Documents you need to bring when you come to register with Education Appointments

• Identification/Proof of eligibility to work – We need to see at least two of the following: Valid Passport, Driving Licence (we need at least one of these as photographic ID,Birth Certificate,Marriage Certificate (if your name has changed since qualifying we need to see this)/NI card.
• Proof of current address Bank Statement or Utility Bill which is less than 3 months old.
• Proof of National Insurance Number – P60/P45/National Insurance card
• Proof of your Qualifications – PGCE/QTS/Degree Certificate/NVQ/CACHE/NNEB/BTEC Child Care (If overseas qualified, you will need written clarification of your qualification from UK Naric)
• Proof of GTC registration ( if applicable) – ALL TEACHERS MUST BE REGISTERED WITH THE GTC
• Teacher DCSF number (if applicable)
• Current Enhanced CRB– Wherever possible, if you have a CRB which is less than 12 months old, we will try to ‘verify’ it.  However, there are lots of organisations who do not provide this service and therefore we will need to apply for a new one.  There is an initial  charge for the processing of the CRB, however we offer a 50% refund on this once you have worked 20 days or equivalent for us.
• If you have been overseas within the last 5 years and stayed in one particular country for 3 months or longer we require a ‘Certificate of Good Conduct’ or Overseas Police Check.  We will also need to verify your passport.
• Names, addresses, telephone numbers and if possible – business email addresses of referees. It is a requirement to cover your work/ academic and gaps of employment over the last 10 years. At least 2 references must be either your last school/employer or work placement and if you are a NQT; your last 2 school placements and University Tutor.   Another reference may be a character reference of a professional (IE. Doctor, Police person, Accountant or Solicitor) – someone that has known you over 5 years and cannot be a relative or immediate family member. If you undertake any outside activities such as Cubs, Scouts or Brownies, we will also need to obtain a further reference from the organisation.  Please ensure that you bring the relevant information to enable us to gain your references quickly (We are required to take WRITTEN references) – It is important that we are able to obtain these references within 2 weeks, so please advise your referees prior to us applying for them, delays in gaining reference will have an impact on how quickly work can be sourced for you.
• Bank/Building Society details
• Up to date CV – Please see our website for an example template. If you are an NQT, please bring in your Career Entry and Development Profile.  PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR CV MUST COVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, EVIDENCE OF ANY GAPS IN WORK/STUDY HISTORY MUST BE ACCOUNTED FOR AND EVIDENCE IS REQUIRED – IE:- Travelling (Your Passport pages will be copied to verify dates), Maternity Leave (Your child(ren’s) birth certificates will be required), Looking for work (proof of claiming Job seekers or any other benefits during this time).  Caring for children at home – a professional reference can be sought to cover this.  (Professional references – can be by a Teacher, Doctor, member of the police force, local MP etc. and they must not be related to you).  If you have been self employed at any time in the last 10 years; you will need to provide your tax returns/accounts for each year or a letter from your accountant to verify this.

Advice for registering

• It is a good idea to register with us early in the year, this way you will be cleared to work in time following your last placement and don’t forget to ask for a reference from them before you finish.
• Try and earn some money in schools before the summer holidays (your last placement school may ask for you back too!).                                

How does supply work fit in with induction?

•  You can work on a supply basis for 4 terms, after that you will need to secure a terms induction, having said that, Education Appointments will strive to secure you an induction period within the first 4 months.
•  If you find in the first term that you are covering day to day supply in different schools and areas, embrace it, as the more experience you have the better chance you will have of securing that all important first induction term.

Schools with generally note your performance as a supply teacher throughout the day. The small things can make a big difference in you being asked back to help with cover again or not.

Expected etiquette:

• If there is a teacher feedback form available make sure you fill it in at the end of each lesson.
• Staying in the classroom until all the students have left safely.
• Once all the students have left, check the classroom for rubbish and make sure the tables and chairs are straight and everything is put away along with clearing the board.
• If you have had to confiscate any items, make sure you hand them in to the appropriate member of staff.
• Have a good positive approach to the other members of the staff in the school and be as helpful as possible, go the extra mile.

