Ensuring our teaching and support staff
Soar in Schools
Supply Desk is with you every step of the way to ensure you are always classroom ready!
We are delighted to have you on board and are looking forward to finding you lots of opportunities within our partner schools. Whether you are looking for day-to-day supply or longer-term assignments, we have collated some useful information for you to review in order to ensure your supply goes as successfully as possible. We want to keep you as busy as you wish!
Keeping in touch There will be occasions where you will need to contact your dedicated consultant at short notice, for example; if there is a chance you might be late for your assignment, you need to notify us of sickness or cancellations of future cover, or you may need a reminder of whom to ask for upon arrival into the school. Make sure you save our contact details in your phone- you will find your Consultant's telephone number within a correspondence email or simply visit our website and select the Branches tab at the top of the homepage.
Your Dedicated Education Supply Experts! I have been really impressed with Supply Desk. They have been so helpful in getting me back into teaching in the UK after working overseas for a while. The team were particularly brilliant at steering me through the paperwork and finding the right school. They also provided opportunities for face-to-face CPD to make sure we were all ready for the start of the school year.
Getting paid All of our teaching and support staff are paid on a weekly basis- all monies owed will be paid into your account every Friday, following the week in which the assignment was completed. You can access all your pay slips on the Eezytime pay portal. https://onlinets.co.uk/meritportal/ If you need to reset your password at any stage, simply follow the steps accordingly.
Our payroll team will contact you via email regarding your details to access payslips, P60s and pension information
Information we will cover each time you are given an assignment A thorough background about the school and the vacancy, the department/ position you will cover, start times, who's who and what to expect.
The name of the contact you will need to report to upon arrival, the name of the safeguarding lead, the route in to school, and parking facilities.
Information about the class / classes in which you will be teaching and where applicable, the subject. We will also advise whether work has been set or not.
We will always remind you about our contact policy. Call us at the end of your supply to let us know how it went and whether you would be keen to go back!
Training for you to complete before you even enter the classroom Safeguarding and Safer Working Practice Training for all adults working with children in an Education setting is a critical part of preparing for the classroom environment. As part of your registration process, you will have completed your online Safeguarding training, however it is also a mandatory requirement for all school and college staff to read: Part 1 of the DfE guidelines on Keeping Children Safe in Education and Guidance for Safer Working Practice Before any assignment, ensure that you have refreshed / referred to this guidance in order to monitor your own standards and code of conduct. You will also be required to do cyber security training before you work in any education setting.
N.B. If you haven't already done so, view and complete our online Safer Working Practice Training course here, along with the downloadable DfE guidance documents to retain for your reference. Please also complete the Cyber Security training and quiz here, once completed please continue to the course completion form.
Supply Desk CPD Hub Our fully-funded CPD Hub provides our registered educators with 24/7 access to high-quality training and development courses, allowing you to learn at your own pace, whenever and wherever it suits you. We know how important professional development is, but we also understand the challenges of finding time for training. That’s why we’ve designed our CPD Hub to be flexible - so you can develop your skills and knowledge without disrupting your work-life balance.
Our CPD Hub is built around key areas of professional growth, providing a broad mix of training that supports both your dayto-day work and long-term development. Courses include:
Behaviour Support De-escalation training Promoting Positive Behaviour Supporting Learners’ Wellbeing & Mental Health Trauma Informed Practice
Inclusion Autism Awareness & Understanding Adaptive Teaching in Supply SEND: Inclusive by Design SEND TAs & Support SLCN 1 and 2
Wellbeing & Safeguarding Prevent Training for many more reviews Wellbeing for Educators Wellbeing & Resilience for Educators Safeguarding Training Safer Working Practices & Professional Conduct
Support Role CPD Cover Supervisor Training Exam Invigilation Training
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS OUR CPD HUB AND START LEARNING TODAY! Our CPD Hub is continually being updated to ensure the content remains relevant, up-to-date, and offers an evergrowing variety of new courses. It’s shaped by valuable feedback we receive from our educators and schools. Using this insight, we develop learning resources focused on the topics that matter most, ensuring all of our valued supply staff have rich and meaningful opportunities for ongoing professional growth.
