It's the supply I'm afraid - schools might favour you as their top supply person to get in for a day / week / short term, but they won't want you permanent. Why not? Because they think: "why has no one else employed this person permanently????"

Thanks for confirming what I already know, I just dont see a way out...at all.

I really don't believe supply puts off schools in this climate. They are aware of the competition for jobs at present.

I also chose to take supply route for a year and have recently received 2 interviews from 3 job application. I (maybe mistakenly) believe that having a years teaching experience stands me apart from NQT's who do not and gives me the edge.

Think about what you have learned this year what you have done well and try and communicate this in your application. Most importantly talk to the head listen to what they say and mold each application accordingly.

Good luck!

I'm not an expert, but I would highlight in any applications the fact that you've done supply to gain experience in a range of settings and have massed fabulous behaviour management skills and, if you've been with the same class for a longer-term supply before, have managed progression of learners. Talk about how working in different schools has given you excellent communication skills and make sure HTs know you by name, so you can ask for references.

Sorry, you're probably already doing all this anyway. If it makes you feel better, I'm not doing supply and still haven't had any interviews. 

Good luck with it all.

Supply is no easy option and gives a great deal of professional development. I always have had a great deal of time for those who have done supply.

Are you presenting this positively, therefore, in your applications?  Sillow is Bang On Target with his/her post.

Let's look at what you gain from doing supply. The supply teaching has given you flexibility and versatility, allowed you to observe a variety of different classroom practices and learn from them,, improved your classroom management skills from dealing with a wide range of different pupils, from the too-compliant to the downright difficult. You have gained self-reliance, have learnt to work co-operatively with colleagues in different types of schools, you are able to deal with difficult situations (and difficult people), you have experience of a wide range of year groups. You have become a much more effective teacher than you were before, and are very grateful for these opportunities.

Are you setting all this out in the letter, right at the beginning, getting it all in before you even mention the word "Supply"?

Since successfully completing my PGCE in xxx I have been able to acquire etc etc etc through a series of contracts as a supply teacher. (You can easily write a whole paragraph on the benefits of supply and what it will enable you to bring to this school).

Make sure that you get someone who you've worked for in a school to write one of your references, and get him/her to include the phrase "Would appoint without hesitation if I had a vacancy". Get into your letter that schools asked for you by name from the agency (but only if true, not if not!), that you had repeat postings because you were a valued colleague.

In other words, don't be apologetic, supply is great preparation for the day-to-day of teaching.

And I do hope that you are noting all those posters who say "the executive summary worked for me - I got no interviews until I used it"

Best wishes

_______________________________________

TheoGriff. Member of the TES Careers Advice Service.

For the full TES Weekend Workshop programme please visit www.tes.co.uk/careerseminars or contact advice@tes.co.uk for one-to-one sessions.

I shall be contributing to the Moving into SLT or Headship seminar on Saturday 19 May.

Sorry for the late reply. I am catching up with things here as kept away for a while. I qualified back end of 09, in the December and have just landed myself a job in my preferred age group in a school that I have never supplied in. (also in the same city as you are) I work my ass off for my agency, and am currently in a long term, but until last week I was having the same doubts as you, although i have been through a number of very traumatic interviews due to blatent discrimination against my disabilities. I am dyslexic, and have hearing impairment and also have a number of other long term health conditions. Do not give up, you WILL get something. I became dissillusioned and thought my dream was one thing, when in fact it was actually another. I didn't get shortlisted in a school I stayed till 8pm to do an afterschool learning opportunity for a class to prevent it from being cancelled. I was gutted, but now realise i would not actually want to work there. So please try and stay positive, something will come up, I got really lucky recently and got a long term in a lovely (ofsted satisfactory school) You must put a positive slant on your supply career, I always say when asked that supply is my biggest and most positive aspect of professional development that I have done, because I have seen and taken part in so many different experiences.

sparklelife

You must put a positive slant on your supply career, I always say when asked that supply is my biggest and most positive aspect of professional development that I have done, because I have seen and taken part in so many different experiences.

Exactly!

I spell it out in here:

Dear Theo- work history too bitty and too much supply- help!

sparklelife

I got really lucky recently and got a long term in a lovely (ofsted satisfactory school)

Well done!  I am really pleased for you.

Best wishes

________________________

TheoGriff. Member of the TES Careers Advice Service.

For the full TES Weekend Workshop programme please visit www.tes.co.uk/careerseminars or contact advice@tes.co.uk for one-to-one sessions.

I shall be contributing to the Moving into SLT or Headship seminar on Saturday 19 May.

Rowntreegirl

It's the supply I'm afraid - schools might favour you as their top supply person to get in for a day / week / short term, but they won't want you permanent. Why not? Because they think: "why has no one else employed this person permanently????"

 

I realisethat this is an old thread but the lack of rexcognition of supply teachers inthe new format led me,  an ex supply teacher, to see what was going on.

Rowntreegirl,  your post probably qualifies as the least helpful and most disparaging and smug in the history of these forums. 

I sincerely hope that the OP has found permanent work in a nice school. 

Inky, don't get mad at RowntreeGirl who is probably reflecting the view of some Heads.

I personally have a lot of respect for supply teachers, and am not the only one.  But it is up to you to prove how valuable you are in your application.

Do follow my advice over this.

 

NEW!

I have started writing Blogs - have a look, click on the BLOGS at the top

 

Best wishes

___________________________________________________

Meet Theo on line on the TES JobSeekers Forum, or in person at one of the TES Careers Advice Service seminars or individual consultations

Don't sweat it. They will have just hired Mrs Jones from MFL's husband or someone who the head plays golf with. This is what happens. Do some prodding and find out who it really was they hired and what their relation to the bigger picture was. I got my first job by word-of-mouth....don't underestimate networking and being "on side". Sadly, the application process is only a part of the hiring process.

i am so pleased you started this thread a year ago! this is exactly my position now after graduating in 2011! Currently working on an application for a school i supply a very regularly so i will definitely be using the advice people have given! hope you've had some success :)