Lizzy’s Top Tips On What To Do On Your First Day Of Supply At a New School

Supply teaching is fun and rewarding and is a great way to continue doing all the things you love about teaching without any of the additional pressures or responsibilities that full time class teachers face. That said, the first day doing supply teaching, at a new school, can be a little daunting.

Read Lizzy’s Top Tips on what Supply Teachers can do, to make their first day of supply at a new school go smoothly. 

Google the school the night before  - spend a little time reading the school policies – these are usually on the school website and make sure you plan your route so you know exactly what time you need to leave home to get to the school early.  Check your booking confirmation to know who you need to report to, when you arrive.

Arrive early and introduce yourself – make sure you arrive at least 15 minutes before you are due to start. This allows you to get your bearings – pay special attention to where the staff room is, toilets, office, dinner hall and assembly hall is when you are being shown around. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Have your photo ID and DBS with you at all times – Have your documents available when you first arrive but then keep them on you at all times, not just on your first day.

Be friendly to your TA – Your TA is your biggest ally, they know the class routine and also the children, so spend some time before the children come in to class to ask your TA about the class routine and the children. Children love routine so maintaining their usual routine as much as possible will help contribute to positive behaviour and sustain productivity.

Take your own resources – Take a bag of basic class resources such as pens, pencils, rubbers and pencil sharpeners – that way if a child suddenly can’t find theirs, you can lend them what they are missing quickly and eliminate any excuse for children to get up and wonder around the classroom. Take a couple of white board pens too, just in case the ones in the classroom don’t work.

Marking – Children (and the class teacher you are covering) appreciate consistency, so look back at how the class teacher has marked previous work and try to use the same pen colours and approach as previously marked work.

Leave a debrief – If you get a chance, leave a note for the class teacher explaining what has been covered and any issues with learning the class may have faced so the teacher can do a recap lesson if needed.

Ask if you are needed again – At the end of the day, go and find the head teacher or person responsible for booking you and tell them how much you have enjoyed working in the school. Ask them if you are needed again.

Speak to your consultant at Flourish for a debrief – We will always try to call you after your first day at a new school, as we are keen to find out how you have got on. Sometimes, you won’t always be available for that call, so once you get home and have a moment, please do give your consultant a call on their mobile – they are available 24/7 for you and will want to hear all about your first day.

Lizzy Francis-Drummond is a Section Manager and also runs her own busy Primary School desk covering South Birmingham. She has been an education recruiter for over four years and has helped countless new supply teachers settle into day to day supply and also long term placements over the years.

If you are a Class Teacher thinking of making a change and moving into Supply, call Lizzy today on  03003033227 or email your CV to office@flourisheducation.co.uk and a member of our friendly team will call you to discuss your requirements.