When you’re ever going to do a day of supply teaching make sure you take your ID.

You will generally always be asked to take photo ID, so that’s your Passport or Driving License.

Along with ID you will always need your most recent CRB, make sure you take the right one that the agency your’re on supply with, will have a copy of.

When you arrive at the school you will be asked to show your ID and CRB and asked to sign in the visitors book. If your’re in a car you will probably need to know your car registration number as well.

As your role as a supply teacher you generally will be sent to new schools in different towns on a day-to-day basis. You may need to invest in a satellite navigation unit.

If you have enough notice of the booking it may be an idea to check the school address on Google maps or AA route finder. This will ensure you familiarise yourself with the area before you set off.

If you can check the school website you will also be able to see the school photo and then you know what you are looking for when you get there.

Education Appointments will always send you a txt to confirm the address and school telephone number.

Working in Schools is not just in the classroom.

As a supply teacher you are expected to conduct yourself in a professional manner. Make sure you introduce yourself to the office staff, teachers and head teacher, do this either on arrival or throughout the day if possible.

Make sure you find things out, ask questions you’ll need to know about the registers and break time. It may be a good idea to find out about the behaviour policies.

Interaction with the students is key, being there to help in and out of the classroom. If you come across any problems when you have created relationships  with students, you must report any issues to the head of year, deputy head or a teacher.

To be a successful supply teacher you need to make sure your willing to mark students work and teach different key stages. If you treat every day like an interview/trial day you have more chance of making the right impression and getting asked to come back and work at the school.

Don’t forget to have a good time, talk to other staff members at lunch time/break time, make friends.

If you work for more than one agency which a lot of supply teachers do, its a good idea to make sure you keep note of where you have worked and how much you got paid for that day and from which agency. The reasons for doing this is so you can update your CV as you go along and apply for jobs. The other reasons are you might want to check your wages if you have worked for a few agencies at the the end of each week.

PS A small page by page diary would be good for this.

There are a number of teaching resources on the internet.

We have tried to list them all on our resources page, but if you know of any more please let us know at info@educationappointments.com

It’s a good idea as a supply teacher to have some resources to hand, either on a USB pen or in your bag. This should include lesson plans, games, worksheets and activities.

Make sure you’ve always got a set of pens with you and ideas for settling the class down, a word search can be good for this.

Be Prepared – try to be early and always have resources with you. Prepare something that will grab the pupils’ attention immediately. You need to aim to have them on task as quickly as possible. If it’s a class you know, try to get into the classroom before the pupils arrive and arrange the desks/resources as you want them. If you will be working with a Teaching Assistant, explain your objectives and talk them through your teaching style before the pupils arrive.

1. Know The Schools’ Policies – if there is a problem, who should you turn to? Is there a ‘sin bin’? Is it appropriate to put a pupil outside the classroom? What rewards and sanctions does the school approve of?

2. Name Drop – pupils will spot that you’re a supply teacher a mile off and expect to get away with poor behaviour. So, let them know you know the authority figures in the school. Drop the names of the Head/Deputy in conversations during the lesson.

3. Promote Good Behaviour – take every opportunity to give genuine praise: for achievement in learning tasks, for effort, for creating a good learning environment, as well as improved behaviour.

4. Focus On The Positive – start by being as confident and positive as you can be. Think about your non-verbal communication – you want to demonstrate a clear control of the situation. Maintaining eye contact is important. Continue by focusing on what’s going right and offering praise whenever you can. Using humour is encouraging and positive too – but sarcasm will only win you enemies. Try turning an order into an encouraging statement, e.g. ‘Stop talking now!’ becomes ‘If you listen to me, you’ll know what to do’.

