Cover for long term absence

[Acopyofacopy]

One member of my department had to have an emergency operation and will not be back for 3 weeks.
The head refuses to get a supply teacher in - we can apparently all cover internally.
Not only does somebody have to set all of the cover, somebody will have to teach the lot. Colleague has 3 exam classes...
How is this handled at your school? Does school insurance not cover the cost of a supply teacher?

Should be covered by insurance if unforseen I think.

Union?

Many schools don't have insurance cover because the cost is ridiculous. I would prefer to cover exam classes internally if I possibly could, with cover supervisors covering KS3. But then, good soecialist supply trachers in my subject are very hard to find.

That’s what I thought. Might have a word with the union rep doh

Where's autocorrect when you need it??

I like a good socialist supply teacher!

Also, the thought that school might not have insurance didn’t even enter my head, what with teachers’ workloads being as light as they are...

Well, budgets being what they are, it is entirely possible.

Our school never had insurance to cover teacher absence. A 3 week absence would have been covered internally by cover teachers and the one school cover supervisor. A level classes may have had after school sessions with the HOS, or may have simply had to get on with cover work unsupervised.

Long term supply wouldn’t have been considered for an absence less than half a term.

Don't the unions say that planned absence shouldn't be covered by internal teaching staff? That would mean that a proper cover teacher would need to be found. Talk to your union penny pinching head

Insurance only meets about 60% of the cost...although it will cover the actual pay a teacher gets, it won't cover the additional agency costs etc. It cost the school around £60 a day if cover and is bought in.

I’ve taught two classes at the same time for the best part of a year to cover an absence before now, the other class would get a cover person, non-specialist, and do the work I set them, I would take it in turns to teach each class. Trying to get a part-time qualified Maths specialist was impossible. So double parents’ evenings, double reports, double marking etc.... you do it for the kids!

Can you adjust so you/your team teach the exam classes and Cover supervisors take KS3?? Set them a project/extended type task so easy to mark too. That is what I have done w paternity leave in faculty in the past. Then fit in some peer marking and /or ask a TA to scaffold Mark books (if possible!!) to keep them 'ticking over'.

Teaching two classes at the same time sounds like a plan, trinity!