Please note, we strongly recommend completing all courses on a computer or laptop for the best user experience and full functionality. As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting our educators' CPD, we will continue to add new training courses to the hub, guided by your valuable feedback. If there’s a specific topic you’d like us to cover, we’d love to hear your suggestions-just email us at marketing@supplydesk.co.uk
General Interview Tips for all Supply Staff An interview or trial day is not just about what you say, it’s about how you present yourself, how you communicate, and the impression you leave with the school. Preparation goes beyond knowing your experience. It includes how you dress, how you speak, how you describe your achievements, and how you demonstrate commitment to the role. The guidance below outlines key areas to focus on to help you present yourself confidently and professionally.
Dress Appropriately Dress appropriately and be mindful of your body language and eye contact. If you are unsure what to wear, dress smartly and avoid trainers or jeans. Arrive with a positive attitude, present yourself confidently and professionally, and be aware of how you come across from the moment you arrive. Maintain good eye contact, speak clearly, and avoid rushing your answers during the interview or trial day.
Be Positive Use positive language throughout the interview. Avoid negative or limiting phrases such as “don’t”, “didn’t”, “couldn’t” or “can’t”, and instead focus on what you are developing, learning, or looking forward to applying in the role. Use positive, relevant examples to demonstrate your strengths and potential. Show genuine enthusiasm for the position by asking thoughtful questions about the school and highlighting any extra-curricular activities you would be happy to support.
Promote Yourself It is important to promote yourself through clear, personal examples of your success. Prepare a few short examples in advance and be ready to explain how your approach could be adapted to suit the school. Think about what sets you apart from others with similar qualifications, whether that is your experience, extra-curricular involvement, coaching, or wider life experience.
Demonstrate Commitment
Demonstrating commitment during your interview or trial day is just as important to the school as your subject knowledge and experience. Schools are looking for candidates who sound genuinely interested in the role and the setting, not those who appear unsure or uncommitted. By this stage, you should feel well prepared, have a clear understanding of the role and the school, have completed your own research, and have a few strong examples of your previous successes ready to discuss.
Demonstrate you have done your research Interviewers want to see that you have taken the time to research the school and can clearly explain why the way they work appeals to you. This may include reviewing Ofsted reports, progress data, the school’s website and social media, which can provide insight into their ethos, values and culture, as well as learning about the staff and wider team.
Preparing for your interview Make sure you have reviewed and make refer to the following: The school’s most recent Ofsted report School progress and attainment data Other schools in the local area, to understand the wider context The school’s context, including size, location, percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM), percentage of pupils with English as an additional language (EAL), and any other relevant factors
Questions you should be prepared to answer about the school What do you think makes a school successful? What is your impression of the school? What will you contribute to this school? Why do you want to work at this school?
Safeguarding: Questions you may be asked Safeguarding children is an important part of our work. Can you give me some examples of how you would contribute to making the school a safe environment for children? Tell me about a time when a child or young person behaved in a way that caused you concern. How did you deal with that? Who else did you involve? Why do you want to work with children? What do you think you have to offer? Give an example of how children have benefitted from contact with you. Why did you train to become a teacher/teaching assistant/ for many more reviews Support staff? What was your inspiration? How do you ensure you are keeping abreast of legislations and government updates consistently?
Preparing for your Supply Assignments Planning your journey
Teachers who are not punctual are less likely to be asked back for future assignments. Check the directions before setting off to a booking. For last-minute bookings and day-to-day supply, schools are quite often happy to accommodate a slightly later start if they are given a realistic estimated time of arrival. If you get lost, contact us as soon as possible, providing it is safe for you to do so.
Arrive in good time Where possible, please arrive at school at least 30 minutes before school starts. There are a few key things that you will need to be familiar with once you arrive at the school, so it makes sense to arrive there in good time wherever possible. This might include: the school’s behaviour policy, the teacher’s written plans, staff toilets, tea and coffee-making facilities, and where you can prepare resources.
Bring your own resources It’s a good idea to have suitable teaching ideas up your sleeve so that you have something to fall back on if required. There are plenty of websites that offer free resources that you can utilise to avoid any last-minute panics.
Ask about the pupils You should be made aware of any learners with particular needs, so that you can organise the use of teaching assistants, adjust any plans and take into account those who would find the change difficult. Also, find out if there are any children who need medication.
Familiarise yourself Get to know the timetable for the day, the school’s classroom layout, class rules for behaviour, (including rewards/ sanctioning policies) and how children are expected to move around the school.
Find out about routines The start of the day is a crucial time to make sure you are made aware of daily routines to ensure there are no unexpected disruptions. Pupils will be reassured those routines haven’t changed and that you are in command.
