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.

Hays Education in the West Midlands

RIGHT FIT
FIRST TIME

Working with over 1000 partner schools nationally, we can offer you access to permanent or temporary vacancies you simply won’t find anywhere else.

Whether you’re at the start of your career or looking for your next opportunity in early years, primary, secondary, independent, academy or an SEN setting, we put you in the best place to find the right role. This means not only understanding your needs but also how to make the most of your skills and potential.

Based in Birmingham, Coventry, Northampton, Stafford and Wolverhampton, our team of specialist consultants throughout the West Midlands are best placed to work with you to find your next role.

To help you prepare for next teaching job we offer:

One-to-one support from a recruiting expert

One of our dedicated consultants will be your single point of contact to guide you through the applications process. We’ll offer you a personal consultation, followed by a face-to-face meeting to help us get a clear picture of what exactly you’re looking for. From here we’ll keep you in close contact with you, giving you plenty of advice and support.

Access to exclusive job opportunities

We are currently working on an exclusive basis with a wide range of primary and secondary schools and academies nationwide, supporting their search for the very best teaching staff. Right now many of our partner schools are looking to recruit a range of teachers across a whole range of subjects and key stages. This means we can offer you access to permanent or temporary vacancies you simply won’t find anywhere else.

Plus:

Free access to our online safeguarding and child protection training course
Advice on writing an application with impact
Access to mock interview assessment days for new teachers

With offices across the UK and an international network, we can help find your ideal job either locally, further away or overseas.

For more information visit www.hays.co.uk/education or contact your local specialist team:

Birmingham 0121 236 4476
Brighton 01273 729 465
Bristol 01179 279 369
Cambridge 01223 544 314
Canterbury 01227 783 891
Cardiff 02920 372 328
Chelmsford 01245 244 903
Cheltenham 01242 244 549
Coventry 02476 222 322
Enfield 020 8872 5700
Exeter 01392 348 870
Guildford 01483 701 325
Huddersfield 01484 517 968
Hull 01482 227 128
Lancaster 01524 230 718
Leeds 0113 200 3710
Leicester 0116 253 2389
Lincoln 01522 344 403
Liverpool 0151 242 5100
London Victoria 020 7259 8770
London (International) 020 7259 8771
Luton 01582 390 575
Maidstone 01622 235 680
Manchester 0161 228 7300
Middlesbrough 01642 243 503
Newcastle 0191 261 9243
Northampton 01604 258 772
Norwich 01603 636 020
Nottingham 0115 924 2562
Oxford 01865 248 713
Plymouth 01752 236 680
Portsmouth 02392 634 017
Preston 01772 201 513
Reading 0118 907 0327
Sheffield 0114 272 1470
Stafford 01785 215 451
Swindon 01793 688 614
Wigan 01942 754 203
Wolverhampton 01902 429 867

Want to find out more? Here is some help that could be near you!

Hays education in East Anglia

Hays education in the East Midlands

Hays education in the North of England

Hays education in the North West

Hays education in the South East

Hays education in the South West

Hays education in Wales

Hays education in Yorkshire and Humberside

Check out our resources area here too.

Hays Education in Yorkshire and Humberside

RIGHT FIT
FIRST TIME

Working with over 1000 partner schools nationally, we can offer you access to permanent or temporary vacancies you simply won’t find anywhere else.

Our specialist consultants are based in offices throughout Yorkshire and Humberside including Leeds, Sheffield, Huddersfield, Hull and Lincoln. They are best placed to work with you to find your next role.

To help you prepare for next teaching job we offer:

One-to-one support from a recruiting expert

Access to exclusive job opportunities

Plus:

Free access to our online safeguarding and child protection training course
Advice on writing an application with impact
Access to mock interview assessment days for new teachers

With offices across the UK and an international network, we can help find your ideal job either locally, further away or overseas.

For more information visit www.hays.co.uk/education or contact your local specialist team:

Want to find out more? Here is some help that could be near you!

Hays education in East Anglia

Hays education in the East Midlands

Hays education in the North of England

Hays education in the North West

Hays education in the South East

Hays education in the South West

Hays education in the West Midlands

Hays education in Wales

Check out our resources area here too.

Hays Education in the North of England

RIGHT FIT
FIRST TIME

Working with over 1000 partner schools nationally, we can offer you access to permanent or temporary vacancies you simply won’t find anywhere else.

Our team of specialist consultants based in Middlesbrough and Newcastle are best placed to work with you to find your next role.

