As a recent graduate myself, I fully understand the challenges of trying to juggle having a job whilst also being in full-time education. You understand that your uni work needs to come first, but you’d also like to gain some valuable work experience (and of course earn some cash). Lots of part-time roles that are advertised as being ‘student-friendly’ can end up taking over all of your free time, and even creep into your study time, making for a stressful university experience to say the least. So, how can we help you to find a better balance?

First of all, let us give you a quick introduction to Staffroom Education. We are a supply teaching agency based in South Wales, and our job is to find suitable candidates to send into local schools. We have a wide variety of different roles available, the most student-friendly of which are our cover supervisor and part-time teaching assistant roles.

What does a teaching assistant do?

The role of the teaching assistant is to help the class teacher - what this involves will depend on whether you are working in a nursery, primary, or secondary school - you can let us know if you have any preferences! This role is great for anyone who would like to gain some classroom experience, but doesn’t quite feel ready to be fully in charge of a group of school pupils.

What does a cover supervisor do?

As a cover supervisor, your job will be to cover certain school lessons when a teacher is absent. You are not expected to ‘teach’ the pupils as such, but rather to oversee the set work that has been left, and ensure that the class runs smoothly. This role is great for anyone who has the confidence to be in charge of a group of school pupils - be brave, give it a go!

When would I be working?

Whenever you like! We’ll get in touch with you to find out which days and times you are available to work each week, and when our schools contact us to ask for a cover supervisor or teaching assistant, we’ll give you a call to see if you are still able to work that day. Naturally, you’ll only be working when you’re available Monday-Friday during school hours, meaning that your evenings and weekends are free! You won’t be contracted to work any specific days or hours, so if some weeks you’re not free at all (for example, when that 3,000 word essay is looking somewhat *incomplete*) that’s completely fine - we’re flexible!

How much will I get paid?

Between £65 and £70 per day for teaching assistants, and £80 per day for cover supervisors, and you’ll be paid the following week. What you spend that on is of course up to you, we won’t judge if that ends up being a big night out at the SU followed by some cheesy chips and a battered sausage!

Do I need any teaching experience?

Nope! All we require is that you have some recent experience of working with children, but this doesn’t have to be in an academic setting. Perhaps you have volunteered at a school, church or community group, or worked as a sports coach, student mentor, or something similar.

What if I can’t work a shift when I originally said I was available?

No worries. We know that plans can change, so we’ll get back in touch when we next have work that would be suitable for you.

Why should I register?

In the current world of work, employers value work experience more than ever. It doesn’t matter if you don’t necessarily want to go into teaching in the future, because having experience of working in a school proves that you possess certain invaluable transferrable skills, such as patience, communication skills, creativity, and confidence!

How do I register?

Simply fill in this form below and we’ll get in touch with you. Alternatively, you can email your CV to info@staffroomeducation.co.uk - we look forward to hearing from you!