebrow. With experience comes confidence. Good luck with finding the right job for you.

[StupidBloodyKindle]

Oh quellerosiel

I would never ever recommend an NQT to go into supply (I know you won't have had a choice) for the reasons you state. You cannot set your stall out, decorate your classroom, establish yourself as a new member of staff and develop positive pupil relations if you are doing day to day supply (you can promote them but not develop the same relationships as you would long term, just not possible unless there regularly) and you will always be on the back foot playing catch-up....enthusiasm can get you an awfully long way but as an NQT you need a solid base and mentor so you can follow up your PGCE, mastering key classroom management, not being thrown into the deep end (I am NOT questioning your abilities but kids can smell blood like sharks, going in newly qualified, you are putting on a performance each day you might not have learned how to do yet iyswim). Watch dispatches:substitute teacher on YouTube to cheer yourself up, it won't be you alone feeling daunted, it's just not fair you are in that position.
I meant supply in the first instance on leaving a job, like the OP, instead of jumping straight into something else with a commitment, simply because it gives you a stepping stone/pause for breath/while in between work or making a career change. If you feel burnt out/let down by the paperwork/personality clash with the school...then supply can help you work out whether it is just a change of school or change of pace you need as opposed to leaving the profession altogether. It is also good for retired teachers who want one or two days a week as a bit of extra security.

But it is not for the faint hearted and as an NQT it would have put me off for life. I did a fortnight's supply at the end of my PGCE but in a school where I had been on placement so everyone knew me, not the same situation at all.

I only hope you are making some contacts that might be useful to you for the future and that you have something you can 'sell' at your next interview. Hopefully someone will resign at whitsun and there will be a job with your name on it.

Good luck for finding something permanent in September.

[quellerosiel]

I appear to be in a minority here... but I hate cover teaching. It can be very lonely, very daunting and I always feel like I'm never fully in control as the kids will always know more than you faster than you. Its their turf and they know it.

This could be my inexperience talking though. Just finished PGCE last year and haven't had a proper job yet, all my newbie enthusiasm is going to waste!!

[Littlemisssunshine72]

I'm on a guaranteed work scheme with my agency whereby as long as I am only signed on with the one agency they guarantee me work for the days I am available to work.
If there is no work, they pay me anyway. This works out well for the weeks either side of holidays.

[happyteacher1]

I love supply teaching. I work via agencies and also directly with schools. I have a large pool of schools that use me and I very occasionally agree to work full time for them if they are really stuck for a teacher; however, I prefer day to day, as there is no planning, no meetings, no pointless paperwork and no stress!

[StupidBloodyKindle]

Correct, the bottom of the market started dropping around 2004-5. Hitherto you could pick and choose a bit, and name your price in some cases. School budgets were being screwed certainly by agencies on a day to day basis. Not forgetting the fee agencies will try and charge as finder's fee if school take a shine to you and want you long term.
The thing with longer placements/maternity covers/sickness related is that you end up straight back where you were with the same planning and marking commitments, the expectations/observation schedule might be lower for supply but as soon as you take on long term you are right back where you were like the mafia...thought I was out, dragged me back in again.
The ideal is to be a known quantity/first call/late call in a familiar school where you are on a mainscale daily rate covering the day to day third absentee (if two cover supervisors are in place already) and are 'delivery of lesson plan only'... but clearly, there will be days when you are not needed and this will only work if you are the additional wage not reliant on the money coming in.
I ended up doing two years as a cover supervisor at 18k per year term time only, worked out about 1k/month (2005-7) simply because it worked out well with having a toddler at that time. I got inset training when it was whole school and I was on the official staff list, reporting directly to the deputy and cover manager, the kids and staff knew me and I was delivery only, although would do a bit of extra prep or marking when free (was not always on cover) out of goodwill/making lesson plan better.
Still, many thought I was crazy, effectively taking a 50% paycut and selling myself short but for me, it was the part of teaching I enjoyed, the delivery, with far less admin or political bullshit. So mentally it was like going part time (without the half pay but still twice the workload/same expectations conundrum) that I think part timers end up with or those on a job share.
My cross-curricular knowledge at that time got so much better, I could have a chat and brew with most departments and I could walk out the door at 4pm with my evening free but, unlike supply, knowing where I would be the following day, often what my day might be, and although I might have full day
contact time I would be safe in the knowledge that even if tired I would have less stress/also be backed up by smt with any behaviour issues.

But I think supply teaching in the first instance does help you get a feel for LEAs and schools beyond what you read/know from colleagues and that can be hugely helpful if you want to know whether it is the job admin you have a problem with or the job itself (you cannot survive in supply without decent classroom management/behaviour strategies*), if you need a sense of perspective/reality check, or just a break from routine it can give you a big insight into senior management in place so when a job does come up in a school you like, you can apply knowing you are a decent match.
*evidently does not apply to those who don't care, who are in denial or whose self esteem is not connected with whether their kids make progress or not

[BackforGood]

I think the other worry with secondary supply, is the number of schools that use cover supervisors - my dcs rarely have a supply teacher in, unless it's a long, whole term type of thing.