Teacher relocating to Gloucestershire?  Here’s why you should consider Supply Teaching!

So, you’re a teacher relocating to the ‘Shire’ and debating whether you should apply for a direct class-teaching role or join an agency? Let us make your decision easier for you!

Here are a few reasons why supply teaching in Gloucestershire could be a great choice for you:

 

  1. High Demand for Teachers

There is a significant demand for supply teachers in Gloucestershire, especially in areas where schools are experience staffing shortages or require additional support for short-term or long-term cover. This demand creates a steady stream of opportunities for teachers in both primary, secondary and SEN/SEMH settings.

 

  1. Flexibility and Work-Life Balance

Supply teaching provides flexibility that many full-time teaching positions do not. You can choose when and where you work, making it ideal for those who want to maintain a better work-life balance. Whether you’re looking for part-time work or just want to pick up shifts when they fit with your schedule, supply teaching offers that flexibility.

 

  1. Explore the Beautiful Region

Gloucestershire is known for its natural beauty, including the Cotswolds, the Forest of Dean, and picturesque villages. Relocating to the area for supply teaching allows you to explore the region while working, giving you the opportunity to experience life in both rural and urban settings.

 

  1. Competitive Pay and Benefits

Thrive Supply Teachers typically take home more money per week compared to those working through our competitors.  Supply teaching can come with the benefit of working with various schools, which can help you build your professional network and gain diverse teaching experience.

 

  1. Opportunity for Career Growth

Being a supply teacher doesn’t mean you’re stuck in the same position forever. Many supply teachers find long-term placements or permanent roles after gaining experience at different schools. If you’re new to the area, supply teaching is an excellent way to get a feel for various schools and establish connections that might lead to permanent positions.

 

  1. Supportive Education Community

Thrive Education has a well-established and supportive educational community. Teachers in the area often collaborate and support one another, which can be a great asset for someone new to the region. Additionally, Gloucestershire’s schools generally provide good resources and training to support supply teachers, helping you settle in and succeed in your role.

 

  1. Living in a Lower-Cost Area

Compared to larger cities like London, Gloucestershire can offer a more affordable cost of living, especially in terms of housing and daily expenses. This can make it easier to live comfortably while working as a supply teacher, potentially improving your overall quality of life.

 

8. Positive Impact on Students, Variety and Professional Development

Supply teachers often play a vital role in maintaining consistency in education when a permanent teacher is absent. Your contribution can have a meaningful impact on students’ learning and well-being, which can be incredibly rewarding.

Supply teaching exposes you to a variety of schools, classrooms, and teaching environments. This can be a great opportunity for professional development, as you’ll encounter different teaching styles, curriculum approaches, and student populations. It also allows you to develop adaptability and a broad skill set.

 

Conclusion

Relocating to Gloucestershire for supply teaching offers a range of benefits, from flexibility and a great work-life balance to the opportunity to experience the beauty of the region. If you’re considering teaching in the area, supply teaching is a practical and fulfilling option that allows you to settle in, earn a living, and explore the diverse educational landscape of Gloucestershire.

 

Register with Thrive Education Recruitment by booking a slot in our diary today!

Considering Supply Teaching?

Supply teaching can be a rewarding and flexible career choice, offering opportunities to work in a variety of educational settings. As a supply teacher, you step in to cover for regular teachers who are absent due to illness, training, or other reasons.

Here are some factors to consider if you’re thinking about supply teaching as a career:

 

  1. Flexibility

 

  • Hours: Supply teaching can offer great flexibility. You can choose when and where to work, which is ideal if you want to avoid the routine of a full-time position or if you have other commitments.
  • Variety: You will work with different schools, age groups, and subjects, which can be an exciting challenge and a way to gain experience in diverse teaching environments.

 

  1. Requirements

 

  • To work as a supply teacher in the UK, you need to be a qualified teacher, holding Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or a similar qualification. In some cases, there are opportunities for unqualified teachers (such as cover supervisors), but these positions may not be as prevalent.
  • You must also pass background checks (DBS checks) to ensure the safety of students.

 

  1. Challenges

 

  • Classroom Management: One of the biggest challenges of supply teaching is managing classrooms without the established rapport a regular teacher might have. Some pupils may be less inclined to follow rules with a teacher they don’t know, so you’ll need strong classroom management skills.
  • Adapting Quickly: You must be able to quickly adapt to different school environments, lesson plans, and teaching methods. It can be stressful if you are not given enough time to plan, especially if you’re stepping in for a teacher mid-term or with little notice.
  • Lack of Continuity: Supply teachers often lack long-term relationships with students, which can be less satisfying for those who enjoy building lasting connections with their pupils. However, for some, this is a positive aspect of the role as it avoids the emotional investment of a full-time teaching position.

 

  1. Benefits

 

  • Work-Life Balance: The flexibility means you can often take time off when you need it, giving you a good work-life balance. It’s an appealing option if you want to avoid long hours associated with full-time teaching jobs, especially during school holidays.
  • Variety of Experience: Working in different schools allows you to gain varied experience and build a diverse portfolio, which could be useful if you want to move into more permanent roles later on.
  • Weekly pay: Supply teachers are paid on a weekly basis, a week in lieu.