To help you prepare for next teaching job we offer:

One-to-one support from a recruiting expert

Access to exclusive job opportunities

Plus:

Free access to our online safeguarding and child protection training course
Advice on writing an application with impact
Access to mock interview assessment days for new teachers

With offices across the UK and an international network, we can help find your ideal job either locally, further away or overseas.

For more information visit www.hays.co.uk/education or contact your local specialist team:

Want to find out more? Here is some help that could be near you!

Hays education in East Anglia

Hays education in the East Midlands

Hays education in the North West

Hays education in the South East

Hays education in the South West

Hays education in the West Midlands

Hays education in Wales

Hays education in Yorkshire and Humberside

Check out our resources area here too.

Tips for Supply Teachers – Confidence

By Sharon Wood

Much of the stress for supply teachers begins before they reach the classroom. In this series of articles looking at top tips for supply teaching, we look at practical ways to reduce this stress.

Portray confidence in the classroom, or the kids will know! We all know it. Children are like cats and dogs: if they sense that you’re uncomfortable (and they’re very good at sensing that!) they will play on it. Confidence in the classroom is an imperative part to a supply teacher’s survival kit. But it’s not just in the classroom that it’s a necessity, confidence is much needed in up to 5 new staff rooms a week, with new sets of parents, with new TAs and when talking with your agency’s consultant.

I can’t think of a worse place than inside a classroom with 36 new children to hope to start to build up your own confidence. For some, it’s a great training ground, but for others, it can mean make or break. If you want an easier ride, strike up a conversation with a stranger out of school. Try it today… Try it in the supermarket, the library, in the playground when picking your own children up. Having to talk to strangers comes with the territory, so take every opportunity to build up your confidence in doing this outside the classroom. Much less pressure than doing it when you’re in school. Practice, and you will find staff rooms feel more welcoming.

Be prepared – the night before! You’ll have a much better night’s sleep if you know your clothes are ready, you have food ready to go, directions, and some ‘no resources needed’ time fillers. Make sure however, that you go to bed at a sensible time and don’t spend all night creating a wonderful resource for the next day just in case!

Time managements skills are key. If you’re late, or know that you’re going to be late, you’ll get flustered. If you’re all flustered, you won’t have the time or the mindset to internalise all the information you need, or to ask all the questions you want to ask. Work out what time you need to leave, print out directions to the school and in your head work through how you’re going to get there and where you may park / disembark the bus etc. If you don’t know the school, have you time to do a trial run through to it? Or ask your agency, someone will have visited it and be able to give you information. Take a notepad and on the first page have a list of the questions you want to ask on arrival. These might be something like:

Where is the fire exit for this classroom? Where is the assembly point?
What is the behaviour policy and mark scheme for the school?
Where are the staff facilities?
What time is assembly and where is it held?

Dress for confidence. This doesn’t necessarily mean power suits, especially with the younger children! What do you feel comfortable and confident teaching in? Think practical yet smart. Also think layers – school heating systems can be awkward souls, and in the warmer months there is nowhere more stuffy than a classroom!

Have you cracked it? Do you feel the confidence that you wish to portray? Let us know your top tips for supply teaching with confidence below, on Facebook, or on Twitter!

Where next? There’s a great quick read here on tips for supply teachers on getting repeated bookings. Check out our resources area here too.

Hays Education in the North West

RIGHT FIT
FIRST TIME

Working with over 1000 partner schools nationally, we can offer you access to permanent or temporary vacancies you simply won’t find anywhere else.

With 5 offices throughout the region including Manchester, Preston, Liverpool, Lancaster and Wigan, our team of specialist consultants in the North West are best placed to work with you to find your next role.

To help you prepare for next teaching job we offer:

One-to-one support from a recruiting expert

Access to exclusive job opportunities

Plus:

Free access to our online safeguarding and child protection training course
Advice on writing an application with impact
Access to mock interview assessment days for new teachers

With offices across the UK and an international network, we can help find your ideal job either locally, further away or overseas.

For more information visit www.hays.co.uk/education or contact your local specialist team:

Want to find out more? Here is some help that could be near you!

Hays education in East Anglia

Hays education in the East Midlands

Hays education in the North of England

Hays education in the South East

Hays education in the South West

Hays education in the West Midlands

Hays education in Wales

Hays education in Yorkshire and Humberside

Check out our resources area here too.

Gemstone Recruitment

Gemstone Recruitment are specialists in Education Recruitment, operating throughout West Yorkshire. With more than a decade of experience, we provide staff to schools on short, long and permanent basis; we know what we are doing, and we do it well.

