Benefits following a career break/supply teacher.

nick5648

Greetings.
My wife is a teacher. Following a career break of five years to raise our family she began work as a supply teacher in Sept 2012. Unfortunately she has only worked a few weeks since then as most schools seem to prefer to 'cope' if they are short staffed rather than go to the expense of employing a supply.
She is, obviously, available for work five days a week but occasionally only works one or two days.
How can we make up the shortfall in her income for the weeks not worked?

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow

Can she register with lots of agencies to maximise the amount of work she is offered.

Or apply for a permenant teaching position.

nick5648

She started with one agency and is now registered with four. She has applied for several permanent positions and been through to interview stage a couple of times.

duchy

That's the nature of supply work -it's like any other "temp job" work can dry up. Could she get an evening job ...perhaps working in a pub or a call centre as they often offer evening/weekend shifts or find work as an after school tutor. Does she have office skills so could register with temp agencies. Is she also registered for support positions with the teaching agencies for temping ? Is there any chaperone work available ?


Obviously it would mean some long days when she ends up working two jobs but if it's only until she finds a permanent job hopefully wouldn't be for too long.

Most schools don't "just cope" but when they find a supply teacher they like tend to use them again rather than an unknown quantity whenever possible - and that's perfectly understandable looking at what an agency charges for supply.

Has your wife kept up with changes or would period of study help improve her prospects? The OU for example do a lot of short/up dating courses in the education field.

If by benefits you mean can she claim -that will depend if you are earning or not and the number and age of your children. If she's not worked for five years then obviously contribution based JSA wouldn't be applicable . Were you claiming benefits whilst she stayed home with the children ? Really you've not given enough detail to get a useful answer. In most cases it'd be what you were claiming when she wasn't working on the weeks she gets no work at all. Even one of two days supply work in a week would probably kill all benefits for that week though if you too are working......If you are not working -it's an entirely differant matter. Lots of bouncing on and off claims though with an erratic working pattern.

nick5648

Thank you duchy. I will have a chat with her later and we'll go over the options.

Who?_me?

Supply work is virtually non existant these days. There is a high number of unemployed teachers, because there aren't enough jobs to go around. Those schools do take on are generally under 25 and able to give every moment of their day to the school. Also, if she has taught for a while and is higher up on the pay scale, they are going to go for someone cheaper.
Absent teachers are covered by unqualified cover supervisors, and schools usually have a few permenant ones, or get through supply agenices at a much lower rate. If you were eligable for income based JSA (which if you are working more than 24 hrs a week, or more than £170 a week, you won't get) She could declare the hours that she works when she goes to sign on.
If you want to boost your income go for non teaching, TA or cover supervisors if you are prepared to have a much lower rate, though better than nothing.
Its not good out there in any field, but even getting interviews is a really good start and better than some. I suggest she looks on TES jobseekers forum for some good advice from Theo Griff.

dramarama

HI OP,
Did your wife find any work? I am in the same boat here in the South East, very little work...nothing compared to when I lived in Nottinghamshire.

I tutor twice a week and could probably work every night of the week at the moment with GCSE's coming up.

The TES is pretty good for jobs listings, there is also the GEM jobs ads website for museum jobs.

I can really sympathise though as I've been out of full time work for 3 months and not working for 5 months. I was injured in my last school so have had to rebuild self confidence.

There are often long term opportunities with Supply Agencies if she is willing to be a bit more flexible with requirements however I can understand that she may want to be closer to home.

Good luck with whatever happens.

trailingspouse

I've always found supply work plentiful - I may just have been lucky with the areas I worked in. And just so you know, I'm in my 50's, and top of the pay scale. I refuse to work for less than my scale point. This is what I found helped -
- never say no.
- phone/e-mail the agency regularly, telling them which days you're available for the following week.
- don't be too fussy about which schools/classes you'll go to (we all have schools we'd rather not go back to, but try to keep these to a minimum)
- be top-notch while in the school. Follow their procedures (even if you think they're daft, and many are), shake hands when you're introduced to members of staff, remember the secretary's name, leave a note for the normal teacher saying what you've done, don't try to pretend there haven't been any issues with pupils, and mark everything.
- when you leave, tell the school you've had a lovely day and would be happy to go back if needed.

Schools like consistency, so if they like you they will ask you back.

terryw

trailingspouse wrote: »

I've always found supply work plentiful - I may just have been lucky with the areas I worked in. And just so you know, I'm in my 50's, and top of the pay scale. I refuse to work for less than my scale point. This is what I found helped -
- never say no.
- phone/e-mail the agency regularly, telling them which days you're available for the following week.
- don't be too fussy about which schools/classes you'll go to (we all have schools we'd rather not go back to, but try to keep these to a minimum)
- be top-notch while in the school. Follow their procedures (even if you think they're daft, and many are), shake hands when you're introduced to members of staff, remember the secretary's name, leave a note for the normal teacher saying what you've done, don't try to pretend there haven't been any issues with pupils, and mark everything.
- when you leave, tell the school you've had a lovely day and would be happy to go back if needed.

Schools like consistency, so if they like you they will ask you back.

Some excellent advice here.

In the days when I did supply, I would pop in to the agency office just to say hello. I usually had work - I like to think that my charming nature and personality was the reason, but the boxes of biscuits that I dropped off probably helped more!

pinkshoes

As a PGCE student, I'm often used as a 'supply' teacher to save money!

I guess it comes down to budget for the schools, and how many staff they have off!

thegirlintheattic

You should talk to your supervisor about that. You SHOULD not be in sole charge of a class - while the teacher may leave you alone with the class (and needs to so you can learn) they should be nearby if needed. You should NOT be doing supply.

As for the OP, try to make a really good impression when you get work. While schools have cover supervisors most only have a couple, and a large high school will often need outside supply. Schools will pick people known to them who will do a good job. Teachers will recommend the supply teachers whom they prefer and these are often the ones called again and again.

For example, when my classes are taken by a supply I'll put in a good work for a teacher who actually sets the work I left (you'd be surprised), who actually took the time to go through and help the kids, who leaves the room tidy and who leaves a note with any important info - even the kids worked really well.