Know your groups for many moretoreviews Have names of pupils and relevant groups hand so that the class can be easily organised. Be firm, fair and consistent in your use of rewards and sanctions and ensure you actively seek opportunities to use public and private praise for the whole class and individuals.
Creating a good first impression Arrive 30 minutes early where possible. There's plenty of things you will need to cover before entering the classroom Dress smartly and appropriately Adhere to our contact policyif you are running late or feeling unwell, then call your Consultant ASAP
Marking and Handover
Ensuring continuity in the classroom Leaving a short handover note can make a real difference for the returning teacher, particularly where a break in continuity may feel unsettling. At the end of the day, leave a brief note outlining the work completed, where you are up to with any set work, any incidents that occurred, and whether books were marked and where they have been left. In primary settings, all work should be marked appropriately. In secondary schools, this may mean leaving brief handover notes at the end of each lesson. Even a short sign-off confirming that a lesson went smoothly, or noting any pupils who caused concern, is helpful. Make sure you keep accurate records of any instances of challenging behaviour.
At the end of your supply
Say if you have had a good day Make sure you thank anyone who supported you during the day. In larger schools, this may be a dedicated supply supervisor or a neighbouring class teacher who was available to help with any queries. If you’ve had a positive day, let them know, schools appreciate positive feedback, and make it clear that you would be happy to return. If the school requests you for future cover, inform your consultant as soon as possible so your availability can be confirmed and the booking recorded. This also helps ensure all relevant team members are aware and avoids any delays with payment.
Fact finding tips You should be provided with a supply handbook when you arrive at the school. However, due to time constraints, this may not always be possible. If this is the case, the points below outline key information you may need to establish:
Contact names within the Senior Management Team Is a school map available? (including the location of the staffroom, cloakroom, and toilets) Can you review a copy of the safeguarding and behavioural policies and procedures? What are the assembly and registration arrangements? Do you have sufficient information about the class, the lesson, resources, EHCPs, and seating arrangements?
Behaviour Management Effective behaviour and classroom management are essential to successful learning and are a common concern for schools and supply teachers. Managing behaviour can be particularly challenging when entering a new classroom, but there is no single approach. Every teacher develops their own strategies and techniques over time. To support you, we recommend accessing the fully funded CPD available through our CPD Hub, including Behaviour Management, Behaviour Support, Supporting Learners’ Wellbeing and Mental Health, De-escalation, and Trauma-Informed Practice.
6 Succinct tips for Effective Behaviour Management Every school has its own behaviour policies and procedures. We recommend you familiarise yourself with these as early as possible in each placement. Don’t assume that behaviour policies are the same across schools, expectations and approaches can vary significantly. If for any reason you cannot familiarise yourself with the school's individual policies and procedures, we recommend that you adopt a strategy to encourage good behaviour.
Please do not leave your class unattended for any reason.
Difficult children should be dealt with in a calm and firm manner. Please do not point or shout at a child, or have any physical contact with them. If there are any incidents or accidents, however minor you think they are, please ensure that you report them to a member of school staff as well as to your assigned Supply Desk consultant, followed up with a written account. If you should encounter any extremely disruptive or violent behaviour, whether directed at yourself or another child/adult, you should send for a member of staff immediately.
Safer Working Guidelines Supply Desk is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Everyone working with children and young people in education settings has a responsibility to act professionally and to provide a safe and supportive environment which secures the well-being and best outcomes for the children in their care.
