Author Archives: Sharon Wood

About Sharon Wood

Sharon Wood, aka NuttySupplier, launched the forum at SupplyBag.co.uk in 2005 whilst on supply. Having worked as a primary teacher for too many years, I chose supply teaching as a career, in order to achieve a good work / life balance.

Competition Time! Sponsored by Genie Umbrella

Genie Umbrella - Sponsors of our National Supply Teacher Week Competition

The Supply Teacher Competition to win iPad Mini with Genie UmbrellaAn exciting new competition, sponsored by Genie Umbrella, launched Monday 17th June, to celebrate National Supply Teacher Week!

For their chance to win an iPad Mini, supply teachers:

  1. Subscribed to TheSupplyTeacher.com’s bi-monthly newsletter by the end of 16th August 2013
  2. When registering, completed the phrase ‘Supply teaching is…‘ in more than 12 words, and less than 120 words.
  3. That was it!

The lucky winner can be found at TheSupplyTeacher.com

Genie Umbrella works with agencies to pay supply teachers regularly each week, including business expenses and helps to ensure you are taking as much home as you can.

 

 

Terms & Conditions:

1. The promoter is Enjoy Your Meal Ltd (company no. 5675169) trading as SupplyBag.co.uk, whose registered office is at The Barn, LA12 7TE.
2. Employees of SupplyBag.co.uk or their family members or anyone, else connected in any way with the competition or helping to set up the competition shall not be permitted to enter the competition.
3. There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this competition.
4. Route to entry for the competition is via sign-up to our bi-monthly newsletter and completion of a phrase. Phrases may be used anonymously on our website.
5. Closing date for entry will be 16th August 2013. After this date the no further entries to the competition will be permitted.
6. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
7. The rules of the competition and the prize for each winner are as follows: a) Entrants must register to receive our bi-monthly newsletter and remained subscribed until at least 19th August 2013 when the winner will be notified. b) Entry to the competition also depends on the subscriber completing the given phrase upon subscription in more than 12, but fewer than 120 words. c) There will be one winner, with one prize of an iPad Mini to the value of £250. The prize will be sent by registered post via Royal Mail.
8. The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the promoter’s control. Any changes to the competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.
9. The promoter is not responsible for inaccurate prize details supplied to any entrant by any third party connected with this competition.
10. No cash alternative to the prizes will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.
11. Winners will be chosen by an independent adjudicator or panel of judges appointed by SupplyBag.co.uk.
12. The winner will be notified by email within 3 days of the closing date. If the winner cannot be contacted or do not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.
13. The promoter will notify the winner when and where the prize can be collected if they are not willing to disclose a delivery address.
14. The promoter’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
15. By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
16. The competition and these terms and conditions will be governed by English law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England.
17. The winner agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material. Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent.
18. The winner’s name will be available 28 days after closing date by sending a stamped addressed envelope to the following address: The Barn, LA12 7TE
19. Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
20. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Network. You are providing your information to SupplyBag.co.uk and not to any other party. The information provided will be used in conjunction with the following Privacy Policy found at http://www.enjoyyourmeal.co.uk/eym/privacy.asp.

Making the most of your education recruitment consultant

Working with your teaching agency – By Sharon Wood

In this article, we will look at how to make the most of your relationship with your supply teacher recruitment agency.

Supply teaching agencies are now the primary channel for most supply teachers to gain work through. The rise in their presence and usage over the last ten years has been dramatic.

Working with your teaching agency, dotting the 'i's and crossing the 't's together.Be clear about what you want from your consultant, your experience, and your intentions.

From your very first communications with them, through an email submission form on their website, or perhaps a phone call, the consultants will be forming an opinion of you. A good education recruitment consultant will want to get to know their candidates professionally as well as they can, so as to match you to schools more successfully. Be professional, be polite, be amiable, be open to suggestion and flexible. Be honest about your requirements, your availability and your ability to travel distances.

An agency many have many hundreds of staff on their register. Don’t let yourself slip under the radar. Keep them up to date with what you are doing, that you are available to work next week, that you particularly enjoyed working in School X, and now that you have had a taster of Year 3, you would like to perhaps try a Year 2 class to broaden your experiences and opportunities.

Ask what the recruitment agency operating hours are, and find out when is the best time to call for chats about upcoming work and to get feedback on completed assignments. Your consultant will often work longer hours than you do, and be contracted to work through the holidays too. They often have experience of teaching themselves and may deliver CPD courses accordingly. Be respectful and accept that you may be able to learn a lot from them, they are not simply a middle-man with a stereotypical call centre mentality as they are all too often portrayed.

Take every opportunity offered to you by your agency. Most will offer CPD courses. Some will recommend websites to visit, and other resources. Many now are active on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook – join them and meet other supply teachers there. Supply teaching can be an isolating career move, and most agencies recognise this and offer meets such as quiz nights and end of term drinks. Check that your potential agency supports National Supply Teacher Week in June each year too, the aims of which can be found here at The Supply Teacher e-zine: http://www.thesupplyteacher.com/national-supply-teacher-week.

Be open to suggestion and criticism. For example, as supply for secondary school supply teachers outstrips demand, it may be suggested that in order to gain more work, a secondary teacher makes the transition to primary. Unfortunately, consultants are sometimes called upon by schools to, or out of necessity need to broach a difficult subject with candidates. Less than positive feedback may have been received from a school and it is in your interests as well as your consultants, to address the issue. Common examples are inappropriate conversations with students, poor personal hygiene, lack of curriculum knowledge, poor marking, poor behaviour management and use of mobile phones in school time.

Remember, it is in your consultant’s interests to keep you happily employed, as it is in your interests to maintain a good working relationship with your consultant. Good supply teachers are harder to recruit and retain than you would expect, so the recruiter will work hard to place and retain you. Having said that, while you are on an assignment with them, you are representing their company, and their quality of staffing supply, and they will not want to send you on assignment if they do not trust that you will represent them adequately.

Where next? There’s a great quick read here on marking work. Check out our resources area here too.

ITN Mark Education

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ITN Mark Education - London, Luton, Southampton, recruitment agency

ITN Mark Education provides supply work, long-term contracts and permanent placements for teachers and support staff with a variety of skills, experience and backgrounds.

Benefiting from a large network of offices across the UK, we ensure our candidates are placed in a school in a convenient location. From Nurseries, Primaries and Secondary schools, whatever your specialism, we can find you employment. We offer unrivalled flexible working to Supply Teachers and for long-term and permanent candidates a consultative service to ensure you’re placed in a school that meets all your requirements. With over 15 years’ recruitment experience and local market knowledge, we’re highly adept in the service we provide.

ITN Mark provides candidates with:

  • Flexible working hours to suit your needs
  • Careers support and advice
  • A wide range of teaching environments and age groups
  • Opportunities to develop your current teaching experience
  • Weekly pay and holiday pay
  • Continued professional development

From the Early Years, KS1 to KS4, we place:

  • Primary Teachers
  • Secondary Teachers
  • SEN Teachers
  • Teaching Assistants/ Higher Level Teaching Assistants
  • SENCOs
  • Nursery Staff
  • Newly Qualified Teachers

Call us today to find out about opportunities in your area or visit our website at www.itnmark.com

ITN Mark Education - London, Luton, Southampton, recruitment agency

Where next? There’s a great quick read here on getting mums back to work. Check out our resources area here too.