What should I do?

[PrimaryTeacher123]

I took on a role in a primary school as effectively "in house supply". Last year, I had a class with the school as a long term supply teacher and loved it. They didn't have a class for me this year but wanted to keep me so they offered me this contracted "in house supply" role in July. As I enjoyed working in the school with a class and I am paid to scale too, I wanted to stay and said yes.

However, this new role is not for me, it's awful. I am being asked to cover three or four classes in a day. In one room at 9 and in another by 10:30. Different children, different year groups, different text books for English, different groups etc etc. My head is absolutely spinning. I didn't appreciate at the time when I said yes, how frustrating it is not being the class teacher and not having any say. I just cover, feel like a spare part, don't have a base or my own room and don't like the role.

It is a good school and I still like it there, but I hate this role. I really can't continue covering in three or four rooms a day until July. There is very little movement as it is a good school, so I doubt anyone would leave at Christmas. So I like the school but hate the the role. The obvious thing is to speak to SLT and see if I can have less classes to cover for my sanity, but that's the role! They want the classes covering for PPA, ECT time, leadership time and it's spread out. Should I leave at Christmas and have my own class in another school after Christmas or should I grin and bear it until someone leaves and a class becomes available?

There are no guarantees you'll be offered a class even if someone did unexpectedly leave part way through the year, as budget constraints might mean they choose to look for an ECT or someone on a lower pay scale. If you changed roles mid year they'd need to find someone to replace you too, so they may opt to just advertise the class vacancy and keep you as you are (especially if they're not aware you're unhappy).

Personally I would look elsewhere, as much as it seems a shame as you love the school. I have massive respect for HLTAs, which is essentially the role they're asking you to do, as they are literally here there and everywhere all the time with no 'home' (class/classroom) to call their own, as you are finding. It's very different to general supply, as although you go from school to school you're usually with the same class all day so the plans are easier to get your head around.

I would mention to them how hard you're finding it, incase there is anything they can put in place to better support you (you don't know unless you ask and they won't be aware you're struggling unless you declare it) but ultimately you may need to accept that it's time to move on for your own sanity.

Good luck

A very helpful response, thank you. I will talk to them, but also look for class teacher roles at other schools. When they offered me the role, I did mention that ideally I wanted a class, but like the school so accepted the in house supply role. They said it was noted. I can't see any movement currently in the school as it stands.

I totally sympathise. I was moved out of my Year 2 class last November after a stay in hospital for my uncontrolled asthma. (I'd gone back into Y2 fulltime in September after being off with breast cancer).

There were concerns about my health and well-being and at the time I was devastated at what my head did. He went about it in the totally wrong way.

I ended up teaching every year group except Y3 & 6. I taught phonics, guided reading, RE,topic work and spent a whole day and a half in Reception and I HATED it.

Like you, I felt I had no base. I used to lose my thermos mug constantly. I bought a 6 drawer case from the Range so that I could organise my resources and wandered round school with a trolley.

Luckily I'd taught many of the kids in KS2 when they were in KS1 and I know them and their families well, (I've been teaching there for 22 years) so I coped ok as time went on but it was so disjointed.

This year I'm teaching Y1 for 3 days, Y4 for a day and supporting Y1 for a morning so it's not as crazy but I'd still rather have my own class fulltime.

It affected my mental health a great deal so I know where you're coming from.

There wouldn’t be any guarantees of a class as a supply teacher - and to be fair if I was a supply I’d be expecting to spend my days classroom surfing like you’re doing right now.
Sounds like you’d be best suited having a permanent role in a school with a class allocation.
You could always ask the HT or put the feelers about any vacancies coming up? Theres bound to be at least one teacher planning to progress or retire…
Show them as a Supply teacher what value you can add to the school.