Aodonis STOPGAP TEACHING

Heartbreaking: Primary Teacher Training QTS Certification UK the Good and the Bad

I have not posted anything in over a year due to a change in circumstances. I got onto a teacher training program with a private company called G2T based in London. I heard about them through a LinkedIn post. I did an interview and in December 2023 I got onto a program to get QTS certified in Primary. This was very exciting for me as I moved closer to my goal of becoming a qualified teacher.

PHASE 1 Cambridge January 2024

I moved to the university city of Cambridge and started work initially as a HLTA in a catholic primary school which I interviewed at. My gut told me not to accept the position but I called a person already working there and they said the school was good so I took their word on it.

Catholic Primary

It was some of the most difficult 6 months of my life, there were genuine tears, I didn’t want to go into work because it was that bad. I had a teacher talk down to me repeatedly in front of the children, destroying my confidence and the school, St Laurence, did not care, the teacher was reprimanded but the abuse continued and they ignored it. The school then told me I was surplus to requirements without even discussing it with me first. Had I booked long-term accommodation I would have been stuck there. My company were supportive and reminded me that getting the experience would pay dividends.

The behaviour at the school was the worst I have ever seen in a school in my entire life. The disruptive children could essentially do as they pleased and the staff had to endure non-stop abuse. The Headteacher rarely visited our section of the school and I slowly realised why, the kids are in control and the teachers have no power. Good children had to endure years of this and just accept that their learning was going to be disrupted.

The support staff were fantastic and they should have recognition for their work. They had an outstanding foreign teacher who was trying to get UK equivalency but they (the school) never showed her any kindness or wanting to help. The Year 1 teacher suffered daily abuse and had no TA, again the school failed them. A wonderful teacher from New Zealand worked hard in the classroom with most problems and was constantly having to deal with behaviour issues that if ever viewed by the public would highlight the main issues within education.

I was glad to leave because I only received about 7 weeks of actual teaching time and the school used me mostly as a HLTA and TA. I don’t blame the company at all and I got the 6 months experience I needed at the time. Worst part was when I had the unfortunate news of a death in the family, the Headteacher completely unsympathetic said because they were not close family they wouldn’t pay me. Completely heartless and honestly glad I never have to enter that school again, they had great teachers and support staff but management was unsupportive.

Cambridge is London expensive so you live frugal there, nice nature but mostly nothing to do unless you are wealthy. It was quite boring living there but looks good for families and academics. The salary for training is £20000 a year but they pay you throughout the holidays.

PHASE 2 Teacher Training

Second placement was in a great Primary in Hertfordshire on London border, slight salary increase but you get your own class. You do 60% timetable until they build you up to 80% schedule. Great staff, great kids for the most part and I was happy there. The SLT who interviewed me were nice and I felt that the school would be a good fit for me, I had a good feeling.

I moved back to London in August 2024, found a place – expensive of course. I was to do my training in a year 3 class that had previously had 4 teachers when they were in Year 2 so I knew it could get challenging and it was, it was constant. I can’t give exact details for legal and moral reasons but I wonder do some parents send their offspring to school to learn how to behave or give themselves some relief from them at home? I ask because since being a child myself long ago it is clear that education in the UK is no longer seen as a privilege and thus it is devalued.

I once told a parent that their child was hyperactive and they couldn’t understand how despite that three feet away said child was scoffing an entire 5 pack of Mars bars.

I started in Year 3 and met my pupils. As I mentioned earlier, they had 4 teachers last year and no one told me clearly the reason why, every time I asked I was told a different story. They are amazingly bright and endearing but what was clear was the behaviour issues. The class had many EAL and SEN and balancing seating arrangements was always tricky as some children can’t sit next to certain people.

From day 1 my mentor was there, shadowing and explaining to me everything they knew about teaching informing me that this training is one of the most difficult positions to do. It was super difficult, you have to remember so much and do everything you can just to make to the weekend. The workload is insane, the step-up is a huge chasm.

Planning lessons, marking work, checking for every little detail such as if the children don’t turn up for a few days, remembering who has what condition and allergy. The job is immense and you are not only a teacher but a psychiatrist, councillor and diplomat. The schedule often changes and you never stop moving.

I got periodic calls from the company who liaised with me mentor about my progress and as time went on I needed intervention help with my practice. I never felt I had time to be the teacher my pupils needed me to be, I had to be a workaholic to cater for all the admin and it stole my joy of teaching.

I got up at 5:30 every morning and was coming home at 7PM, 5 days a week but often working on Saturdays. You are teaching/learning non-stop. You get planning time and time for observations to improve your practice plus CPD once a week.

You just never have enough time and there is zero work/life balance in the industry and now I can see why so many leave the industry or bring their skills abroad where they are truly valued. In the end as I write this I go into my final week heartbroken but also relieved, I didn’t make the cut, I tried my best but it became too much and my mental health began to suffer and I was becoming a grumpy and unhappy person which I hated so much.

