The role of a supply teacher can differ considerably depending on whether the teacher is working in a primary school or a secondary school. Many agencies provide supply teachers across the education sector, but it is important to choose the right person for the right role.
A supply teacher working in a primary school, especially if it is in key stage one will need to have a good understanding of early child development and be able to adapt their teaching practice accordingly. For example, young children will need lots of practical experiences, whatever the curriculum subject to enable them to fully grasp the concepts they are being taught.
Older primary school pupils can be difficult to manage for a supply teacher as the pupils know that the teacher may not be aware of the school and classroom rules, so it is important for the supply teacher to be firm but fair. Making sure that the school rules are followed will help the children to feel confident that the supply teacher is in control and may result in positive behaviour.
In secondary school the role of the supply teacher is usually to deliver the lesson that the teacher has planned which can be problematic if the supply teacher is not a specialist in that curriculum area. There is therefore a need to be able to quickly assimilate the teacher’s planning and be able to deliver it confidently, even if the subject is not familiar.