 

  1. Pathways for Career Growth

 

  • While supply teaching is often seen as a temporary or flexible option, many roles can lead to long-term contract or even permanent roles. Schools usually offer full-time contracts to supply teachers they feel are a good fit for their setting.
  • Some supply teachers transition into more senior or specialist roles once they’ve gained extensive experience in different schools.

Conclusion

 

Supply teaching offers flexibility and variety but comes with its challenges, particularly in terms of classroom management and adapting quickly to new environments. It can be a great career for those who enjoy a dynamic workday and the opportunity to work across different schools.

 

If you are interested in finding out more about supply teaching and how Thrive can support you, please contact us on the details below. Alternately, book a slot directly into our calendar following the link below:

https://thrive-education.co.uk/contact-us/

Telephone: 01452 260 933

Email: ellis@thrive-education.co.uk

MicroLearning: Teaching in the TikTok Age

 

As the new year rolls in through a haze of 2024 banners and slurred renditions of Auld Lang Syne, changes in the teaching profession are (hopefully!) far from our minds. As our focus and attention is pulled from various family meals to other social occasions, it can be difficult to be present and take in
the ‘here and now’.

 

In teaching, the trend of the dwindling pupil attention span is one that can no longer be ignored.

Gone are the days when children could sustain attention and focus for a full afternoon of science in Year 6, or a hefty double maths session in Year 9. The latest trend in lesson formation and structure is MicroLearning; a streamlined education process that delivers lesson content in bite-sized chunks to appeal to the shorter attention spans of today’s pupils.

 

For years, short-form entertainment, such as what you can find on YouTube, has been infiltrating the psyche of young people and splitting the intake of information into no more than 10-minute chunks.

From then, media consumption via avenues like Vine, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and eventually TikTok have effectively chopped this into significantly shorter sections, each having the ability to skip content with the mere brush of a thumb on the screen.

 

Considering how our students experienced their upbringing during COVID, how some children had few people their age to talk to, how they missed out on years of in-person schooling and other activities such as visiting the cinema or the theatre, it’s easy to understand how this shift has taken hold. As much as teachers and parents alike may gruffly mutter ‘back in my day…’ whilst writing a handwritten letter with an ink pen, fighting against something that is undoubtedly the new normal in the young people of today tends to be an unhelpful way of ensuring our students still perform well in school. Instead of asking them to fit a mould of what learning has looked like in the past, perhaps we need to remould our own practices to best serve them.

 

[enter ‘MicroLearning’, stage left, a smug grin on its face]

 

[enter ‘MicroLearning’, stage left, a smug grin on its face]

In this brave new world where engagement is akin to a precious gem, a new wave of educators has adopted this method of chunking each lesson into manageable bites to avoid cognitive overload. For example, in a normal English lesson, you would have the input, the main task and the plenary, whereas a lesson following the new format may look more like this:

 

09:05: A short anchoring task which involves summarising yesterday’s learning

09:10: Teacher input with partner talk and structured discussions

09:20: A physical activity such as cutting/sticking or colouring in line with the Learning Obj

09:30: A short iPad activity that gamifies children’s learning

09:40: A short writing activity that puts their learning into practice

09:55: Summarise and share today’s learning

 

Now, even reading that makes me want to take some quiet moments in a dark room and catch my breath, and there’s no way that could be sustained for 6 lessons a day, 5 days a week. But with little espresso shots of learning preventing children from worrying about outcomes or achievement, it has the ability to instil a confidence in them that they can meet a target and enjoy the process of completing it. However, some may argue that by buying into this way of teaching, we are forever

 

saying goodbye to the long-form lessons and the attention spans of yesteryear. Is it a self-fulfilling prophecy, the minute we bite?

 

Advantages of MicroLearning for Children:

 

By adopting the microlearning approach to teaching, children will experience a bunch of advantages, such as a boost in their learning outcomes, wellbeing, cognitive development and their confidence.

One of its primary strengths is its ability to deliver bite-sized, focused content straight to the children’s craniums. By breaking down complex concepts into smaller, more manageable chunks, microlearning promotes enhanced retention and comprehension.

Microlearning also cultivates a sense of autonomy and self-paced learning in the classroom, especially if a lesson is delivered like a buffet platter- outlining the tasks expected by the end of the session, but the order the children do it is up to them. Whilst all children will achieve the same amount of work, they are taking management of their own time, organising their own learning to what works for them, therefore setting them up for Sixth Form or University self-led study well in advance. This has the added benefit of helping children with ADD (attention deficit disorder), ASD (autism spectrum disorder) and PDA (pathological demand avoidance) access the curriculum in a way that caters to their learning preferences and needs.

Microlearning can also benefit the consolidation of knowledge, not just the initial learning. Through regular, brief sessions, children can revisit and reinforce previously learned concepts, aiding long-term retention- just like Duolingo or Times Tables Rockstars recommend 10-15 minutes per day for optimal learning! This approach contributes to a more robust foundation of knowledge and skills, essential for kids’ academic journeys.

 

Another advantage is its ability to work in a range of different environments and to adapt to future technological advances. Want to complete part of your lesson outside? Want to have a carousel of activities on different tables or across the year group’s classrooms? There are clear transitionary periods in these lessons that allow for this. Additionally, with the integration of digital tools and interactive platforms as outlined above, educators can deliver microlearning modules through formats such as videos, games, quizzes, and interactive applications. This diversifies the input, captures children’s interest but also allows for a little respite for us teachers and our 2pm raw vocal cords!