I think my mentor could have helped me more, they and the school will NEVER praise you for doing good work which is such a shame when retention is so bad, its a thankless job being a teacher in the UK. Being nice and kind is okay but better to be solo in intent and purpose, by that I mean, look after number one, some are happy you fail because it makes them feel good.

I have many regrets but now I’m thinking about what is next. I am thinking of going into Secondary because I will only have to teach one subject so it becomes easier for me to focus and plan more effectively. Geography for examples is something I’m interested in, there is a demand for it and government grants but I also expect the behaviour to be worse which it will but it will allow me to pour all my energy into one subject that I like. It’s risky but I love taking risks.

There is also the potential for returning overseas, China is the big market and I love living abroad but I may return to supply teaching in the meantime as teacher applications for secondary education are not up yet. I will keep you posted 🙂

Just send a message if you need some answers in particular or info you need. I will respond to everyone.

Mark II Teacher

After the experience of the last placement in West London, I developed a hard shell. Never again would I expect at the outset that anyone employing me would have my best interests at heart. I would go in, do the job, be respectful, and then leave. Small talk would be left at the door. I can still be nice but I would only employ it in service to my job and people who were genuinely kind. The last school operated as a business and that meant that its management was not interested in the long-term welfare of its staff or retention. After realizing this, I cannot judge the staff based on my expectations of how they behaved towards me. With this thicker skin and wiser head, I have decided to go above and beyond and get qualified so as to get all the benefits that a full-time teacher enjoys.

In reaching for the stars I have signed up with two organizations, one focused on getting me into a school to do paid teacher training and another agency that pays more per day. I have worked in supply for almost two years and I am now confident enough to try and reach my goal, of becoming a fully qualified teacher and thus searched for organizations who could cater for this. I found quite a few but the one I chose was called Grad2Teach and I’m very happy so far as they have assured me that I am a strong candidate to go on to doing my QTS assessment. Their team including Chris, Alex, and Ana are very professional and best of all, down-to-earth and fully supportive of my goals while at the same time scrutinizing my experience but that is something that I wanted in order to improve my practice. They explained that at every stage of the journey, I would be supported, given constructive feedback and thus become a better educator. I finished my first interview and I’m pretty happy with how it went, I was confident and my plan was great. My feedback suggests they already had an experienced teacher for the position but because they had me booked in, they had nothing to lose and despite learning of this I am not sad, why? Well, I actually didn’t like the school and it was far from my current location but I would have accepted the position to get my QTS as the management were quality people with a clear vision for the future and anyone would love the chance to work in such an environment. The team at Grad2Teach has assured me that I have a lot to give and reassured me that I will find a school in the near future, I am quietly confident in their pursuit of work for me, and best of all I am treated like a human being.

The second decision I made was to switch to another agency for better terms and conditions. I heard about an agency called Diverse Apply by being approached on LinkedIn, their approach is long-term teacher retention and paying supply staff a fair amount. It is early days so far but they have assured me that they are trying to change the system. I will report back if I hear something more than their promises. Their Director, Jamie was the youngest Head of school ever in the UK at 27 years old and could see the challenges within the system over the course of a few years as teachers left the profession or left the country and how he could make them love their job again.

This has given me hope of a way forward but now with a thicker skin, I will reserve my enthusiasm for when I actually get a genuine opportunity. Right now, very strange is the lack of supply work, I’ve had more than a few days of no work being available. My SGP contract ensures I get paid 4 days a week regardless of the economic situation. I tried to switch to a PAYE system for salary but my agency is very sluggish in its execution as it pays them more to keep me under the umbrella system.

If you ever work for an agency ensure you ALWAYS GET PAID IN THE PAYE METHOD as this is your true salary. Don’t trust them to put your interests first. Hound them until they do what you asked them to do. I have only now got them to back pay me the rate they agreed before that they tried to deny any existence of. Another agency named Protocol messaged me with an offer of great rates to work with them when in fact the salary was identical and I immediately turned them down.

Hopefully I will have more to report on in December so until then it is goodbye for now.

Crocodile Skin

Prepare yourselves, this post will be difficult for me to tell you as I endured a five-week placement at a very difficult school which I am prepared to name. I also learned more about the exploitation of myself as an asset for an agency. I am still processing what happened but I’m determined to stop other teachers from falling into the same situation.

I have moved back to London. When the schools reopen after summer you may have no work for a day or two and the SGP contracts that guarantee me consistent pay are not in effect at these periods. I am told there is a school willing to hire me and my agent has told me that if I do a week there they are happy enough but a month would be great.

I went to the school in Alperton at the start of September for two days of introductions and getting to know the staff. Everyone seems friendly and genuine. I am told that I am to take a year 1 class until the previous teacher returns from maternity leave. I’m happy because I get access to the planning process, the one thing I am looking for from the position.

I am to be the class teacher and I’m on the website as the teacher of that class which I thought unusual as I heard I was there on a short-term basis. I am paired with an experienced and helpful TA and for the first two weeks we organize assessments and teach the children the rules of the classroom as they make the change from Reception to Year 1. The other year 1 teachers are welcoming and kind and include a new teacher. They do not know I am an unqualified teacher and when told, their facial expressions betray no outrage or any emotion at all, professional people for sure I think.