5. Give Clear Instructions – make sure there is no ambiguity about who is in charge! Also, set tasks with explicit aims and objectives for the pupils to complete during the lesson.

6. Rewards & Expectations – have a system that acknowledges those who behave and do their work – that also demonstrates to others what’s expected. It would be great if you always had the opportunity to set ground rules at the beginning of a lesson, but you might not have the atmosphere to do so!

7. Clear Sanctions with Warnings – avoid jumping straight to the ultimate punishment! When a pupils is doing something that is inappropriate, warn them about what will happen if it continues and make sure you impose that sanction if it does! Try to make a distinction between the pupil and their behaviour – they’re great but their behaviour has been a real disappointment! This will help to maintain the pupil’s self-esteem.

8. Select Your Strategy – there are always a number of ways of dealing with a challenging situation. So, it may be appropriate to ignore difficult behaviour, or distract pupils with a change of activity. Try to reason with pupils or agree small activity completion to get them back on track. It is better to start with low level preventative intervention, then build up to more serious sanctions like the removal of the pupil from the class. It is always easier to move this way than in the opposite direction! Whatever strategy you select, in needs to be fair and consistent, focusing on the behaviour not the person.

9.  Avoid Confrontation - Remember that the more you shout, the less effective it becomes. Worst still, shouting back at a pupil who is shouting at you is likely to escalate the situation. Go for a controlled, non-threatening response, even if you know you’re losing your cool. Remember that a pupil winding you up you is looking for an explosive response, so keep your dignity intact by taking a deep breath and reply with a positive statement, e.g. ‘I’m here to help you. If you return to your seat, I’ll come over and go through the tasks with you again’.

10. Keep Moving – by moving round the class, you’ll show your pupils that their work is being observed and that you’re interested in it. It will help you avoid poor behaviour caused by a lack of understanding of the subject matter/task at hand.

11. Be Flexible – you need to be ready to think on your feet and adapt your lesson/learning programme to the class. Responding to an interest shown in a particular aspect of your lesson could lead to a really enjoyable lesson for all.

12. Record Behaviour Clearly – the school you are visiting will want to know how your day has gone. Also, they are in a position to follow up thoroughly on good and bad behaviour. So, use your KES Handover Notes to comment on pupils’ behaviour – but make sure is clear, precise and non-ambiguous. Avoid vague statements and focus instead on descriptions of performance, e.g. ‘Julie couldn’t concentrate’ becomes ‘Julie worked for no more than 3 minutes before leaving her seat to talk to Claire behind her’.

13. Keep Your Perspective- even when things seem to be going wrong, always remember that it’s not the end of the world! Most people learn more in challenging situations.

Glossary

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Terms which are used to describe children with over-active highly impulsive behaviour and who have difficulty in paying attention.  As well as a short concentration span they are often easily distracted, restless, talkative and cannot easily follow instructions.  Their impatience and unpredictability makes for very challenging behaviour.

Behaviour, emotional and social development

One of four areas of need described in the DfES SEN Code of Practice.  It includes ‘children and young people who demonstrate features of emotional and behavioural difficulties, who are withdrawn or isolated, disruptive and disturbing, hyperactive and lack concentration, those with immature social skills and those presenting challenging behaviours arising from other complex special needs.’

Disaffected
Applied to older children who appear to reject their school and its values and perceive the curriculum on offer as irrelevant to their needs.  In a group they may constitute an anti-school sub-culture.

Tourettes Syndrome

An inherited condition which is characterised by ‘tics’ or an involuntary, rapid or sudden movement which is repeated over and over again.  It may be aggravated by stress or excitement.  The syndrome is sometimes associated with various behavioural difficulties.

Tip of the day for Supply Teachers

Make sure your phone is always on in the morning!

Most supply work can come from emergency supply day to day cover, if you don’t have your phone on or don’t answer it you may miss out!

Make sure you have a pen and paper handy incase you need to write down the address.

Education Appointments will txt you the address and confirm all the details.