Thank you to all who attended the Supply Teachers Conference in September. We hope you found it useful and informative.

TeacherIn is the platform recommended by the National Union of Teachers to connect schools with supply teachers in their area. With TeacherIn teachers create free accounts and schools can subscribe to book supply teachers in their area.

Supporting Supply Teachers

A charter has been developed calling upon schools to:

• (other than in emergencies) only use qualified teachers to cover for absent teachers and employ direct or through the local authority rather than use agencies so that supply teachers are paid the proper rate for the job and have the opportunity to contribute to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
•  to greet supply teachers with a welcome pack, including a map, details of the main contact person, timetable and details of school procedures to help supply teachers settle in.

The charter is available here.

This charter will be e-mailed to NUT school representatives, urging them to hold a meeting of members to highlight the shabby treatment of supply teachers by agencies in terms of inadequate pay and lack of opportunity to make pension contributions, and then, with members’ support, seek to persuade their head teacher to adopt the principles of the Charter.  The Charter has already been highlighted in the winter 2013 issue of Headway and will also be e-mailed to supply teacher members.

Action for Local Officers
Negotiate with local authorities to promote the Charter with schools.

Promote the Charter with school representatives and seek to obtain success stories which we will publicise.

If members wish to be balloted for action if schools refuse to adopt the Charter, they will be supported.

The website: www.ratemyteachingagency.com also allows supply teachers to share views on a large number of different agencies.