My students are chatty and fun but have to get used to rules very quickly. I also have 3 students with SEND. One of these children is non-verbal and the others have low attention spans and prove very challenging to teach as they need lots of focus in order to exploit their potential. I love my new class as it’s the first time that I have started a year as a class teacher.

One thing I am aware of is the lack of any interaction with the leadership of the school, traditionally anywhere I go I meet the heads of the school just to welcome me there or members of the school leadership team (SLT). One becomes my regular source of contact as they try to integrate me into the ethos and ways of the school.

It was after the third week that I noticed the demands placed upon teachers in this school to perform herculean tasks by being active non-stop until the close of school and getting little time to have lunch or go to the bathroom. The school is in trouble financially, with the increase in salary but below inflation rises, schools that spend up to 90% of the budget on salaries have to take drastic measures, one is the looming axe of many of the Teaching Assistants, these stalwart and hardworking people are asked to take a pay cut on already horrific salaries or be let go. It’s tough for many of them and I suspect that the school SLT has positioned some of them in challenging classes to see if they are adaptable enough to survive the purge. My SEND TA is in a year one class after serving in a year 5 position for many years, they are old, and doing this makes no sense.

In week three we find two cockroaches walking around the class, I’m gobsmacked as I assumed the school would shut the classroom but no, they have taken the option to downplay the incident as a one-off. In the following weeks more came out of the shadows, a clear sign of infestation but still the school decided on containment rather than being transparent and warning the parents of the children to save its reputation.

By week four I am there in the class from morning until 5-30 – 6 PM every day trying to show the SLT my dedication to being a professional teacher. I noticed that I still haven’t met the headteacher or had one single compliment that I am doing a good enough job. I was informed that the teacher from maternity wants to come back on a part-time basis and will be part of another class and that the role of the full-time teacher was possibly mine. I’m overwhelmed to be considered for the post, my hard work was paying off. I contacted my agent to ask about how long I am there or any update from the school and I’m told there is none available. I thought the mention of a longer-term role would have been mentioned but alas nothing and I’m left feeling perplexed.

The horror begins in week five and many things start falling into place. The demeanor towards me from SLT has changed, it is easy to sense. I cannot get through to them on the phone, no callback or they have meetings. I have a few challenging behaviour children and I try to get the SLT involved to help but they avoid me. I cannot fathom what has transpired over the weekend. I’m involved in making SEND referrals for three children with the help of a good member of staff and told to present it to the parents for their approval to get their children more help. The wording has to be harsh in order for the powers that be to get involved but the parents aren’t happy with the wording and so hold off signing for now. I ask myself why aren’t the SLT helping me out with this task as they know the parents. On Monday I met a teacher in wells of tears because they had just been dressed down by a member of the SLT whom I now know is unliked by everybody because of the way they deliver bad news.

Things unravel very fast over the last few days of week 5. First, my fantastic TA was injured in school after slipping on a wet floor that was not marked, the school is panicking because the member of staff could claim injury. The SLT became unavailable because of the incident but also because of an incident in week four where we took the children out of class without a risk assessment or the parents knowing. With my TA out of action and no replacement available I realize the full extent of my situation, I plan, print, mark, and glue everything myself trying to find time in a day when I am already busy making my respect for my TA all the more admirable.

Out of the blue, the SLT informed me that they were looking for a full-time teacher to take over my role after half-term after giving me no inkling of this beforehand and then asking me if I would work until said time, I had a test for the SLT to pass, if I said yes and they simply said thank you I would stay but if they continued with their horrible attitude I would leave. I said yes and they walked out quickly. I decided then that I would leave the role the next day but would prepare the work for the teacher coming in on Monday, why should the incoming teacher be made to suffer I said to myself.

I was reeling from the blow of not keeping the class and felt I had earned it by putting the time and effort in even when things were bad. I stayed professional but the long hours were taking a toll on me and for what I got paid, a very small sum of just over £100 before tax I felt as if I gave value for money. Perhaps it was the school’s plan all along or negotiations broke down with the agency but I felt I deserved an explanation.

I informed my agent that I would not return for the final two weeks and the school subsequently avoided all communications with me on the final day. I was sad to leave my kids but felt I wasn’t being treated with dignity and respect. My Year One colleagues were supportive always and I thanked them for their help and inspiration. Crocodile Skin is the title because in this business you have to always remember despite the smiles, you are a resource to schools and agencies and nothing more, than a number, a statistic on a computer. My agency tried and failed to convince me that I had to stay in order for my SGP contract to be valid but I had signed a contract that stated it was eligible from September forced them to recant, they were seething for sure and I got no response other than to say they would pay me what I was owed. That last part stung, I always thought my agent would have my back but all they care about is their commission that comes from my hard labor. On my last day, another cockroach was found and still they hid it from the parents so I intervened and called the authorities, a lowly supply teacher has more moral courage than staff with decades of service. I did it not out of petty revenge but out of a sense of moral duty.

