So far just one single period in the first week of term and that was actually using a gained period because yr 7 were doing their induction week and so I was not teaching them. As it was a specially arranged timetable then taking the period for cover was within the rules.  We have employed a supply teacher on a term contract and are advertising for another cover supervisor.

I was out of school all last week on a residential and the supply taught my entire timetable, I am out for 3 days next week on another trip and I'm sure she will be taking my classes again (in fact a couple of classes prefer her)!

Does anyone else have a problem finding supply teachers?

 

FYI, our TAs and CSs are not on a minimum wage, far from it. They are also qualified.

 

Supply teachers do exist, but we can only find 2 or 3 available each day, so as there has to be someone in front of each class, it's having to be a teacher at the moment.

 

Rarely cover does not work.

We don't have much problem finding supply.  We have the same number of CSs as last year and I believe the total number of lessons covered by teachers so far is less than 10 (and most of those were on one day when a major accident near to the school meant a large number of staff didn't make it in for the first period).  

Having said that, we haven't had many staff off yet - half a dozen at the most out of 100-odd.  What will happen when cold and flu season kicks in, we shall see.

I've done 1 since the start of term. We dont have any CSs or TAs taking classes. We have 2/3 Supply Teachers who have been employed on long term contracts who are absorbing most of the cover. In addition they are actually teaching the lessons we leave as opposed to just supervising the classes. We are able to leave full lesson plans and resources (if we can) and they are delivering the lessons.

I've done 3 and when I questionned it was told that the periods are "headteacher's directed time" and that the headteacher was directing me to do cover! And that i've only covered absent colleagues who called in sick that day therefore it was unavoidable short notice cover...

For the first time since i started teaching  i have managed a half term with not one cover - WOW!!

It seems to be working in my school.

 

welsh_girly

I've done 3 and when I questionned it was told that the periods are "headteacher's directed time" and that the headteacher was directing me to do cover! And that i've only covered absent colleagues who called in sick that day therefore it was unavoidable short notice cover...

can they do that? do you have PPA protected sessions? seems wrong to me,

Traycie

welsh_girly

I've done 3 and when I questionned it was told that the periods are "headteacher's directed time" and that the headteacher was directing me to do cover! And that i've only covered absent colleagues who called in sick that day therefore it was unavoidable short notice cover...

can they do that? do you have PPA protected sessions? seems wrong to me,

 

Legally, no they can't.

Morally, no they can't.

Practically, all the time there are teachers agreeing to it, they'll get away with it.

lilachardy

Rarely cover does not work.

 

Good management make it work.

 

I have done very little cover in 3 years - yes 3 years.

 

Rarely cover has been coming for a long time and good management were prepared for it.

 

If it's not working at you school look to the management or the teachers who are agreeing to do it.

 

welsh_girly

And that i've only covered absent colleagues who called in sick that day therefore it was unavoidable short notice cover

 

They should have collated info from the past few years, worked out absence levels and what to do when people were sick - so it can be planned for and it is not unavoidable.

 

A lot of schools have 2/3 cover supervisors to cope with the first few teacher absences,

HTL3's who can be diverted from TA work to covering lessons when they are needed,

Then there is always supply to cope with long term absence.

 

Contact your union for advice.

 

4 cover supervisors.

5 supply teachers

13 staff absent (7 on their first day of illness)

 

You do the math.

I've done 4 this half term. We have to do cover if there aren't enough cover supervisors to go round :(

None as yet.  Long may that continue!

Also none so far, but our school is apparently in dire straits as we've used the entire budget in one half term!

none

but like others we've been told that the amount spent on supply in 1 1/2 term is unsustainable

I have done 3 so far since half term - i've been told its because i'm underdeployed because they have reduced all my teaching time with my classes.

I wouldn't have done any if one of our CS weren't on long term sick leave (since september!).

 

 

I have done 1 cover pretty much every week since september.  Can't say I have noticed rarely cover.  They say if you are under allocation, i.e. not got a teaching load of 44 lessons over the two week timetable - then you can be used for cover.

 

I would rather have my full teaching load then do cover to be honest!