Supply Teacher Support Thread

[SuppIyTeacher]

Hello there
No idea how many supply teachers are on Mumsnet but hoping a few of you are out there to swap experiences, good or bad, and to keep each other company while awaiting assignments/seeing what happens to our work in the face of Covid-19.
Have you any work lined up? Have you any back up plan? What have your experiences been like pre, during, post lockdown? Are you worried about going back or have you decided not to and if the latter, what are you going to do instead?
I am sticking the kettle on and wiping down the chairs Here's to some luck for us all.

Hello! Nice to hear of someone else in the same boat. I’ll have a tea and a cake .

I’m an NQT so no experience of supply, I haven’t been able to get a job so have decided to try this route. I’m a bit hesitant as don’t want to be going into lots of schools at the moment though not sure if schools will actually want supply.

I’m going to keep looking out for jobs and hoping something works out if not will have to find some other role, probably child related.

Have you done a lot of supply before? Any work lined up for this term?

Hi Sadie

I am so sorry for you love - corona did a real number on all NQTs. I do hope you find something soon - what's your specialism?
I have about 4 years of supply under my belt at different times in my life: have covered secondaries, primaries, hospital and special schools. It always feels like doing stand-up for a living - convincing the kids they are in safe hands and commanding the room from the off to avoid getting heckled .
September and July are usually quiet. I am tied to areas now but used to have more options when I could do > than one authority. Sadly I am less flexible these days. I am not sure how much we will be in demand this year so have been looking at TA, cover supervisor and mentor roles of late. I know Teach First were taking on QTS as intervention/learning mentors - that might be something for you to think about but you would be in a challenging school. That said, doing supply can be a baptism of fire.
I have no work set up at all yet but as I do day-to-day/short term, that is usual until teachers start getting sick: it's just different this term we aren't told sure what the implications of a sick member of staff will be and whether budgets can cover supply rates.

Thank you . It’s been a strange year and I feel a bit rusty and unprepared at this teaching lark now! I am a primary teacher.

Wow, that sounds like a great range of experience especially getting to go into hospital schools. Do you have a favourite type of school or do you like doing a range?
I like the idea of seeing a range of environments but yes does seem like a big baptism of fire and not sure If I am ready for that!! Though need to start doing some sort of teaching ASAP.

I will look into the teach first scheme. I did a placement in a challenging school and enjoyed my time there though was absolutely exhausted.

I hope we get more of an idea of how things will look supply wise and that you get some work soon.

www.teachfirst.org.uk/academic-mentors

Many on here were sceptical though as they were also looking at appointing non QTS. If I were younger without responsibilities, I might have considered it but it could put you off for life but then, so could supply. I prefer general cover, non-practical (Sport/dance not a great fit for me) at secondary, preferably a known absence in advance or illness that morning rather than number (insert double figure) in a long line of dailies covering for an unfilled position or long term absentee as the latter classes can become (understandably) disaffected and therefore more challenging as a result.