In 5 weeks I worked every day until 6 pm with no thanks or any praise on minimum wage in a very challenging environment doing my best all along and to be treated like this made me feel that despite the challenges of modern education human standards of compassion still existed. How wrong I was, lesson learned and I hope that when you read this you will think twice about doing this job.

I still dream about becoming a teacher and now getting my QTS certification is my priority so I can find a school that shares the same values as me.

Final Sojourn

This week is the final week of my latest position at a wonderful Primary school called Ingram Road Primary in Leeds. I have learned and developed my understanding more in this school than any other and it will be hard to leave the school come Friday for the six-week hiatus that heralds in the summer holidays. This has also been the most challenging school in terms of needs that I have had the pleasure of teaching.

The school is small with a simple welcoming character displayed most profoundly by the front desk staff. Over the last 6 weeks, I have had the opportunity to meet and converse with many of the existing personnel. One, in particular, has given me the knowledge of what to expect when I apply to do the direct-to-QTS route into getting my teacher’s license. This journey has cumulated in me regaining my passion for wishing to become a teacher in the UK. The other staff has welcomed me most wholeheartedly, especially the class HLTA Mrs Ridge, who beyond doubt has represented all that is good within the industry. Always positive, supportive, and offering valuable insight from years of experience. The dedicated and loving nature of the SEN staff has proved to me the need for such talented individuals within education and reinforces the idea that they should be paid more for crucial work they contribute every day, often going unseen.

19/07/2023 Sports Day

07:30 AM I arrive at the school to set up and prepare for today’s events which include sports day and an afternoon party. At 9 AM we take the register and the children have changed into PE clothes for their Sports Day alongside elements of the other year groups. We pair them up and have them carry their water bottles and jackets because of the unpredictable weather in the UK which is at its most temperamental this morning. We march them onto the playground at 9:15 and with the support staff in tow, proceed along the outside perimeter towards the nearby school field where a range of traditional school sports have been prepared for them and where they can meet their parents who have come to observe the proceedings. We are lucky that the weather has permitted this happy occasion.

The children’s faces contain a plentitude of smiles as they are informed of what activities they will get to take part in from the egg and spoon race to the penalty shootout with their year six comrades. There are fewer scenes in education where children is simply allowed to avail themselves of their boundless energies like that of recreational sport. Full of vigor they throw themselves into the day’s activities, children previously idle in other subjects, are seen in a new light, demonstrating vividly the style of learning that would work best for them, providing future insight to make their learning personal.

After an exhausting two hours broken up only by the tending of battle scars and water breaks the children are euphoric and thankfully tired making the return to the school all the more calmer. The children wash and get ready for their lunch in the hall where I hand them the trays and bear their water to their cups, ensuring all the children are getting enough nutrients, after tending to them for ten minutes I go for my own lunch in the staff canteen where stories permeate of the different survival strategies each member of staff employs in every lesson, the child/children who give them the most pause or cause for remembrance, these war stories glue the fabric of the school together as they aptly allow staff to support each other and make the job seem less stressful. At 12:35 I return to the classroom to sort books into different student names for they are to take the books home as the children are going through transition time and being presented to their new teachers for the first time. The children show a mixture of surprise and happiness as they find out if they will share or not the same class as their friends next year.

The children go to the playground after their lunch until 1 PM where I do register and allow them time to use the toilet and drink some water after the hot and active day. We explain to the children that they will have a party followed by lots of snacks the children themselves have taken in from home. They are instructed to get changed into their party clothes and ready themselves for the party.

The class is amongst the most challenging I have yet encountered. This is because the class had three previous teachers before my arrival. This means that they have encountered three different styles of teaching and had to adapt fast. The class is also very challenging in a number of ways such as a high prevalence of children with SEN needs, evidenced by the need for three dedicated SEN staff to manage their different needs. Their work is super challenging as the children have very particular needs from each other. There are also at least five children who are EAL who struggle but try to learn the language. We have a child going through an unbelievably tough time as they are separated from their parents creating a young person with high levels of stress that needs constant attention or they act out.

We log on to Netflix and have the children watch the latest iteration of The Lion King while handing out plates for them to receive their snacks. The children have at last calmed down and are glued to the screens whilst stuffing their faces with sugar and salt. We play a few dancing games and then it is time to say goodbye. So at 3:00 PM, it is very emotional for me because I have come to see them as my class and I am sad to be leaving them. They are picked up by their parents and I wave them off, they know little of how much they have impacted my life, I will not see how they develop or what their future holds but that I have played my small part in that outcome fills me with immortal pride, the reward for my stewardship of their education, however minuscule.

Despite how difficult it was at times, I learned a lot of practical knowledge for me to take with me such as behavior management and the skills needed to become a worthy educator because my role is not merely to pass on knowledge but to adapt and upgrade my methods as I decide my future in this industry. The staff at the school were open and supportive, forgiving and helping in equal measure, special thanks to the HLTA Mrs. Ridge who made it all worthwhile, always encouraging and with a way of picking you up when you were down, I wouldn’t have lasted long without her.