 

Speaking of how this can help us as educators, let’s talk about the-

 

Advantages of MicroTeaching for Teachers:

 

Whilst the trickle-down of microlearning and teaching in primary and senior schools has only happened recently, microteaching as a teacher training method has been around since the 1960s.

Short 15-20-minute sessions followed by immediate feedback was seen as the most effective way of getting educators up to scratch, so introducing this to our pupils seems only logical, right?

 

One of the positives of embracing this new way of planning lessons and approaching learning is that it allows for experimentation with new techniques for teachers in a low-stakes manner, without the pressure of having to commit to a full lesson in this style. Never used WordWall for in-lesson games

 

before? Don’t worry- it’s only 5 minutes out of their learning if it doesn’t work for you! Because of this, it can increase educators’ confidence in their ability to account for different cohorts’ learning styles, to be flexible when one aspect isn’t working and in their own digital literacy. This iterative process encourages reflection and self-improvement, building on a favourite phrase of every SMT in the country, ‘for the good of our continuous professional development’ (!).

 

Furthermore, microteaching helps teams collaborate and communicate more about their own processes- what works for them and what others may wish to avoid. When sharing notes with your cohort’s teacher for next year, you can identify which strategies work best for their engagement. This collaborative environment fosters innovation and creativity in teaching methodologies, benefiting both individual educators and the educational community as a whole.

 

Microteaching has an added benefit of helping educators improve their planning and organisational skills, as well as classroom and time management to ensure that each bite of learning is being completed. Moreover, the accessibility of microlearning resources allows teachers to personalize their learning journey according to their needs and interests; we need to move away from an environment of not allowing our own needs guide a lesson’s direction sometimes.

 

Do we prefer delivering lessons in certain ways? Do we find Mondays extremely painful and need a break from tech-in-the-classroom that day? Is Friday the day for live marking above all else? Adopting the differing techniques offered with microteaching, we can look after ourselves more and take another step towards the Holy Grail: the mythical, perfect Work-Life-Balance.

 

Aaaand The Disadvantages:

 

As with everything, there are always drawbacks waiting to rain on the proverbial parade…

 

One of these limitations is the potential for oversimplification of complex topics. Breaking down information into easily-digestible portions may sometimes result in a lack of depth and breadth in understanding certain intricate subjects. This can lead to a superficial grasp of concepts, hindering a holistic understanding that some children might require for more advanced learning stages. In other words, microlearning works excellently to ‘close the gap’ between the lower and higher attaining children; however, if only teaching in this manner, our ‘high fliers’ will miss out on the details and specifics that they often love.

 

Moreover, the fragmented nature of microlearning modules could make it difficult for teachers to how (and for children to grasp) the connections between different learning concepts. Pupils might truggle to see the ‘bigger picture’ or understand how various ideas interrelate when learning in solated, smaller segments, possibly hindering critical thinking and the development of problem-solving skills in the long term.

 

Whether this is something you adopt in the terms to come, either holistically across all learning, or as another tool in your belt to increase engagement, hopefully the points outlined above will help you to be as informed as possible before diving in!

 

Next month, I will be exploring the long-term effects of lockdown on learning, attitudes, engagement and attainment. For now, though, let us bask in the festive period! I wish you all a wonderful new year and hope that the January blues are kept at bay for as long as possible!

 

Written by Lauren Austin

Laurenaustinauthor.com

Money for Old Hat

Imagine this: it’s a Sunday night, and you’re buried under a mountain of unmarked books, lesson plans to be finalised, and coffee mugs that have seen better days. Or, perhaps, it’s a Tuesday morning. Your alarm didn’t go off so you’re late to work. When you’re finally in your classroom, you realise you don’t have a worksheet for today’s lesson on fractions. And it’s first period. And the bell’s just gone…

Every teacher experiences these moments and, as a result of an overstretched schedule or a bout of End-of-Term-itis, many teachers turn to TES or Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT) for a ready-made worksheet rather than spending time making their own. Whilst this is a reality for many of us, there is a growing group of educators who are learning how to profit from this daily occurrence. Because, after all, it’s no secret that teaching is a labour of love, but it’d be nice if that love could, you know… pay the bills.

It’s not a pipe dream, and it really isn’t as labour intensive as you might imagine; it’s a reality where you, the teacher, can make money from things you have already created, and these classroom creations can earn you some serious moolah.

What are all these acronyms… TPT? TES?

TPT and TES are two of the most lucrative online marketplaces for teaching resources. Think of them as an Etsy but for teaching slides, worksheets, educational games or even classroom décor. TPT caters to a more American/International audience, with products predominantly being sold in Dollars and using American spellings, and TES is more focused on the British market. From my personal experience, getting started on TPT gives you better chances of making money (over 300 people have become millionaires from their TPT stores…), especially as TES is in direct competition with the behemoth that is Twinkl, but there is a lot more competition there, so the key thing for you to do is…

Know your Niche!