We aim to match schools with high quality staff who are skilled in delivering a purposeful education to all students.

We provide teachers and support staff with the right roles and aim to ensure that placements are rewarding and appropriate to the individual, no matter what stage of career they are at.

We recruit a range of staff, from support staff and non-teaching roles, through to Leadership roles.

Typical roles are – but not limited to:

Roles

We work across the Education sector, with relationships with all types of education establishments;

We want to work with the best teachers and support staff around. We do this by providing a simple and straightforward registration process to our staff, and pay them well.

Our registration process is simple and straightforward.

First, we want to talk to you. We will arrange a time to go through your work history, skills and achievements, find out what you are looking for, and what makes you unique. Then, if we think we can help you, you will need to give us details of 2 references, your qualifications, and your eligibility to work in the UK.
If we are looking for temporary or contract work for you, we will also need to pass you through our compliance process.

Finally, we will agree a specific marketing plan tailored around you to find you the job you want.

At all points we will stay in contact with you and keep you informed during this process.

For more information, please call our office on 01484 819265, or email info@gemstonerecruit.co.uk and one of consultants will be pleased to talk to you about how we can help you.

Teaching agency in West Yorkshire - Gemstone Recruitment

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

Protected: Teachers today

Choosing to work as a supply teacher?

It’s not an easy choice for many, to be a supply teacher. There are so many unknowns. For one, there’s the uncertainty of earnings: there are some horror stories out there of supply teachers going for whole terms with no income, to those beliefs that there is an unlimited amount of supply work going, and you can name your pay for the day! Certainly, there are things you can do to increase your chances of earning, but much depends on the length of the piece of string you’re holding.

Unknown children

Then there are the unknown children. How will you manage behaviour without your ‘reputation’ backing you up? In a school where you’ve spent many terms, the children know and understand your expectations. In a school where they ask ‘Are you a real teacher?’ and ‘Why can’t you get a job?’, earning the respect of the children, and letting them know your boundaries within seconds of meeting them is going to take a little more effort!

Unknown school

And we move on to the unknown school. Firstly, you have to get there. And you have to make it ‘on time’. What is ‘on time’? You’ll not be quite sure for a while. And where was it again? Oh, Penny Cottage School on Close Lane, not Penny Close School on Cottage Lane you said? Different bus route, different train connection, different car parking situation when you arrive!

Timetable

Next, the timetable. You can almost guess what a KS2 timetable looks like, but what about the others? And when is assembly? You say Y9 aren’t to attend today? Really. And playground duty… No, I won’t even ask… I’ll assume I’m on duty… Cup of co… no, I thought not.

Last minute calls, double-bookings and cancellations that don’t happen until after you’ve arrived (pay?! Ha!), promises of Y1 and the realisation of a day with Y6 as an EYFS specialist.

No, I could go on. But suffice to say, it ain’t easy! What it is, is ever-changing, fewer hours and a real adventure. Go on, try it!

Where next? There’s a great quick read here on communication & language activities.
Check out our resources area here too.

PK education

PK Education is on a mission to improve the reputation of the recruitment industry and supply teaching and we have been since we were established in 2005.

At PK Education we want you to feel part of a team. We know that supply staff can sometimes feel detached or isolated from the profession and we’re committed to helping change this. By encouraging our clients to provide supply staff with welcome packs that include; maps of the school, behaviour policies, etc., we are working towards defeating isolation some supply teachers may feel.

We also don’t want you to miss out on your own professional development. That’s why we’re committed to offering free CPD to all of our supply teachers; and this year we have committed to providing free first-aid training to 100 supply teachers registered with us.

Thank to our commitment to our brand values and the building of relationships with our teachers, teaching staff and schools, we’ve become a leading supplier of teaching and support staff supplier across the North East, Yorkshire and the Midlands, placing thousands of you in roles every year.

We pride ourselves on understanding the difference between teaching staff who require day-to-day supply work to those who require long-term assignments or those who would prefer a permanent role. That’s why we go out of our way to intelligently match schools and clients with each other; you are working in a demanding environment so it’s important that you both ‘click’.