Strangely, as of the time of writing, I have been offered better work if I return to London and I have accepted because I am determined more than ever to reach my potential by gaining the coveted QTS certification so my career can really take off and I can get ahead in life. I’m 39 years of age and only now am I finding what it is I really enjoy doing. It’s often challenging, difficult, and emotional but also very rewarding. They have offered me a little more money and I’ll need it considering the cost of living right now, my rent, for example, is 25% higher than last time. Moving back to London was tough but after settling in again I’m reminded why it can be a beautiful place to live. The multicultural world is evident everywhere here, accents and languages galore fill the environment, the future human society is already here as London is a melting pot of influences, I can eat from every culture on the planet and meet many different types of people.

Finally, Summer has arrived and I find myself trying to find work to keep my going during this time, this is the crux of being a supply teacher. We enjoy more freedom to choose but receive few tangible benefits in the long term. The six weeks off is very painful for me to endure as I apply for every single job going even if it is two hours away by train just to make ends meet. I love my job mostly, I’m eager to get up and go and make this year the best and get recognized for my career path, and then hopefully carry myself around the world again.

Caio everyone.

Location, Location, Location!

06/06/2023

When I moved to Leeds from London I was very optimistic about the future. I was happy to move from the capital to a place that was cleaner, friendlier, and cheaper to live. All of these elements make life here much better than the noise and misery I endured living in West London.

One of the reasons I enjoy living here is the small school I go to on this day. An old Victorian-era building, faithfully serving its community for over a century. It’s a single-form entry institution with a storied past. When you walk past Hyde Park and down the red brick streets you are greeted by a building from a former age but with the sounds of youth still making it feel alive.

It is very refreshing to see a school continue its story amidst the fast changes of time. I go in and have to teach a year 5 class of an array of students whose names I struggle to say. Coming from many countries, each smiles with the recognition that today they will have a supply teacher. Some children will take more liberties with a supply, they will act out, ask to go the bathroom often, and in general become somewhat annoying but often and in this case not in a malicious way.

I am to teach art and history and I am given an overview of what needs to be done that evening. At 12:30 I take the register on the SIMS platform, trying carefully to say the children’s names and being greeted with laughter, it is a good and fun start.

12:45 We start the art, it’s about sculpture from two famous artists and what their style was. The children have covered elements of this type of art before and so can easily get to work doing the work left for them to complete. My main role is to help the EAL and children with learning needs and they are amazing and full of enthusiasm as they have never had a male teacher.

13:55 The students have completed most of the work and I have marked all of it. We move swiftly onto the History which is about the early Islamic empire and the division between Shia and Sunni which the Islamic students were very keen to inform me of. I had the students read parts of the script from the board about the Abbasid Caliphate and with time coming to a close rapidly I had to get the children prepared for home at 15:15 so with 10 minutes remaining we enjoyed a simple game of Pictionary which the girls won comfortably 3-0 using logic and timing. The game is competitive but well-received and the students are full of smiles.

15:15 The children are walked down the stairs to be received by their parents and I have enough time to pick the brains of the head of the school about the challenges they face with crippling maintenance costs and fewer students. The things she would see changed are a reflection of my own, a curriculum bereft of direction and the influence of Ofsted, an organization despised by all in the endeavor of education. Honest and frank but determined to make an impact in children’s lives, she is an excellent role model worthy of leadership.

It is then with a slight sadness that I report to you all that London is where I will go next as the opportunities are not as plentiful as I was led to believe. In reflection, I see the exploitation of the agency at work again. They care only for profit, communication is not part of their repertoire, or understanding the precarious nature they force on the kind souls who work for them. It is a lesson I will learn well and use it to my advantage. I am at fault, I cannot blame others for my own mistakes but these lessons, while difficult are molding me into a better teacher.

In the next entry, I will try to inform you about the dangers of modern education and what it means for the children of tomorrow. Until then, thanks for reading.

The TA Life

26/04/2023

Big news! I have moved to Yorkshire to do the same job because the cost of living here is much lower than in London and honestly, I prefer the kindness of the people up here plus it is close to nature and has everything that London has for me to survive.

I started work right after the Easter break and there is plenty of work here as much as in London. My first position is at a high-ranking Ofsted school that does things very differently than in London. It is a large school in Leeds with a high number of pupils. As I check in on the visitors page I realize that they have a lot of supply personnel at this one school which on the outside points to a problem with teacher retention and I can see why. I get there at 8:15 AM and am brought straight through to the classrooms I will be helping out at, yes, you heard that right, I am being employed as a Teaching Assistant on a supply teacher salary which perplexes me as I’m not sure why I am there as it turns out there is already a TA in the classroom plus another supply teacher from an agency. I say nothing and get on with the job. The school is very modern in design with ample indoor and outdoor space. Always the staff are the lifeblood of the school and this institution is no different, passionate and caring for those in their charge is visibly judged by the greeting the students give to their teachers.