Whether you’re an EYFS Teacher, a Senior Cover Supervisor or a Key Stage 2 All-Rounder, the first thing you need to do is identify what your speciality is, and where the gaps in the market are. For example, when I first started selling resources, I had great ambitions of appealing to all avenues of teachers, posting one or two resources for every subject. I thought that if I kept my focus broad that I had the best chances of making sales; however, I quickly found that my extremely niche Japanese resources sold like hot-cakes, as did my English text-based units for books tied to Literacy Evolve or Cornerstones topics. Finding your niche will help you create a brand and appeal to a specific audience, but the most important thing to remember is that your resources are there to…

Make a Fellow Educator’s Life Easier

The products that often make the most sales are the ones that are annoying or time-consuming to create. This can be frustrating to us as sellers, but it’s all worth it when the sales start rolling in. Think about it- if a potential customer could make a worksheet themselves in five minutes, why would they bother spending money on buying one? A good example of this would be addition or subtraction worksheets. Thousands of these already exist for free, so it may not be the best first product to upload.

However, when I taught Key Stage 2 maths, there was no way I’d bother spending my precious out-of-work hours drawing 35 different arms on clock faces for children to learn to tell the time to the nearest minute. Often, ‘Time’, ‘Fractions’ and ‘Shape/Angles’ are the best maths topics to create resources for. This can be a helpful headspace for you to lock into when thinking about what it is you’d like to sell- would you buy this? Does your product…

Catch the Eye of the Customer

Once you’ve decided on which website to sell on, and which niche to burrow into, the last piece of the puzzle is learning how to market your resources. As TPT and TES have been growing in popularity (especially since lockdown-teaching during COVID), the competition has been getting steeper. One way to ensure that you’re standing out amongst the other items for sale is by ensuring you include attractive thumbnails or previews of what customers will actually receive with their purchase.

Much like judging book covers before buying, customers are looking for products that look appealing (think bright colours, clip art and easy-to-read titles). For example, let’s search for a worksheet on word class (or ‘parts of speech’ to the American market).

If you look at these two resources that pop up side-by-side in the search results, one looks polished, professional and branded, whereas the other is a simple screen shot of the worksheet- much less likely to gain attention from the rushed and over-worked teacher customer! Lots of people make their thumbnails for products on PowerPoint or Canva, and they take fewer than five minutes to make.

As a rule, you should ensure that you include:

– A large title that can be seen when the thumbnail is a tiny square in the search results
– A related picture to bring it to life
– Screenshots of the products
– A smaller text box that mentions specifics

Get That Ball Rolling

Okay, so you’ve polished your resources, and now it’s time to make some real money. Getting set up on TES or TPT is a quick and easy feat:

1. Register and Set Up Shop

The first step is to sign up as a seller. You’ll need to provide some basic information in order to set up your shop. Remember, your shop’s name and branding are your first impressions – make ’em count!

2. Upload Your Resources

Time to show the world what you’ve got! Upload your teaching resources, add catchy titles and descriptions, and don’t forget to include some snazzy preview images. Take a look at three high earners on TPT for some ideas: Deanna Jump, Michelle Griffo, Hello Literacy. Before bunging anything online, though, always make sure you’re doing so legally… always respect copyright laws and give credit where it’s due!

3. Pricing Strategies

Now comes the fun part: pricing. You can offer your resources for free or set a price, but it’s important to shop around and see what others are selling similar items for. Make sure you’re not selling your hours of work for pennies!

4. Bundle, Bundle, Bundle!

When I first started during lockdown, I went deep into the annals of the TPT forums to try and work out how best to make my store successful. The number one piece of advice that everybody gave to me was that creating bundles of similar products is the best way to make money. I doubted this- higher price bundles surely were less popular than the $1 worksheets that people would think nothing about purchasing, no?

No.
I was wrong.
My highest price item on my store (12-week Japanese course for $70) is also my most popular… go figure!


Is It Worth It?

As educators, we’re already strapped for time, so investing precious hours into opening a store can feel a little demoralising- especially if you don’t immediately make $384,297 in your first month on the sites. However, hearing the ‘cha-ching!’ sound that comes from each sale on the TpT app (Google Play Store, iOS App Store) is definitely worth it, at least for me. Once you’ve put those hours in, the work is over and you can find yourself earning money passively whilst making dinner, sleeping or even sat on the toilet (speaking from personal experience, that’s always the best!). Not only this, but looking at the data on your Author Dashboard and seeing all of the different countries that your resources are being used in gives a real sense of achievement and pride.

In conclusion, despite the seemingly steep learning curve and the initial time investment, I wholeheartedly recommend venturing into the world of resource selling. It’s an exceptional way to breathe new life into those old teaching materials that may be gathering digital dust. Who knows – you could be the next “teacherpreneur,” earning more from digital downloads than from traditional teaching or supply work.

And if you’re on the hunt for ideas to kickstart your resource-selling journey, feel free to dive into last month’s blog, where we explored the role of AI in creating teaching resources. Combining these two avenues can kickstart your teaching resource empire. So, embrace the opportunity to turn your passion into profit – because in the realm of education, your love for teaching can indeed balance those financial scales.

Next month, we’ll be (tentatively) getting a little festive and looking ahead to the Christmas count-down in the classroom- specifically, how to stay on top of behaviour management and stay sane as the nights get longer. I’ll also be offering some Christmas-themed freebies to help you with those early-finishers, whether in your own classroom or whilst covering an unruly class on supply!

