Supply Teaching: Finding an Agency and Pay

Hi, and welcome to another Learning Coach Post!

With the school term coming to an end, there are plenty of teachers, NQTs and soon-to-be graduates thinking about their job options going forward for September! So I thought I'd put together a little bit of information about Teaching Agencies. But first, I'll give you an overview of my supply teaching journey.

My Supply Teaching Journey

I have been working on supply since January, after I made the decision to leave my permanent postion as a PPA teacher. I really wanted to get my foot in the door for NQT posts and wanted to gain a wider experience than could be offered by my very white, low pupil-premium school I was working in. I signed up to 5 agencies to begin with. The good thing about supply early on is the opportunity to find which agencies work for you. So yes, I signed up for 5 initially, but in practice I only work closely with 2 and ocassionally with a third. They've all given me different opportunities, from weekly bookings with a school via one agency, to rural schools with another, and SEND teens with the third. You certainly have to think on your feet as a supply teacher, but because you go in at the deep end, I have found it to be effectively in quickly refining classroom management.

How supply works

Most schools use agencies to book in their supply staff, often at the last minute when a teacher calls in sick. However, where schools need regular PPA cover, course cover or a vacancy they've struggled to fill, they will call their agency and sometimes interview supply staff to take on the role with advance notice. For people like me who rely on public transport to get to placements, these types of cover are my favourite. It also means however that I can't be too picky about the schools I work with, unless I was utterly horrified by them. Schools love a good supply teacher they know they can rely on, so they will ask Teaching Assistants to feedback on how you did, or SLT will pop their heads in every now and then to check how you're doing. This goes back to your agency as well. Of course, not every lesson goes well. There's one school I have a fantastic relationship with that book me frequently, but there is one class I have asked not to work with, as they were particularly challenging. Schools and agencies often understand this and won't force you into a role you don't feel comfortable in.

Often, schools have preferred agencies so it can be helpful to be signed up to multiple agencies to cover more ground. The school books you, the agency takes a cut, and then what remains is your pay, usually paid a week in arrears. When it comes to getting a booking, you are very much in the driving seat. Recuritment Consultants hate losing a booking, which means they will do a little negotiating to get you there. For example, I have persuaded agencies to take me there or pay for a taxi because they need me to fill the booking.

Finding an agency.

Agencies are a very personal thing - what one person loves another person may dislike. That being said, there are some things you need to look out for:

- What do people say about them?

- Is their rate of pay fair?

- Do the consultants genuinely care about you?

I recieved a couple of recommendations for agencies when I started supply, but I did not go with these agencies in the end as they were not finding enough work for me. The three agencies I work closely with all contacted me after I put my CV online on CV Library and Indeed. One is a national agency, whilst the other two are small, local ones. I have ultimately chosen to work with these ones because they are supportive, genuinely interested, and find me a good amount of work with decent pay to reflect this. I will say, however, that pay equity is better for NQTs compared to experienced teachers.

Pay is of course very important. I have found that most agencies pay £100-£120 a day to teachers who have not completed their NQT induction, and up to £200 for experienced teachers. Most agencies automatically use PAYE as their payment method. This means you are on the agency payroll and they sort out your tax. However, some people, particularly those with multiple agencies, prefer to use Umbrellas that all agencies use as a middleman. The umbrella company also take a small cut, so this is something else you may wish to consider when choosing your payment method.

In conclusion, it's important to find the right agency as a supply teacher. Personal recommendations certainly help but they're not the be all and end all. Work with a few before you decide which ones you prefer to work with. Find an agency that supports you and will not only be driven by money. 

Happy Teaching, 

The Learning Coach