Safeguarding It is essential that everybody working in a school understands their safeguarding responsibilities. All candidates must read at least part one of Keeping Children Safe In Education (statutory guidance for schools and colleges). All our candidates are asked to provide evidence of annual safeguarding training through accredited CPD resources. We offer online safeguarding training to those candidates without the relevant training. Teachers and Support Staff working through Supply Desk must ensure they: Protect children from maltreatment, neglect or harm Provide a safe environment in which children can learn
Safer Working Practices & Expected Professional Standards Our candidates are expected to understand the following principles: The welfare of the child is paramount Their responsibility is to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils They must use professional judgement to assess whether their actions are warranted, proportionate, safe and applied equitably. They are working in a Position of Trust and Authority and should always maintain appropriate professional boundaries They should adopt high standards of personal conduct in order to maintain public confidence in their ability to safeguard the welfare and best interests of children They should be aware that breaches of the law and other professional guidelines could result in disciplinary action being taken against them, criminal action and/or other proceedings including barring by the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) from working in regulated activity, or for acts of serious misconduct prohibition from teaching by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) They are responsible for their own actions and behaviour and should avoid any conduct which would lead any reasonable person to question their motivation and intentions
Prevent Awareness Training All schools, colleges and childcare providers have a statutory duty under Section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. This is known as the Prevent duty and forms part of wider safeguarding responsibilities. Prevent covers all forms of terrorist threats to the UK and focuses on safeguarding children, young people and adult learners from radicalisation and extremist ideologies. To fulfil the Prevent duty, staff must be able to identify individuals who may be vulnerable to radicalisation and understand the appropriate actions to take. Protecting learners from the risk of radicalisation should be viewed in the same way as safeguarding against other forms of harm, such as drugs, gangs, neglect or exploitation, whether these risks arise within the family or from external influences.
Prevent Objectives: Tackle the ideological causes of terrorism Intervene early to support people susceptible to radicalisation Enable people who have already engaged in terrorism to disengage and rehabilitate The aim of Prevent is to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Prevent also extends to supporting the rehabilitation and disengagement of those already involved in terrorism.
We offer an online Prevent training course to all of our registered educators through our CPD Hub here, ensuring they have the knowledge and confidence to recognise and respond to potential risks. Prevent Awareness e-learning Educate Against Hate
GDPR Awareness Training The Data Protection Act 2018 is the UK’s implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and governs how personal data is obtained, used and shared. Schools hold large amounts of personal data relating to pupils, parents and carers, staff and governors, so appropriate safeguards must be in place to ensure this information is managed securely and responsibly. While on assignment, you must familiarise yourself with the school’s data protection policy. Policies and procedures can vary between schools, so do not assume that what is permitted in one setting will be acceptable in another. All schools have a designated Data Protection Officer (DPO), and you should know who this is and how to contact them if required. All school staff, including supply staff, have a duty to safeguard children, and the handling of personal data forms part of this responsibility. A personal data breach is any incident that compromises the confidentiality, integrity or availability of personal data and may result in harm such as distress, reputational damage or financial loss to individuals. Most data breaches occur as a result of human error, for example leaving personal data unsecured on desks, or losing paper files or USB devices. If you believe there has been a data protection concern or breach, you must report it immediately to the school’s Data Protection Officer.
Steps to minimise risks of data loss: Treat other people’s personal data as you would your own Anonymise information by removing or replacing personal identifiers when personal data is no longer required Develop good habits, such as logging out of your computer whenever you leave a room, whether at work or at home Keep documents that identify children or others in locked drawers or secure storage Use a shredder or confidential waste disposal for data that is no longer needed Follow a clear desk policy Encrypt removable media, such as USB memory sticks, so data cannot be accessed if they are lost Password-protect documents, particularly before sending them by email and where the data is sensitive Double-check email recipients before sending Use the Bcc field, not Cc, when emailing multiple external recipients
Health and Safety
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Supply Desk has a joint responsibility with the school/setting to ensure our candidates are safe at work. Candidates must familiarise themselves with the Health and Safety policies and procedures of the setting before the assignment commences, in particular with regard to any specific risk assessments.
We are committed to exceeding expectations in our support for teaching and support staff. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we welcome any suggestions for improvement. Additionally, we are pleased to introduce our candidate referral scheme to yourefer a colleague and share in our success.
Social Media Policy
Refer a friend, get rewarded with £100 once your friend completes their registration and has worked one day through us. Added bonus: Your friend will receive £50 too!
During the registration process, you will be issued with a Social Media Policy Document that you must read and ensure you understand.
That’s £100 for you, and £50 for your friend when they start working with Supply Desk. For more information, visit:
Keeping in touch... Supply Desk will endeavour to contact you, not only to discuss work opportunities, but we will remain in regular contact via the telephone, email and through our social media channels regarding news, opportunities, competitions and celebrations! Please make sure to follow all our Social Media accounts and save your local branch details in your mobile phone for ease.
https://www.supplydesk.co.uk/benefits/for-candidates/
Resources The role of learning resources in the classroom
Overseas Teachers: A guide to UK classroom culture
Creating an impressive teaching CV
The importance of mental health in the classroom
SEND: Teacher and Support Handbook
Job Interview preparation tips