Lauren Austin 🍎🍂

Empowering Education: Thrive’s Unparalleled Human Relatability with Supply Teachers

”In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the role of supply teachers has become increasingly vital. These dedicated professionals step into classrooms, often at a moment’s notice, to ensure that the continuity of learning remains uninterrupted. However, one organisation stands out for its remarkable ability to foster human relatability with these educators – Thrive Education.

Thrive Education has garnered a reputation not only for its commitment to academic excellence but also for its unique approach to creating a strong connection between the organization and its supply teachers. The foundation of this connection lies in the value Thrive places on human relationships, recognising that they are the heart of effective education.

So, what sets Thrive Education apart in terms of human relatability with their supply teachers?

Personalised Support:

Thrive recognises that each supply teacher brings a unique set of skills, experiences, and challenges. Instead of offering a one-size-fits-all approach, Thrive takes the time to understand each teacher’s needs and preferences. This personalised support system not only helps teachers feel valued but also empowers them to perform at their best.

Open Communication Channels:

Thrive’s emphasis on open and honest communication is a cornerstone of their relationship with supply teachers. Regular check-ins, feedback sessions, and a willingness to listen to teachers’ concerns create an environment where educators feel heard and respected. This approach not only boosts morale but also enhances the overall quality of education provided.

Professional Development Opportunities:

Thrive Education goes beyond simply filling teaching vacancies. They invest in the growth of their supply teachers by offering continuous professional development opportunities. This commitment to helping teachers expand their skill sets not only benefits the teachers but also enriches the educational experience for students.

Community Building:

Ellis and his team understand that teaching can sometimes feel isolating, especially for supply teachers who might not have a permanent presence in a single classroom. To counter this, Thrive has developed a vibrant community where supply teachers can connect, share experiences, and learn from one another. This sense of belonging fosters a supportive network that extends beyond the classroom.

Recognition and Appreciation:

Thrive Education acknowledges the hard work and dedication of its supply teachers through various means. From appreciation events to spotlight features, supply teachers are consistently recognised for their contributions to the education system. This recognition bolsters their sense of purpose and encourages them to continue making a difference.

In a world where the education sector is rapidly changing, Thrive Education’s commitment to human relatability sets a remarkable example. By treating supply teachers not as temporary fixes but as integral members of their educational community, Thrive elevates the teaching profession and underscores the significance of fostering meaningful connections within the realm of education.

In conclusion, Thrive Education’s dedication to human relatability with supply teachers transcends the ordinary. Their emphasis on personalised support, open communication, professional development, community building, and recognition transforms the way supply teachers are perceived and treated. In doing so, Thrive Education is not only enriching the lives of educators but also contributing to a brighter future for students and the education system as a whole.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with Ellis.

Much love

June”

NQT (Newly Qualified Teacher) and ECT (Early Career Teacher)

As an NQT or ECT, support, direction, and encouragement are all essential and at Thrive Education we pride ourselves on ensuring we provide this.

Thrive has mentored teachers new to the profession and are more than happy to advise or support you on subject knowledge, behaviour management or just provide a friendly voice at the end of the phone when you need us.
We make it our priority to make sure you are placed into a school that matches your needs whether it be to hone your skills to a particular key stage or widen your experience in other year groups. Whether you are looking for long-term, permanent or day-to-day supply roles, we’ll get to know your every teaching need to source you the perfect position.

Why ECTS should consider supply teaching?

• Experience – It will give you inside access to a huge variety of schools to
• ensure that you pick the right one for your induction.
• Flexibility – You can build your teaching days around your personal life
• and take full control of work-life balance.
• Variety – You can test-drive lots of different classroom settings to see if
• they are the right fit for your strengths.
• Transition to permanent teaching – Once you start supply teaching, it can
• make it easier for you to make the move to a permanent role

How can we help?

Building up your confidence and skills through supply roles can be the perfect way to help find your feet without having to commit to a permanent position. With the proportion of teachers remaining in the profession after the first few years decreasing rapidly; the stresses of teacher workload are clearly a catalyst for the failure to retain those early career teachers. This highlights the positive elements of supply teaching as the workload and pressures are not the same as permanent teaching roles.

Supply teaching offers you the chance to expand and build on your experience – it can be as flexible as you like. It gives you the opportunity to understand how schools offer a variety of different experiences whether it be behaviour management, SEND opportunities, more community-based curriculums, or EAL challenges. These are just some of the many differences within schools that you may find. You may find that you become a specialist yourself in one or more of these areas allowing your career path to take a different route – all because you were able to experience a variety of approaches as a result of supply teaching.

The longer you are in the role, the better understanding you’ll have of whether the role is suitable for you. Remember, gone are the days that supply teaching was for teachers who ‘couldn’t obtain permanent jobs. But, for those who choose it as a lifestyle choice in order to find the right role for them!

If you are looking for long-term placements from the offset; our consultants will spend time getting to know what YOU want from a job and will match you with a school that will provide that for longer-term placements.

For shorter-term placements, we’ll help provide the range of experience you need at this point in your career.

Register with us today and you’ll be ready to go in no time!

For Teachers

You may find the websites below helpful:

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/third-teachers-leaving-profession-within-5-years

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/twinkl-digest/trainees-news-digest/not-got-an-ect-role-secured-yet-you-could-consider-supply

Supply Teaching : Looking after your Mental Health.