After entering I notice that older students are already at school and have to be there at 7:30 AM which is something unheard of in the industry. I’m given a brief timeline that I will be following throughout the day. At first glance, I notice that the Primary level children don’t leave until 4 PM which I find based on research I read about to be counterproductive as younger learners have lower attention spans and less energy as the day goes on. The timeline is packed full of lessons including RWI phonics, Maths, and English which I personally believe to be overwhelming for students at the Reception level.

By 11 AM we have finished two 45-minute lessons and enjoyed a snack which comes in the form of a single slice of toast in place of what most schools in London that use fruit.

After provision/free choice, they come back at 11:30 ready for Lunch which proves to be very nutritious and free for teachers as well. In many schools, Reception classes need help with food and so I end up actually serving the food to the students by adding one type of food to the plate followed by others that we ask each student individually. What is left can be used as seconds when students finish. This is followed by fruit or a small cake before the students go outside to play. I get a whopping 30 minutes for a break and rush to a small seating area inside the school because there is no staff room.

This day helps me understand the pressures facing support staff such as the TAs as they endure the countless tasks expected of them every day, schools are lost without them and I am entirely sure the whole education system in England would collapse without their dedication.

After lunch, we move on to some science work around the lifecycles of animals. The children watch a video and then answer some questions. They then get to draw the lifecycle and write some words about the process before being allowed to play for the last 80 minutes in which I find myself supervising the outside pavilion and then doing some math intervention work to give extra help to students who don’t grasp some topics as easily as others or were absent for a duration. At 3:30 we get the students ready for home, they get some fruit or a biscuit, their jackets are put on and their water bottles are put in their bags. Some singing and videos are put on to relax the students and then the parents call close to 4 to pick up their young. 

Honestly, it was an eye-opener into the difficult work of the TA but also convinces me that teaching is what I love to do. The kids are all gone by 4:10 PM and I am free to go. I do like the school and students but could not accept a position there because I believe that they are too young to spend so much time in school. I believe play should still be part of their experience. Again, teachers and the TAs are the lifeblood and these individuals are amazing and caring people whom I have the utmost respect for but feel this institution is over-schooling the pupils in order to reach targets and goals designed by people with their own motivations.

I have enjoyed working at the school so far, getting to know the students has been great but better still, being treated better and as a member of staff makes this change a happy one.

A Poor School

 

I am going to a small school that I’m familiar with. The area has a horrid reputation for crime and violence but the school is close to the tube station and is very pleasant. I get there at 08:15 and sign in at the front desk to the happy lady at reception and then the headteacher shows me to the year 1 class I am to teach. I meet a TA who informs me of the day’s schedule. The students come into class at 08:50 and sit on the carpet for registration at 09:00. 

We go through the days of the week and months of the year before beginning our first lesson of the day which is a phonics lesson at 9:15 and I am assigned the highest learner class. We do diagraphs from the sh, ch and qu sounds and every child is keen to take part. We then practice said words in a team practice demonstration between two students, one uses their finger and another reads and vice versa, the method is Read, Write, Inc.

It’s horribly cold in the classroom and the children are all wearing jackets, myself included due to the boiler acting up, I’m told this is a regular occurrence as the funding for the school hasn’t gone up significantly in quite a long time and parts of the school infrastructure are failing due to time and wear and tear. 

9:50 After the class has returned to the class, I have them sit on the carpet spaces. I call them row by row to go and clean their hands and then have some fruit and milk while I have some Alphablocks on YouTube in the background. 10:00 Is choosing time when the children can choose an activity that has been set up by the wonderful TAs. They are sensory and an exploration of materials and include improving things such as hand-eye coordination and gripping different tools. 

10:55 the students clean up all areas where they have played and sit on the carpet by 11:15 where they proceed to take the chance to go to the bathroom and clean their hands. It is cold outside so we have them put on their coats and jackets. At 11:30 the TAs and a representative from the kitchen staff escort the children to the lunch hall where they get help with choosing food and I go to lunch in the staffroom until 12:30, staffrooms can be daunting because you don’t feel part of the staff but I find most of them friendly and I relax a little before the children return. 

We retake the register and its clear as day to every teacher in the land that the children act out more due to the combination of the energy of being outside and the consumption of sugar, they sit on the carpet full of emotion and we get ready to get into our maths groups at 12:45.

The class I have is at the lower end of ability so I have a TA helping me identify the most in need of extra attention.

I often have to remind myself just how much work and love these unsung heroes contribute to the UK education system, without them, I have no doubt education in this country would disintegrate such is their level of commitment, all hours and in every situation, pitching in to help their school cope with vanishing resources.

They are everywhere and deserve our utmost respect. The children learn about how to add and take away 1 in value by using different objects such as plastic blocks or crayons, it can be enhanced by asking them to show you different ways to make up certain numbers such as 5 crayons plus 4 crayons = 9 crayons.

13:20 the children arrive back and the class is reunited. They have a chance to play and interact with whatever they desire to a point as we observe some children exploring only one aspect of learning such as playing with dinosaurs every week. We have these children explore writing, reading, and taking part in other activities that are available. 

