Cover Supervisor work - how bad?

misskismet

I'm in the process of signing up with a recruitment agency for work as a cover supervisor in schools. I'm on a very low income at the moment and am living off my savings, not ideal. So the money would be very useful. There also seems to be plenty of demand (so many teachers off sick/isolating). I have lots of teaching experience, but mainly in universities overseas and/or with adults. 

However, I keep hearing terrible stories about being a cover supervisor. The pay is pretty poor considering you're responsible for classes of teenagers. Then there is the risk of infection, going from class to class and school to school. The agency has asked if I'm willing to go into "challenging" schools. I just can't decide whether to go for it or not. Does anyone have any insights? (If only there were any other options around...) 

KatrinaWaves

I mean it’s not teaching so your teaching experience is pretty irrelevant unfortunately. It’s more babysitting, the work is set and you supervise the kids. There’s no teaching involved.  That’s why the pay is poor. 

It’s not allowed in primary as far as I could tell (or it wasn’t 5 years ago) you needed to get qualified supply teachers. It seemed to me like a way of getting classes looked after cheaply
in secondary school, and j was never really sure how they got away with it...

but any money is better than no money. With the right PPE you can stay safe from covid. Challenging schools as you know will be ones with challenging behaviours. Up to you whether the money is worth that for
you! 

Comms69

I mean if there's high demands for teachers and you're a teacher i would expect there to be plenty of work - or am i missing something obvious?

misskismet

@KatrinaWaves - not sure if you know, but are school staff allowed to wear masks? Kids don't wear them in class from what I understand. If I have to isolate or get ill I would get no pay at all. 

I know it's not teaching as such, but I figured knowing my way around a classroom/experience dealing with classes of students would surely be a positive thing. 

The more I think about this, the less it appeals. 

Comms69

misskismet said:

@KatrinaWaves - not sure if you know, but are school staff allowed to wear masks? Kids don't wear them in class from what I understand. If I have to isolate or get ill I would get no pay at all. 

I know it's not teaching as such, but I figured knowing my way around a classroom/experience dealing with classes of students would surely be a positive thing. 

The more I think about this, the less it appeals. 

I would suspect that wearing of masks would be voluntary - if you choose to, as long as it doesnt impact on your work, i cant see anyone caring. 

LE3

being a cover supervisor can be a great job, or an awful job & much of it will be your own attitude to it - if you think it's going to be terrible it probably will be!
Yes, you are responsible for a class of students, but you aren't teaching them, merely helping them access the work set by the teacher (much in the way thousands of parents were over lock down). There is no planning/marking/late nights/weekends/ etc so its completely different to being a teacher. 
Schools are VERY hot on bubbles etc at the moment so you are unlikely to be mixing with thousands of students at multiple schools on consecutive days. You will probably get a week at one school, a week at another etc. Mask wearing will depend where in the country you are & the school. Schools in tier 2 & 3 staff & students have to wear masks in communal areas, corridors etc. In classrooms the teacher is assigned an area they shouldn't leave which is 2m away from the students. Schools will give you a full safety briefing on arrival. Masks can usually be worn if you wish, though if you have students relying on lip reading or with hearing issues you may be asked to wear a clear visor instead
Why not ask these questions of the school/agency rather than us? 

misskismet

Thanks. 
I know it's not teaching work, but wondering about classroom management. That's the issue that other people have warned me about. Isn't classroom management even harder if the teacher/supervisor can't walk around the classroom and has to stay in one spot?

I am in two minds which is why I don't want to call the agency and ask them lots more questions (I asked a lot already) before I've decided if I even want to do this. 

pinkshoes

My school has several permanent cover supervisors then also use temps.

It doesnt involve teaching. Just getting the kids to do the work set by the teacher. 

You can wear a mask or visor. 

He biggest issue is behaviour so I would check the behaviour policy of the school. We have a quick email option so that if anyone has any difficult kids that are disrupting the learning of others they can be removed quickly.

Most schools will support the cover staff.

Its not for the faint hearted though. Don't take kids comments personally and be firm but fair with them.