Teaching is tough. Times are tough. There is so much going on in our lives that it is easy to get swept away and overwhelmed. So, here are my five top tips for looking after your mental health as a Supply teacher for Thrive.

1. Drink more water
Sounds obvious right? But I found in hectic and chaotic schools, I would end up finishing the day having barely drunk half of my shiny blue Thrive water bottle (ask Ellis for the merch- it’s honestly a super little bottle). Now, I make sure I keep myself hydrated to avoid headaches and fatigue but also to just take those few minutes to ground myself. Just the simple act of having a drink is almost a universal signal to everyone to hold their questions/needs/demands and to just pause. After all, you can’t talk and drink at the same time!

2. Take time for yourself
Just taking 5 minutes to ground yourself is SO important. We’ve all been there where we have just felt like we must rush from one thing to the next. Books need marking, lesson plans need checking, and the list can go on and on. But make time to just pause. Just sitting and doing nothing for 5 minutes at lunchtime or break time is such a good way to reset yourself. I do quiet breathing using the calm program on my Fitbit watch. Or I look out the window and see what I can see. Just being still, calm, and grounded can set you up for whatever comes next.

3. Remember you’re in control
I’ll be honest- I still occasionally struggle with this one. No matter how many times Ellis makes me repeat this to him, it still hasn’t fully stuck yet! But he is right: you are in control. That means you can work as little or as much as you want. That means you can do whichever year groups you want. That means you can choose which schools you go to. That means you can say what you want. Obviously, making sure that you give Ellis enough notice if you need some time off is common courtesy, but exercise your right to choose. After all, having this control is why we love supply work!

4. Talk
As teachers, we are used to burying how we really feel for the sake of the children. Often though, this can become a habit in all areas of our lives. But at Thrive, Ellis encourages you to tell him what you want. Give him honest feedback about your day. Tell him which days you are available to work or where you want to go. The more you are honest with Ellis, the better your placings will be because he will be able to find something that suits you best. There is never any judgement with Ellis; as he often says to me, “as long as you are honest, it’s all good!”
However, if you are really struggling then please see your GP or call the Education support helpline free and confidential 24/7 helpline on 08000 562 561.

5. Be kind to yourself
We don’t do this enough as teachers. But remember what you are doing: you are shaping little minds and lives. You are bringing order to chaos by their routines being turned upside down. You are ensuring that their learning isn’t interrupted. These are powerful things! But you are also not a robot- there will be bad days. That is not always a reflection on yourself, so be kind to yourself. Learn from mistakes- that is why we make them. But overall: you are part of Team Thrive and that means you are valued; you are special and you are good at what you do. If you need to repeat that to yourself- do it! It is the truth and why Ellis is the best person to work for as he won’t let you forget it either.

If you are someone who is currently reevaluating their teaching career and are considering the supply teaching option; please get in touch with Ellis on 01452 260 933 for a confidential chat today!

Becky C – Thrive Education Supply Teacher

Survive to Thrive: Behaviour Management When Supply Teaching.

Going into a new class/year group/school as a supply teacher can be daunting. You are in charge of 30 little strangers for the day, and you need to keep them safe and learning. They have a range of needs and worries that you will not know, their routines and safety blankets are not in place and to top it off some children will take this opportunity to test boundaries, whilst others lose all ability to function normally. But having a toolkit of strategies that you can use time and time again will help you survive and thrive- no matter what the situation.

1. Choose a persona

This might seem like a strange one, but teaching is 90% acting. We act cool, calm and collected even when there is chaos. Why? Because that is the energy we give out. When the children come in, assess the “mood.” Do they come in chatting? Do they have clear routines? Are they staring at you with huge, scared eyes? This will help you choose your personas. My personal favourites are:
• “Drill Sergeant”; a 6’ power-dressing army woman who takes no messing and a rare smile and praise is EVERYTHING to the receiver.
• “Miss Honey”; the sweet, fluffy, smiley teddy bear who sees the positives in everything
• “Wally”; the eccentric teacher who knows it’s ok to make mistakes because they make lots of them!

You can picture the type of classes that would suit each persona! Sometimes I switch between them or blend them together. But the importance of personas is to emit energy or presence to the children that says, “When I am your teacher, I am boss. I will keep you safe and help you learn.”

2. No one talks

This one is vital for gaining and maintaining the respect of 30 little strangers. When you are speaking to the class, it is silent. No one has permission to talk when you are talking, just as you would never talk over the children when they are answering a question. If it means waiting or taking time off their playtime- that’s their decision not to follow the simple rules of respect. Do not compromise on this rule EVER!

3. Positivity

Positivity is something that everyone forgets- but not by choice! When you are faced with high stress and high anxiety, you can become focused on the task at hand and forget that the 30 little strangers in front of you are children. They seek reassurance (sometimes in bizarre ways), especially when they are feeling insecure. Whatever the task or situation, remember to be positive. Say thank you when the children do what you ask them to do. Tell them they are geniuses when they get a question right. Tell them you really appreciate the fact it is a wonky day for them but they are coping with it so well. If you haven’t already, have a read about a Gloucestershire wide strategy called Restorative Practice. One of the key strands from RP is “RIP and PIP” which stands for Reprimand in Private and Praise in Public.” I try to do this as much as I can because it has a profound effect on the children.

