Considering temporary teaching?

There are a wealth of different reasons why you might consider switching from a permanent role in education to agency work:

• a desire to switch up the everyday by teaching in a variety of different schools and locations
• as a means to gain the flexibility to pick and choose your schedule on a weekly basis
• a way to ease yourself gently back into the profession, or as the first step toward retirement
• temporary work allows you to work around childcare, other commitments or projects

The beauty of agency work is its flexibility and the opportunity it offers to tailor your work to your needs. 

FAQs - things to consider
 

How stable is agency teaching?

Often teachers are hesitant to take the leap into agency work for fear that they are at risk of losing their work stability, which is understandable. Leaving a stable role is a big step to take, so it is important that you choose an agency that you are confident can offer you work at the consistency you require, and who you trust to be honest and transparent in the services and opportunities they are providing. The best way you can measure this is by doing your research, reading reviews and testimonials of your chosen agency, and speaking to their consultants about the type and consistency of roles they will be able to offer, to suit your requirements.

How flexible do I need to be?

It is important to know what you are looking to get from agency work - and to make sure that those reasons are going to fit with the work that will be available to you. Education People do offer pre-booking and fixed-term roles, but a large part of our work is daily cover - if for example, you would be unhappy receiving a morning call, but the schools in your local vicinity tend to book their supply same-day, you may find yourself receiving a lot less work than you had envisaged. Equally, if you live in a remote area but are not looking to travel further than 15-20 minutes to work, this will also impact the amount of work available. A reputable agency will be totally honest and transparent in the first instance about what they will be able to offer you, if you are equally honest about what you are happy to do - it's important to ensure you have these conversations so that you can be confident you will be able to receive the amount of day-to-day work you desire.

What can I expect from my agency?

Ultimately, the decision to make the change must be based in trust - trust in yourself to make the decision to switch, and trust in your agency to support your transition into this new lifestyle. Your agency are there to work for you! Utilise them and trust them to help you find the schools and settings that are the right fit for you, and to seek out the opportunities you are looking for. They are there to make this new journey exciting and simple - find an agency you trust, and allow them to guide, encourage and support you through it, so you can focus on doing the job you love in the way that works for you. Good luck!