They do these activities until 14:30, there are normal accidents during this time period such as falling over in the outside parts on the concrete or tripping over the toys which permeate the floor for which they themselves have layered. It helps them understand boundaries and their own limits so it serves a purpose if rather a painful one. 

My resident pair of SEN are both autistic and so there is some leeway for their behaviour but as children, they are still capable of being manipulative and will test a new teacher constantly so you have to stay on guard as some are physical, have anger control problems or are used to getting their own way that they will cry for hours in the hope of breaking you down until you accept. This is all normal in the daily activities of children while working within the industry and shouldn’t put you off if your passion is teaching others. 

 

14:45 The children are back in the class tidying up once more and then getting ready for home. The children are a mixture of tired and excited at the same time, so excited that they often forget their bags or rush past teachers when they see their loved ones so keeping the class calm is a priority.

15:00 The TA knows the parents so I let them take the lead when disgorging the children into the waiting arms of parents. If the adult is not recognized we will not allow the child to leave even if the adult is insistent, your duty of care comes first and is a measure of protection for yourself. 

There are always a few student’s parents late so I hand them over to the reception waiting room where another TA is handling that activity for the day such as phoning parents. 15:25 I check that everything is done including any marking and then get ready to leave.

I had a great day but the needs of the children can be exhausting mentally more than physically but I love the school so that’s half the battle. The school itself manages to do its best with the limited resources at its disposal to the maximum effect for the children.

Despite conditions children still smile
Image by wirestock on Freepik

Economic Management – Students as Numbers

Supply teaching has some benefits including being able to work close to home.  Yesterday I was asked if I can go to a school that is 20 minutes walk away from home. I have been to said school many times.

For me, the school is run more like a business which sadly is sometimes necessary for these tough financial years in education as schools become more financially astute and then become a school only worried about value for money than the value in education.

Many schools are like this in London but the passion of the teaching staff is strong enough that they try and make the lessons enjoyable and insightful. Having been to the school several times I find out that over half of the staff are veterans of over ten years.

Many of these teachers are becoming more stressed out due to the increasing demands and stagnant wages that they are my heroes, sacrificing their time for very little gain. 

I get to the school around 08:15 in the morning, I do this for two reasons, firstly because I show enthusiasm for the school and thus hope they hire me again, and also because I have learned that it gives me more time to prepare the lesson for the incoming students.

I proceed to sign in at the front desk, this process involves asking for my DBS number or criminal background check, photo ID, and personal contact details including phone number and email address. Schools in London often have security doors and as I will discuss in the future, procedures are in place in case of armed intruders.

I am often but not always given a laptop, a plan left behind of what the class is doing, and where to find it. If I can talk to the teacher who may be doing training or other school work then I ask about the SEN students and if they have a personal teaching assistant and if there are many EAL because these students will need extra help but also if they are bored or cannot interact with the other students they can act up in the class. 

A lot of teachers won’t understand this unless they ask. I find out also if I have a TA to help me with the aforementioned students because the dynamics within the classroom will be difficult to manage if I have many of either group because I cannot dedicate the extra time to help them.

I start up the SIMS application to do the register, the class comes in at 8:45 and does silent reading after hanging up their jackets.

At 9 I do register and introduce myself and some of my rules such as making sure the class says please and thank you, putting their hand up to ask questions, and listening when others talk. I inform the students of this due to experience in the London primary districts.

I introduce myself to the TA whom I have met before and we have a good working relationship and understanding.

I start with times tables at 9 am from 6-8 multiplications and start a competition of who can do it the fastest amongst the table groups, children can be fiercely competitive and sometimes blame others for the slightest mistakes but thankfully these students don’t do this.

We do this until 10:07, I declare a winner and congratulate everyone. I get the students who are the best behaved in the class ready for break time and then everyone is lined up in line order.

My TA brings them to the playground at 10:15 and I get ready for Reading Comprehension at 10:35.  The kids are back in class and after some high energy, I allow them 2 minutes to get some water and go to the toilet. 

Any who don’t use please and thank you will remember the next time. We have a handout of a book called The Ice Palace, the students are to read the text and answer the following questions based on ability level.

Many resources come from a website called Twinkl that I find hit and miss as sometimes the content is boring. I help the EAL and SEN students because the other students will have less trouble doing this work as they are used to this method.

One student is constantly running around the classroom and then leaving entirely so I have to enforce discipline, I follow the classroom’s program, verbal warning followed by a demotion on their behavior chart.

The student likes joking around which I try to understand but when they stop the class I confront the student and tell them that they will miss 5 minutes of break time, this stops them in their tracks, some will rebel and some will simply not care.

The student acts silly again five minutes later after telling me after a period of forced crying that they will stop. I escalate and remove all of their breaks. I follow the guidelines of the class, I NEVER raise my voice even though sometimes I want to, it never makes anything better.

At 11:55 The students get ready to go to lunch, I try and ask the student misbehaving if there is a reason they are acting up because sometimes it is something they are reacting to, they stay silent but do apologize, I explain why I need their attention and that if they behave themselves after lunch I will scrap their time penalty of at late break.

