Supply teaching

Wolverhampton Local Education Authority (LEA) worked collaboratively with the Black Country School improvement Partnership (BCSIP) to develop the Black Country Supply Service which was launched in January 2004. Supply teachers are therefore recruited via the Black Country School improvement Partnership.

The supply service offers schools:

• A quality placement service for the four Black Country LEAs
• A single contact point to request staff
• Value for money - income generated from the service is re-invested to further improve the service
• A matching service which matches staff according to need wherever possible

The supply service offers teachers:

• Access to free continuing professional development (CDP), linked to individual needs
• Teachers' pay and conditions, including Threshold Assessment
• Continued pension rights (voluntary)
• Job search skills, advice and career planning to enable progression into contractual teaching
• Incentives such as:
  • Enhanced rates for teachers working in schools in formal categories of concern
  • Payment of GTC registration fees
  • Support for NQTs through their induction year

All supply teachers wishing to register to work for the Service must have:

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
• A satisfactory Criminal Records check
• A satisfactory Occupational Health check
• Two satisfactory references

All of these checks will be carried out by the Service prior to registration.

In order to ensure quality assurance, feedback from schools on individual supply staff and the quality of the supply service is obtained on a termly basis.

For further information and to request an application pack, for both schools and teachers wishing to register with the Service, visit the Supply Services' website.