Don’t just take our word for it though, here’s what some of our candidates have to say:

“When I contacted PK Education they worked with me to decide what my goals and aspirations were. After the necessary paperwork and a few phone calls, they worked quickly to place me in a special education school so that I could see if I liked it; it turned out that special education rekindled my passion, I have re-engaged with teaching and I haven’t looked back since.” Jamie Johnston

“I left contractual teaching after having two long term teaching positions of six and seven years. I didn’t want to leave teaching altogether as I love teaching and think teenagers are a fantastic age group. Luckily, I came across PK Education and within two weeks I had a supply teaching job. I wasn’t sure how long I would be a supply teacher for, in my mind it was a temporary situation, but it has worked really well for me.” Jane Sutcliffe

To find out more about PK Education visit: www.pkeducation.co.uk

Find your local PK Education office:

North East Office
Collingwood Buildings
38 Collingwood Street
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 1JF
Telephone: 0191 269 6910
Email: northeast@pkeducation.co.uk
Twitter: @PKEducation_NE

West Yorkshire Office
New Media Centre
West Parade
Wakefield
West Yorkshire
WF1 1LT
Telephone: 01924 384 257
Email: yorkshire@pkeducation.co.uk
Twitter: @PKeducationYrks

South Yorkshire Office
7^th Floor, St James House
Vicar Lane
Sheffield
South Yorkshire
S1 2EX
Telephone: 0114 272 2212
Email: yorkshire@pkeducation.co.uk
Twitter: @PKeducationYrks

East Midlands Office
54-56 Westminster Buildings
Theatre Square
Nottingham
NG1 6LG
Telephone: 0115 959 8301
Email: eastmids@pkeducation.co.uk
Twitter: @PKEducationEM

West Midlands Office
Studio 7
Clarks Courtyard
145 Granville Street
Birmingham
West Midlands
B1 1SB
Telephone: 0121 631 3466
Email: westmids@pkeducation.co.uk
Twitter: @PKeducationWM

Where next? There’s a great quick read here on preparing for a day supply teaching. Check out our resources area here too.

Tips for Supply Teachers – Improvisation

By Sharon Wood

Much of the stress for supply teachers begins before they reach the classroom. In this series of articles looking at top tips for supply teaching, we look at practical ways to reduce this stress.

Improvisation is a skill. Do not think that you can not improvise – you can! You just need to practice some. I used to practice daily, and found that it really improved my confidence. It was just on the way to school in the car that I did it, looked out of the window, and (ahem, can I just say that there were a lot of traffic jams on my way into school!) thought of three things I could teach through the first thing I saw.

Top tips for supply teachers - improvisation Do it now. Look to your left. What is the first thing you see? Can you think of one Literacy, one Numeracy and one Art idea? I bet you can! Take a look at this image, it’s a jewellery box really, but I bet the way it is presented (from someone’s imagination) helps you to conjure up a few lesson ideas? Have a go!

Many people think they have to have hundreds of ideas up their sleeves before they feel confident. If you know the curriculum well, and can improvise upon seeing a classroom display, then you will overcome this feeling. Practice makes perfect remember!

When it comes to time fillers, you just need 6: that’s potentially one for the end of each session of the day. Don’t panic if you don’t know hundreds of little games, a few tried and tested ideas will suffice. Preferably something that’s either known to the children already, that forms an additional plenary for one of your previous lessons, or that does not take longer to explain than play! Lower key stages, do try singing – have half a dozen songs up your sleeve / on your memory stick. For the upper key stages, try hot seating, keep the children engaged with open-ended questions the order of the day. If you have time to fill, keep it simple – don’t befuddle the children or you’ll lose them.

Following plans that have been left for you will be more appreciated than delivering a lesson that you have up your sleeve, no matter how fabulous it is. So don’t improvise too much, and stick to any planning that has been left.

Take a look at this article encouraging you to ‘think homework’ when it comes to creating lesson plans on the spot.

If you’d like more advice on improvisation, take a look at our CPD for Supply Teachers course. One of the six modules is dedicated to improvisation, and you could purchase it separately.

Have you cracked it? Do you have as many tricks up your sleeve as you can have? Let us know your top tips for improvising on supply below, on Facebook, or on Twitter!

Where next? There’s a great quick read here on Tips for Supply Teachers – Lunch and break times. Check out our resources area here too.

Supplybag

The essential resource for supply teachers

Author Archives: Sharon Wood

About Sharon Wood

Hays Education in the West Midlands

Hays Education in Yorkshire and Humberside

Hays Education in the North of England

Tips for Supply Teachers – Confidence

Hays Education in the North West

Gemstone Recruitment

Protected: Teachers today

Choosing to work as a supply teacher?

Unknown children

Unknown school

Timetable

PK education

Tips for Supply Teachers – Improvisation