3. HELPING YOU SECURE YOUR NEXT SUCCESSFUL PLACEMENT
4-5. WORKING ON SUPPLY 6. COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR VIDA CONSULTANT
7-9. ASSIGNMENTS THROUGH VIDA EDUCATION 10-11. SAFEGUARDING 12. ACCREDITED COURSES AND CPD OPPORTUNITIES
13-14. DO’S AND DONT’S FOR A SUCESSFUL PLACEMENT 15. REFER A FRIEND 16 CONTACT US
Whether you’re an experienced teacher looking for a few days of work each week or an ECT looking to complete your induction period, working on supply provides great opportunities. You build experience working in different types of schools, work with children from a range of backgrounds, and meet new colleagues who can share their experience and advice.
We offer supply opportunities at a range of education establishments across Lancashire and Cumbria. And we’re always looking for reliable candidates with a strong work ethic and the right attitude.
As a Vida Employee you can expect:
Whatever stage of your career you’ve reached, Vida Education can help you reach the next.
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Weekly Pay
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A professional service from your dedicated consultant
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Suitable local work Continued professional development
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The best rates of pay (all teachers are paid in line with teachers main pay scale)
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Honest feedback
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The opportunity of long term work (Inductions available for ECT’s)
I have been an employee of Vida Education for over a year. They are highly professional and supportive. They are accommodating of personal commitments and always try to provide work which fits around my schedule. Great company to work for and the services they provide are invaluable.
KERRY TENBEY, COVER SUPERVISOR
When working on a supply basis, it is important that you are flexible as bookings can come in at any time of the day. They vary from requests to cover a day’s absence to requests to cover maternity leave for an academic year.
Teachers
Administration
Cover Supervisors
Special Education
Needs Teachers
Caretakers
Teaching Assistants
Nursery Nurses
Learning Support
Mentors
HLTAs
SEN Teaching Assistants
Technicians
We expect you to treat every assignment as if it is a permanent role, helping the school to the best of your ability. Short-term placements can quickly become long-term or permanent.
If you’d like to be considered for day-to-day supply work, it is important you are prepared for early morning calls. Requests for day to day cover begin anytime from 7am and can continue through to 10am.
Being up and ready to go will give us the best opportunity to get you out working. Make sure you always have your DBS and photo ID with you; it will make life easier for the cover manager at the school.
A long term placement involves covering for the long term absence of a specific teacher within the school. This may be full-time or part-time, depending upon the work schedule of the absent teacher.
If you are assigned to a long term placement, the expectation will be that you take on the full responsibilities of the staff member for which you are covering. This may involve planning, preparation and marking, as well as attending any staff meetings and parents’ evenings.
Should you wish to finish a long term placement early, we require at least one week’s notice. This will give us sufficient time to contact the school and make alternative arrangements for them.
Permanent positions are those where you transfer to the direct employment of the school. We aid this process by securing a long term placement that may, in turn, become permanent, or by coordinating the interview process for any specific permanent positions our clients may have.
I have received a variety of teaching positions since joining with Vida. I am very grateful for this and also for the help and support l have received from this agency.
AMBER GRISTWOOD, SECONDARY TEACHER
To get the most from working with us, it’s vital that you keep your consultant up to date with your availability. This allows us to contact you with the most suitable opportunities and help you establish good relationships with your local schools.
Your consultant will endeavour to contact you every week to discuss your availability for the following week, but you can contact us at any time to llet us know of any changes.
The office is open between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday, but we have an out of hours line for emergencies. Our busiest time for day to day bookings is between 7am and 9am, so if you’re available, please make sure we can contact you during this time to offer suitable assignments. Feel free to give your consultant a quick call to let them know you are ready to go if needed.
Your consultant may also text you during the week to check your availability, so please respond at your earliest convenience. You will also receive confirmation of daily assignments by text and email so you have easy access to the required information.
You will receive confirmation of all assignments by email, as well as information regarding any relevant available vacancies we may have. If you are unable to attend a placement, please call – do not email.
Our social media sites and website www.vidaeducation.co.uk are a great way to stay up to date with new information or any jobs we may have available.
For every placement, you will receive confirmation of the booking as follows:
Name of place of work
Address of place of work
Name of contact
Start and end dates (where possible)
Times of work
Role
Rate of pay
Any relevant/ongoing health & safety issues
If the nature of the assignment differs from the information we have provided, or if you have any queries, please contact your consultant immediately.
It is important to make a good impression when you arrive at your place of work by presenting yourself smartly, being professionally dressed and being keen to start work.
Many schools have high standards of dress for staff. We will always try our best to inform you of any specific requirements, but if in doubt, avoid the following:
T-Shirts
Jeans
Sweatshirts/Tracksuits
Low necked tops/cropped tops
Shorts
Short skirts
Over the knee boots, high heels, flip flops, trainers
Tattoos on display
Elaborate jewellery/piercings
If you are working in an SEN environment, the dress code might be slightly more relaxed. It is important to discuss this with your consultant before your first day. If you are teaching PE, tracksuits and trainers are essential. It would also be a good idea to take a change of clothing, just in case.
Ensure you take your original DBS certificate and photographic ID with you to every placement. You will be asked to show these on arrival at the school, and if you are unable to do so, you may be turned away without remuneration.
Please plan your journey to ensure you arrive at your place of work in good time – most schools will require you to be there for an 8:30am start. For invigilation, admin support or nursery work, please arrive 15 minutes before your shift is due to start. For early morning bookings or last-minute calls, make sure you arrive as soon as possible.
If you are running late for whatever reason, please contact your consultant so we can forewarn the school or nursery.