4. Tuning in

Early on in my work as a supply teacher, I was really confused as to why I was repeating instructions so many times. In my old permanent class, I would say things a couple of times but even if I coughed suddenly, the class would fall silent and look at me. But then I realised that my old class were used to my voice. They heard it day in, day out for months and months. The children in supply classes had never heard my voice before, so they were not tuned into it. They could not process what I was saying in the same way they could for their regular staff. Once I realised this, it seemed so obvious and I completely changed how I approached instructions.
Short sentences, with lots of modelling what I mean. If the class had a shaker or a chime, I use that religiously instead of using my voice. Cueing into a teacher’s voice is something I definitely didn’t realise existed when I had my own class and it’s been fascinating playing with this concept throughout the first term at Thrive.

At the end of the day, one of the many wonderful reasons why we work for Thrive is that if the behaviour is SO bad (and this is rare!), there is no pressure to go back into that situation. Be open and honest so Ellis can help but know he always has our backs when it comes to tricky behaviour.

#TeamThrive.

Becky
Thrive Education- Primary Supply Teacher

”Thrive, Supply Teaching …and Covid-19”

It’s every supply teacher’s worse nightmare. You wake up in the morning feeling unwell. You have a full day of teaching ahead and all you want to do is curl up in a ball. You drag yourself out of bed; get yourself ready, feeling hideous (“but think of the children!”) and get yourself out of the house. As you drive to work, you feel worse and worse (“but please think of the children!”). You send a text to Ellis saying that you are feeling unwell just as a heads up.

“Mate, what are you doing going to work then?”

What was I doing?

I had woken up with awful hip pain, headache, and sore throat. I felt so tired. But I didn’t want to let Ellis, the school, or the children down. I could push through it. My morning lateral flow was negative after all.

I lasted 15 minutes.

As I rang Ellis, tearfully, to say that I was having to go home, I was very lightly scolded.

“Your health is more important”, he chided gently, “if you aren’t feeling well, it’s ok. It happens. You need to rest and recover, there’s no point pushing yourself because you’ll just get worse.”

5 hours later, I tested positive for Covid.

You may have been there too. The rush of guilt, worry, failure. Frantically thinking about writing supply notes even though YOU are the supply. Worrying about letting everyone down. How did this happen? How will Ellis be when I tell him? What will the school think of me?

“Mate, it happens. There’s nothing you can do. Just rest and focus on getting better”.
He’s totally right.

When working in schools (along with many other occupations too), sadly, Covid is an occupational hazard. We do all we can to avoid it, but it is around more than the media or Government would care to admit. And Covid is a unique virus- almost like a fingerprint. There are similar whorls and swirls, but each person has it uniquely. There is absolutely no point rushing it or comparing yourself with others. You must stay in your own lane, listen to your own body, and forget everything else.

This is reason #432057 why I am eternally grateful I work for Thrive. Since the minute I was unwell, Ellis has checked how I am; liaised with the school I’ve been on long term placement with and reminded me to concentrate on getting better. No pressure, no nagging. Just genuine concern for my welfare and wellbeing. Ellis reminded me that being ill doesn’t mean I don’t care about the children- quite the opposite.

Children deserve us at our best (or almost best- we aren’t robots!) but we can’t pour from empty cups. That is what makes Thrive such a special agency, and for the first time in my teaching career I feel genuinely at ease about being ill.
No worries. No stress. No sense of urgency. I will get back to work when my body gives me permission to do so.
And that’s ok.

Becky
Thrive Edu. Supply Teacher

FIRST TIME IN EIGHT YEARS WITH NO SUNDAY EVENING DREAD

At Thrive Education we like to think of ourselves as a little different from other recruitment agencies for all the reasons you’re no doubt familiar with already. Right teacher, right school, the basic principle of treating a person as a human being and not just a booking, to name a few.

However, what we do share with other recruitment agencies is that we make initial contact with our teachers and administrative staff from one of three sources: NQT’s, established supply teachers and permanent contract teachers looking to make the crossover to the world of supply teaching.

As Thrive Education has begun to grow and expand we have become aware of an increasing need for some kind of clarity regarding the differences between permanent staff and supply teachers and the practical changes a teacher can expect.

You can get a pretty good idea of the daily life of a supply teacher from the blog on the Thrive Education website. So we decided that the best way to find answers to these new questions was to do what we always do in these situations, naturally, we went straight to our best source of information, our own Thrive Education teachers. We targeted those of our teachers who have made the change from permanent contracted staff to supply work as we knew they would be best placed to assist in making an informed decision for permanent school staff considering doing just what they had done. Most importantly our teachers can put their experiences into a context that will prove additionally helpful to teachers looking to make a significant lifestyle change.

Firstly it’s probably a good idea to touch on a few points that are important to consider. There is an abundance of anecdotal evidence across all social media platforms that clearly explains the reason behind many teachers’ decisions to opt to work in supply. It’s true to say those lifestyle decisions are primarily based on choice. However, in many cases, it’s sad to note that permanent teachers have felt ‘forced’ to take the step in leaving full-time work. This is due in no small part to the increasing pressures teachers feel in the workplace. Pressures that are well known to everybody who works in education.

