Our years in school were some of the most important of our lives. They fuelled our passions, helped us develop our social skills, and generally prepared us for life as an adult.  

Without teachers and support staff, education would be impossible. They’re the heart and soul of every school, and although we all had our favourites, it’s hard to imagine where we’d be without any of them.  

Head teachers understand this and know how difficult it can be when a member of staff is ill, away, or otherwise unable to work. When this is the case, they turn to temporary recruitment agencies for help.  

 

 The Importance of Temporary Staff in Schools  

Temporary education staff, from teachers to catering assistants, are all essential to keep schools running smoothly. In such a fast-paced environment, any missing staff members puts a lot of strain on the rest of their team and asking them to pick up the slack isn’t always possible.  

Teachers especially have large shoes to fill. Bringing in a supply teacher is the go-to solution, but if they’re unable to support students properly, it’ll cause an even bigger headache.  

The best supply teachers are able to get up to speed quickly. Students don’t always respond well to a new face at the front of class, so an engaging personality and prior knowledge of the curriculum are essential.  

 

How to Find the Best Supply Teacher 

There are many temporary recruitment agencies who specialise in the education sector. Demand for temporary teaching staff is high, but the best recruiters will only supply the best talent.  

If you run a college, academy, nursery, or are a head teacher, you have a lot on your plate already. Adding in the need to scour CVs, choose applicants, and organise interviews takes time you’ll rarely have spare. By trusting a temporary recruitment company, you’ll be provided with a selection of the best candidates currently available. All will be fully qualified, with experience teaching in schools exactly like yours.  

When you are confident that all candidates will be able to do their job well, you can focus on other factors that matter to you and your team. This can be personality, individual skills and experience, and even how far they’ll have to travel each day.  

The world of education is more competitive than many people realise. Each has a reputation to uphold and take great pride in the quality of teaching available. When head teachers have access to a pool of quality teachers ready and waiting to support permanent staff, their school, college, or academy will stand out from the crowd and become known as the go-to school for the next generation of students. 

 

When is Temporary Recruitment is Needed for Schools 

So, you know what to do when you have a role or booking, but what causes these vacancies in the first place? Well, there can be a few reasons: 

 

Illness/Injury – When a teacher is ill or injured, they’ll need some time away from the classroom to rest and recover. These scenarios are impossible to predict, so having access to temporary teachers who can take their place within a day or so is essential.  

The time they need to fill the vacancy will vary. Many supply teachers will be under a flexible contract, meaning they can work for as long as they are needed. The temporary recruitment agency will ensure that they are paid on time (more about that later!).  

 

Maternity/Paternity Leave – When a teacher has a little one on the way, they’ll need time off when they’re due, and time after to provide full childcare. Again, this is easy to work around, but in case the baby comes sooner or later than expected, or more leave is needed, it’s best to find candidates with flexible availability.  

 

Retirement – At the end of their careers, teachers retire. As this is a permanent absence, head teachers need to find a permanent replacement. However, this can take time, so having supply teachers on call will fill any gaps until they find the perfect new hire.  

 

Other Temporary Recruitment for Schools  

Schools, colleges, academies, and nurseries need more than just teachers to operate. By working with a temporary recruitment agency that specializes in education, you’ll be provided with experienced staff that can fill any other role. This can include: 

  • Catering Staff 
  • IT Support 
  • Teaching Assistants 
  • Drivers  
  • Administrators  
  • And more!  

Vacancies for these roles can open up for any of the same reasons we listed above. Many temporary recruitment companies will be able to help fill these roles, but one that mostly covers the education sector will have candidates with the necessary experience and accreditation.  

Working with one company gives a head teacher a single point of contact whenever they have a vacancy. But they’ll only be satisfied if they have a quality back-office provider. 

 

Recruitment Finance for Temporary Recruitment Agencies 

If your recruitment agency specifically provides candidates for schools, academies, colleges, universities, and/or nurseries, you’re under a lot of pressure to pay your workers on time, every time.  

With our recruitment finance service, your invoicing, payroll funding, recruitment funding, and credit control are all handled under the same roof. Not only does this improve communication; you have a dedicated team handling all the necessary admin.  

We provide a dedicated payroll manager and credit controller for all of our clients. They ensure all your invoices are correct, and your workers are always paid on time. As an added bonus, you’ll get regular updates that keep you in the loop.  

Education is arguably one of the most important sectors, and the teachers and staff working within it are all essential. With our service backing you up, you can continue to find and provide the best candidates, while we handle the rest.