How to Get the Most Out Of Supply Teachers
17 Apr, 20251-2 minutes
In this blog, you will learn:
- What a Supply Teacher is.
- How to get the most out of Supply Teachers.
- About the education recruitment services available to your school.
With the ongoing Teacher shortage across the UK, the need to rely on Supply Teachers has become even more common, making it all the more important to ensure you're getting the best from them.
According to GovUK, in the UK, schools spent £757.6 million on supply teaching costs in 2023-24, an 8.5% increase from the previous year. With shortages of school staff escalating, schools are relying on temporary solutions and cover from Supply Teachers to effectively educate their pupils.
Like any other member of staff, Supply Teachers deserve respect and support for their key contributions to learning. Whether they’re stepping in for a day or covering a role for several months, maximising the impact of a Supply Teacher is essential.
What is a Supply Teacher?
A Supply Teacher temporarily steps in to cover lessons for Teachers in their absence. Like regular Teachers, they manage classrooms, maintain learning and bring valuable insights into teaching practices and student engagement.
Schools rely on supply staff for varying durations, from a few hours to several months. This could be due to a staff illness, training or maternity leave.
The employment of a Supply Teacher is critical for minimising disruptions caused by the absence of a permanent Teacher. Supply Teachers ensure continuity of education by following lesson plans and providing sufficient activities and strategies to support student learning.
Just like Early Career Teachers, it’s important to get the most out of Supply Teachers in order for them to help students succeed academically and personally.
How to get the most out of Supply Teachers
Methods for getting the most out of Supply Teachers, include:
- Communicate information clearly.
- Make sure the classroom is organised.
- Provide teaching resources and lesson plans.
- Ensure school policies are followed.
- Check in and follow up.
- Maintain a positive relationship.
Communicate information clearly
The best way to get the most out of Supply Teachers and encourage first-class teaching in your school is to establish clear communication from their first day. The handover from the usual class Teacher to the Supply Teacher should be seamless, with little to no interruption to student learning.
It’s important to establish open communication with Supply Teachers and foster a welcoming and collaborative environment. It’s crucial that they are made aware of any important factors such as classroom routines and individual student needs, especially for those with SEND.
Schools must ensure that a Supply Teacher has all necessary information about the class and any specific needs or concerns, such as behavioural issues.
Detailed handover notes and emergency contact information should be provided for any Supply Teachers and a face-to-face briefing might also be necessary to ensure a Supply Teacher is fully informed before they step into the classroom.
Make sure the classroom is organised
An organised classroom can make a world of difference to a Supply Teacher and their ability to navigate their new surroundings. Organising the classroom for a Supply Teacher ensures a smooth transition for students as it helps maintain a sense of routine, familiarity and structure that supports learning.
Labelling the classroom clearly will help Supply Teachers locate resources, such as work books, stationary and lesson aids. This means they are able to deliver seamless lessons and maintain a high quality of education for students.
Provide teaching resources and lesson plans
For a Supply Teacher to seamlessly take over a class and pick up where a permanent Teacher has left off, they will need access to the same teaching resources and lesson plans.
Access to worksheets, books and technology are all necessary so a Supply Teacher can ensure a day of effective teaching.
As part of their responsibilities, Supply Teachers may be required to create their own lesson plans, especially if they are covering a class for a significant period of time.
A Supply Teacher should be fully informed as to where students are up to in the syllabus and if there are any specific areas of improvement required.
Ensure school policies are followed
Making the most of Supply Teachers isn’t just about ensuring pupils have an efficient educator, it’s also about upholding school standards and following school policy. Supply Teachers should be familiar with the schools policies, expectations and specific procedures for dealing with day to day issues. They should also be made aware of reward systems and behaviour policies in order to provide consistency for pupils.
Even if a Supply Teacher is only at a school for a day or two, it’s crucial that they are aware of health and safety procedures to ensure students are safe at all times.
Understanding a school’s policies and procedures can help Supply Teachers feel more confident in their decisions should they need to take appropriate action.
Check in and follow up
To get the most out of Supply Teachers, it’s important to regularly see how they are getting on and what you can do to make their temporary cover a positive experience.
Checking in with Supply Teachers involves asking for their input, following up on anything they mentioned previously and addressing any concerns. Following up with Supply Teachers helps you understand how they’re doing and asking for their input shows that you value their contribution and respect their role in the school.
As supply teaching allows individuals to experience different school environments they might be able to provide valuable insights and strategies to enhance teaching practices.
It also gives you the opportunity to offer any support that they might need and to learn something from their fresh perspectives. Regular check-ins also cement positive relationships, which will be useful in the future should you need a Supply Teacher.
Maintain a positive relationship
As Supply Teachers have the freedom to choose when and where they work, maintaining a positive relationship and maximising that relationship can increase the likelihood that they’ll return to your school.
Supply Teachers experience different school environments and teaching styles and it’s important that you make sure their experience at your school is a good one. During the Supply Teacher’s time at your school, it’s important to be warm, welcoming and supportive.
Provide them with a tour of the school and introduce them to key staff members so they can feel connected, included and valued. Not only can this lead to smoother lessons and better student engagement, but a higher chance of employee satisfaction and that they’ll return for future cover.
Reliable placements in the future ensure consistency, reliability and familiarity when you need it most. It may even lead to them becoming a permanent member of staff in the future!
Recruit Supply Teachers
As a specialist education recruitment agency, we support mainstream and SEND schools with their temporary, permanent and temp-perm staffing needs.
We currently work with hundreds of schools and have exclusive access to some of the best supply Teachers and Teaching Assistants in the North West.
If you’re struggling to fill a teaching vacancy, why not get in touch with one of our team to see how we can help?
- Primary schools - Jimmy Callagher
- Secondary schools - Liam Jones
- SEND schools - Jamie Heath
Supply teaching jobs
If you’re searching for your next supply teaching job, why not take a look at the latest teaching vacancies, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant position becomes available.
Meet Jamie Heath
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Established in 2017, we’re an award winning and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Our reputation is built on trust, expertise and an unwavering commitment to exceed expectations.
In 2024, we were named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the prestigious Recruiter Awards, an accolade we are extremely proud of.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
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