It is important to note that a decision in attempting to gain control of an acceptable work-life balance, is in no way a reflection of a teacher’s solid commitment to the core values of what it is to teach. If this were the case any practitioner in the position of wishing to find relief from intense work stress would simply leave the profession altogether. The subsequent loss of skills and experience is a situation that the education community in our country can ill afford.

A final point to consider carefully is the validity of the long-held myth that taking a career break from a permanent post is without fail always a self-inflicted ‘shot in the foot’ to a teachers advancement prospects in the long-term. Nobody would argue that there isn’t always room for improvement however advances in gender equality and provision for personal growth in the profession mean that this old-established notion simply isn’t true anymore.
This of course means that a move to supply work that enables a teacher to explore new avenues and opportunities can be seen as a positive and beneficial decision.

So to the question at hand – “What are the significant differences between permanent contract work and a role as a supply teacher?” When we asked our chosen Thrive Education teachers their thoughts on this question this is what they told us…

At first glance a permanent role had obvious advantages for any teacher: the benefit of a guaranteed job, be it five days a week or a job share, consistency in the work environment, i.e. colleagues, senior management and children taught as well as paid holidays and sick days.

However to give a fully honest answer to this question it is important to remember that the traditional advantages of permanent work in a school and its associated financial package can now be addressed effectively. A dynamic recruitment agency that is ready to take on the challenges of adopting some of the previously mentioned important permanent staff benefits into their own business model, will see clear evidence of increased satisfaction amongst teachers making the change from permanent to supply staff.

To pursue this idea further we asked one of our longest serving teachers for their response to the question of the differences between permanent and supply teaching.
“As a teacher of some thirty years experience both as a permanent member of staff and a supply teacher I can say that I have seen a definite and positive shift in the differences between the two different work lives.

When I began supply teaching in London over ten years ago, the distinction between the two systems were marked and very clear cut. As previously described by my Thrive Education colleagues, a permanent post means certainty of work and its associated benefits. In contrast supply work has been perceived as a role that can be tailored to suit a teachers needs by offering a flexible work pattern. This of course is balanced by the limitation of a teacher being reliant on the skill and efficiency of their chosen recruitment agency to provide regular and appropriate placements, coupled with the disadvantage of a lack of paid holidays and sick pay.”

So the interesting question is, now that we have looked at the traditional differences between a permanent post and work as a supply teacher, has anything changed, and if so what?

To refer back a moment to the subject of anecdotal evidence around this question, the most obvious answer is yes things have changed. Most obviously these changes are apparent in the life of a teacher in a permanent post. The biggest noticeable difference is the degree to which pressure is placed on full-time teaching staff to maintain an ever increasing amount of record keeping and data handling as part of their daily teaching role. This is often thought to create a growing barrier between a teacher’s workload and the core reason for being in the classroom, namely to help children learn and reach their maximum potential. Nobody, least of all recruitment agencies who are mindful and sensitive to the needs of schools, would disagree that rigorous record and data keeping by both permanent and long-term supply teachers is vital.

However, this policy can create a degree of dissatisfaction amongst full-time staff who begin to question why they are in the classroom at all. In contrast, a supply teacher who is in part free of these constraints and is well placed in a school setting has the opportunity to really show their strengths. They have a degree of freedom to impact children’s learning way beyond the conceived notion of simply ‘plugging a gap’. The supply teacher who values their professional integrity will always comply with the marking and record keeping policy of a school, especially in long-term placements. However, it is also clear that they can bring with them an injection of enthusiasm and knowledge, as well as a fresh insight into a classroom setting.

A further significant change is the ability of supply teaching to open up a host of new avenues in the profession and to explore a wide variety of learning environments. Teaching and learning that focus’ specifically on child centred needs is becoming ever more diverse in its delivery. Placements with a dynamic teaching agency up to date with rapidly evolving methodologies can reflect this change by offering opportunities to be at the forefront of the newest forms of learning access.

We asked one of our most longstanding Thrive Education teachers to participate in our examination of the differences between permanent and supply teaching experiences and if they were becoming less distinct from each other.

“If I had a pound for every time a permanent teacher picked my brains about all the different learning settings and opportunities that are becoming available, I would have my Christmas present spending in the bag! It’s amazing how much interest there is from full-time staff who feel ‘contained’ in their current job and are very keen to consider other options they were previously unaware of.”

This is a sure sign that there is a continuing and positive closing of the divide between the work conditions and opportunities of permanent and supply teachers and thus their traditional pluses and minuses.

Hopefully, we have managed to cover the most relevant changes between the two worlds of permanent and supply teaching. Most importantly we have demonstrated that the gap between the two worlds is closing where it matters most, i.e. work conditions and the ability to gain satisfaction from the job you love and trained so hard to do. One of our Thrive Education teachers has very recently made the change from working in a challenging primary school to a new supply role in a specialist setting. We think she put it best. “For the first time in eight years, no Sunday evening dread.”

Teaching is a vocation and is delivered exceptionally well both in permanent and supply teaching roles. At Thrive Education we hope that rigorous attention to new developments in education in tandem with our tried and tested philosophy of “right teacher right school”, really does mean you can have the very best of both worlds.

Go forward and thrive!

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