12:00 the students are taken to lunch by a staff member from the kitchens and I eat lunch for about 10-15 minutes.

I then catch up on any marking I need to do as this is part of the job and helps me identify which students need more help.

13:00 The students return and I do the register again as some students may arrive late and others go home sick or have family events. I put on BBC Newsround and this settles the students down ready for the afternoon.

Subjects determined to be important are done in the morning as students are most alert during this time. 13:15 We start RE and today the students will find out about Sikhism, here is the chance for the students get to practice their oracy and listening as I ask a series of questions on why they think that Sikhs do the things they do. 

We discuss ethics and the benefits of being a Sikh. The students also do a small worksheet putting sequences into order. 14:15 A small break in the class, they can read or draw because it is raining outside.

14:30 We do some indoor IT on laptops about using all the fingers when typing, we do this for 45 minutes. Some children struggle but all enjoy the activity as the program called Purple Mash also includes games when they have finished.

15:15, the class gets ready for home putting on jackets and getting water bottles and bags, some have an after-school club so they stay within the classroom, and we play a 5-minute game of Pictionary which is always popular.

15:30 My TA takes the children down the path for the parents, I help because they know the parents and my role is to make sure only those students who are called are meeting the TA.

15:45 Those students whose parents or guardians have not arrived are moved to the main hall and given somewhere to sit down until they arrive and the adults are called. The students at the afterschool club are escorted to the class and then I go back to my classroom to gather my school laptop and my lunch bag.

16:00 I leave to go home, an average day but an enjoyable one. It honestly went very fast and I’m able to admit I am slightly tired. 

Many of your days in supply will be like today, you will struggle with time management. 

I will be honest and say that one of my weaknesses is behaviour management, I really loathe having to discipline children, especially when they act out of pure boredom alone.

Happy Beginnings

Every day is different, it’s what a love about teaching but a typical day last week Monday 9th of January.

I get up at 5:30 am to get some exercise and do some studying as this allows me to enjoy my time after work knowing the harder tasks are already done.

If not told beforehand I am ready for 7 AM for the agent to send me on my way to the school they have for me, they will explain the year and whom I am to report to any other information to be aware of. If by 8:45 ish if they haven’t called, then your not going to work as schools will be getting ready to open.

I’m going to a local school, within walking distance (huzzah), and actually my favorite school. I get there at 8:15 because I want to get ready for the day ahead and prep myself for the class.  I talk to the Teaching Assistant (TA) who will know the students much better than anyone else and ask if there are any English as an Additional Language (EAL) and Special Education Needs (SEN) students. Understanding this lets me know about students who cannot control their behavior or have difficulty communicating in English.

I complete the registration on the SIMS platform, check lunches and then inform the students of who I am and what we will be learning today. I do tell them what I expect from them and how I like to reward students who do well such as adding a game at the end of the day, time permitting.

My class is a Year 1 class with mixed abilities so I start with phonics for 45 minutes then quickly into English comprehension before a little break of 15 minutes where I do playground duty. We come back and wash our hands and have a snack, normally fruit before moving on to Maths, we are doing fractions. I get the students to form into a mass then call out fractions and the students explain their answer by moving the mass around, quite fun for both the students and me.

Lunch, normally an hour, I mark their work if not already finished for 30 minutes and then grab some food. You are expected to mark the kid’s work as standard practice, check which colour that particular school marks in, and write the word supply to show that that day a supply teacher assessed the students. You can avail of the staff room but I get more done if I stay in the room where I am working. 

After lunch, we watch Alphablocks on YouTube as we do the register as this is a cartoon the kids like but also educational (often students come late because of traffic).

Schools tend to do the tougher subjects in the morning and afternoon as the kids become less attentive after lunch. We do PE and PSHE, first, because it’s a primary school I have to lead it, I play cricket as it allows all the students regardless of ability to experience bowling, running and catching or rounders if outside. If inside, I do light exercises followed by duck, duck goose, or bench ball.

We come into class and drink some water and settle down to PSHE which basically is a class for encouraging good social manners, respect for others, and why brushing your teeth is important. I’m very concerned with this subject because it teaches the kids concepts that they are too young to fully comprehend such as democracy when they can barely spell their names.

20 minutes before the end we play a game like heads down thumbs up which the kids love and engages all students including the EAL and SEN kids. 5 minutes before finishing and the kids are getting their bags and jackets and I walk them to the designated zone in partnership with my TA as we await the parents, my school has a policy that should the person collecting the child be unencountered before they must have a passcode otherwise we will not allow the child to go with them, it’s a great idea. There are two children who after 3:15 are still uncollected so we bring them to the reception and my job is done for the day. 

I’m thanked kindly by the Assistant Headteacher and warmly told I’m welcome back anytime, I do value these relationships as they can open up opportunities later and to be fair the agency does help with this even if only for financial gain.  I walk home and 15 minutes later the day is finished. There really is no typical day, the beauty of the job is that every day is full of new experiences and challenges