Any supply HLTAs out there?

[whoami24601]

Just wondering if anyone does this? How much work would you say you get? A change in circumstances means I'm considering doing it for a short time but not sure how to go about it!

Thanks!

Anyone? Hopeful bump...

Bumping for you! Good luck.

Thanks! Apparently there aren't any though

Have you tried The Staffroom?

I have never worked in a school where a supply HLTA was used. We have a member of support staff who is paid as an HLTA for the hours when she does ‘teaching’ rather than TA-ing.

On the supply teaching Fb page, it’s quite evident that there is a glut of supply teachers and sometimes they are asked to go into schools who try to pay them as an HLTA rate but actually working as a teacher . It’s a bit shit.

I think there may be more call for supply cover supervisors in secondary though.

I have worked in schools where they were used. Cheaper than a supply teacher like you say! Maybe not as common as I was hoping though I really need a flexible way to make some money!

Are you a teacher?

If you know of schools who use them-try contacting them directly. You might find that schools used to do this but can no longer afford it.

I assume you're primary? It is going to become increasingly common to use HLTA's in primary for cover (and I am hearing frequently of TA's doing long term cover now) given the situation with budgets. I am secondary trained and work supply in both primary and secondary. I rarely get a teaching day in primary - always paid as a HLTA. You need to have a frank discussion with local agencies (plural - one agency is never enough!) but be aware they will promise you the moon on a stick to get you on their books! September is quiet but after that it is steady through to July in primary and through to mid-May in secondary (after that, teacher's are freed up because year 11s leave so there is more internal cover available).

Rates for TAs, HLTAs and Cover Supervisors are dire but there is no responsibility with it so if you can afford it, it's fine. Long term cover pays better (I work one long term for 3 days a week and do day to day for the rest) but you are stuck with planning, marking, meetings and parent's evenings. Once agencies get to know you and know you're reliable and they don't get complaints about you, you can start to push the boundaries with pay - I don't do a HLTA day now at the advertised HLTA rate but they won't quite push to teacher rate! But school's ask for me and given the wide choice of agencies, most will pay you a bit more so as not to lose the work to another agency (when they would still get me 'cos I'm registered with just about all of them!).

Supply really works for me. I work every day I want to (which is the majority, but I like the flexibility it offers for me to be able to deal with child illness or appointments as I'm a single parent with no help at all) but the confidence from the agencies was hard won. It helps if you will work in difficult schools (because so many people won't) and it really helps if you can be flexible across both primary and secondary. You say you want to do it for the short term - how long is 'short'? If you start in January when everyone is ill and stressed, you may have no issues getting work. If you start in September, it will be harder and if short is very short, you may struggle to get established. There are numerous supply groups on Facebook which are useful.