Just a few questions about contracts and supply in general

[sevenate9]

I am currently on M4 and started supply this year (2007). I know that there is some sort of rule that you need to work 26 weeks to progress on the scale for the next academic year. What I need to clarify is how many weeks have I worked so far if I have worked from September to December? Also, I have an understanding, maybe incorrect, that only LA days count toward the total weeks. Does this mean that any weeks worked through an agency don't count? What does count - LA work or working directly for a school?

Also I have been directly approached by a school for supply, given that I am currently on M4 what should I charge them as a daily rate?

Thank you so much in advance for all your help.

[NuttySupplier]

Hi sevenate9, welcome to the forum!

The 26 weeks rule, you only have to have worked in the week, not for the week... even if it was only half a day on the Friday afternoon, you can count that week. Total how many weeks you worked in schools in Sept-date to find out how you're going...

LA schools only? I think this depends on the agency. Some LAs will only have agency teachers anyway, don't have their own supply pool (or so I've heard!) so they should accept the agency days, though they may specify certain prefered agencies. Working directly through the schools I'd say is the same as working for the LA, so they'll count them. No-one else is obliged to keep a record of what you've worked, so make sure your record is good,
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ies of timesheets etc. where applicable/available.

Charging the schools you work for directly... won't they pay you through the LA/LAs pay
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provider and therefore the LA will always pay to scale? Or are you self-employed and invoice them? Ask Clarabelle on here, pretty sure she does it that way...

Sorry the answers are a bit woolly! I'm trying to learn all about working through an agency without ever having worked through one!

[sevenate9]

Thanks for the quick reply, that was really helpful.

I suppose they will pay me for the supply through the LA pay
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but I was wondering that they might be per day as they may decide to contract me.

On another matter I have signed up with three agencies and was very lucky to have been given a three week contract on for the first three weeks of this term but my main aim to is to have a look at a number of schools in my area through doing supply so I don't make the mistake of joining the wrong school for me. In regards to moving over to a permanent contract with a school that I have done supply for would it be better to work for them directly or through an agency? I get the sense that the agency fee might put some schools off. Therefore ,do you suggest just trying to contact schools directly for supply? How easy is it to do this? I gather that this is your sole mode but do you have enough work doing this?

[NuttySupplier]

In regards to moving over to a permanent contract with a school that I have done supply for would it be better to work for them directly or through an agency?

I think there are any number of scenarios here... you may get offered the contract through the agency, you may get offered it personally but your agency doesn't mind, but I'm sure most agencies will have guidelines on this, i.e. if they introduced you, they want their cut!

I get the sense that the agency fee might put some schools off.

It's their choice, and if the only way you can get into the school is through an agency, there's not a lot you or they can do or say!

Therefore ,do you suggest just trying to contact schools directly for supply? How easy is it to do this?

Again, this depends on your position. It was easy enough for me to contact schools directly, have a read through in the Getting Started Section. Others have had more luck with agencies. I didn't really consider that option personally as I was self-employed at the time and just wanted a
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of days here and there out of the office.

I gather that this is your sole mode but do you have enough work doing this?

I do have enough work, but again... it depends! I get enough through just two schools. A lot of it was right time, right place though, not just right person. I also am not looking for full-time work, or a perm. contract at all, and if I were, I couldn't really depend on the two schools. Teaching isn't my only source of income either.

Do a mixture of both, and see what suits!

[skiteacher]

Hi nutty has given you a lot of answers, just thought i'd put a bit in,
in terms of working for agencies / contacting yourself. In my area there is no choice - it's agencies only, apart from a few teachers who were already doing supply before the LEA's stopping doing their own lists. So we ahve no choice. It has meant in one case for me I have lost out on a contract, becuase the agency introduction fee was too much for the school, so someone from somewhere else got the contract. But there is no choice here, so check out what is the case in your area, it seems to vary hugely between LEA's.