When you arrive at your placement, you must sign in and make sure you sign out when you leave. Even if you are on a long-term placement, you should do this every day. Should any issues arise regarding your attendance, this will help with confirmation.
You may find that schools will have a supply handbook or pack put together for you. If that isn’t the case, there are some things you may need to ask for:
School timetable
Your lessons or responsibilities for the day
School map
Who you report to
Behaviour policy and discipline procedures
Health and safety information, including emergency/fire drills
Ensure a safe working environment for the pupils in your care
Create a disciplined environment to ensure classroom control
Deliver lessons with authority and enthusiasm in accordance with pupil needs
Ensure completed work is marked
Ensure that any issues are dealt with in line with the school’s behavioural and disciplinary procedure
Leave handover notes for permanent members of staff after each session
Ensure you leave workspaces clean and tidy
Rates of pay will be negotiated with your consultant at the interview stage and shown in the terms of your contract. We work on a timesheet basis and will provide you with access to these.
It is your responsibility to ensure that timesheets are completed at the end of each day. All timesheets must be submitted by the Monday following the week in which you have worked. If we do not receive completed timesheets by this time, payment of your salary may be delayed.
Payment is made weekly in arrears – usually the Friday following the week you have worked. In the case of a bank holiday, payments will be made on the Thursday before.
If you are unable to attend a placement you are scheduled in for, please ensure that you contact your consultant by phone call no later than 7:30am on the first day of absence as a matter of urgency. Please do not text or email.
You can also leave a message on our out of hours answer service between 6pm and 7am so our consultants can pick this up before the school day begins.
If you are working on a long term placement, we still require you to contact us as a priority if you will not be at work on a particular day. The school may need cover for your absence, so it is essential we know as early as possible.
If you will be absent for any reason, please make sure you contact us and never the school.
If you encounter any difficulties or issues whilst on assignment, we actively encourage you to discuss these with us or the school directly. We will always endeavour to find a speedy resolution to any difficulties you may be experiencing.
Your complaint will be dealt with professionally, without prejudice and in line with our complaints policy (available on our website). If you do not feel comfortable raising your complaint with your consultant, please feel free to contact the office manager.
Should you have any concerns or encounter what you consider to be a safeguarding issue whilst on assignment, seek out the designated safeguarding lead/officer and bring this to their attention.
If you feel that the issue is not being dealt with or has not been resolved, contact your consultant at Vida Education or call the NSPCC Advice Line on 0808 800 5000.
During your supply assignments, you may have access to sensitive information about individuals or situations within the school.
We expressly request that the privacy of these individuals and the school is respected and that such information is kept confidential at all times. Such information may only be discussed with relevant or authorised individuals.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires you to:
Use any safety equipment provided
Follow health and safety instructions
Report anything you consider to be dangerous
Report any shortcomings in the protection arrangements for health and safety
When on assignment, it is the school’s responsibility to familiarise you with their health and safety policies and procedures regarding:
Fire drills, emergency exits and evacuation procedure
Health and safety policies
Injury and accident policy
Named first aiders
IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF A WORKING ENVIRONMENT, LET YOUR CONSULTANT KNOW IMMEDIATELY.
Ensure your mobile phone is switched off or on silent during lessons and do not allow students access to your mobile phone at any time. Immediately report any suspicions you may have of someone accessing your phone and do not provide your mobile number to pupils or accept or request the mobile number of a pupil.
Familiarise yourself with school policy on the use of computers and other ICT equipment. Refrain from using the school’s computer for personal reasons or send personal emails from an assigned school email address. Do not access any websites containing materials or images which may be deemed offensive.
Where possible, request your own login and password and never allow pupils access to your login details. Immediately report any suspicions you may have regarding unauthorised use of your logins.
Do not log in to your social media accounts using school equipment or have any contact with pupils on social media. Immediately report any attempts from pupils to contact you.
We suggest setting your privacy and security so that only your friends and family can view photos and status updates. Refrain from making discriminatory comments or comments which may be deemed offensive.
Our aim is to support you as best we can while providing a fantastic, reliable service to our schools. For us to do that, we have some basic expectations of you:
Take your photo ID and DBS check to each placement
Be punctual, sign in on arrival and report to the named contact
Call your consultant if you will be late or absent
Ensure you sign out at the end of the school day
Remain professional at all times
Always act in the best interests of the children in your care
Avoid any conduct that would lead a reasonable person to question your motivation and intentions
Communicate effectively with staff within the school
Follow any procedures set out by the school
Report any safeguarding or health and safety concerns immediately
Familiarise yourself with Vida policies (available on our website)
In return for your flexibility, reliability and professionalism, we’ll provide ongoing support, honest feedback and great rates of pay. Plus, we offer a variety of continuous professional development and training opportunities to help you advance in your career.
As one of the fastest-growing education agencies in the North West, we’re continually developing new ways to support our candidates and clients. One of the ways we do this is by offering relevant training and development opportunities for all educational staff.
Our growing catalogue of training includes face-to-face courses, CPD accredited e-learning and our unique Cover Supervisor Training. We’ve also teamed up with several local and national training providers to offer regular, specific CPD courses throughout the year.
Choose from a range of fantastic e-learning courses that have been developed by educational specialists and designed especially for staff working in schools.
Cover supervisors are now regularly being used by secondary schools to cover teacher absences for day to day and short term cover. The role involves taking sole charge of lessons and delivering pre-prepared work to students. Whether you're new to the role or have been working in a different role within the education sector, this training provides a strong basis for a successful career as a cover supervisor. This bespoke training is delivered by an experienced, qualified teacher who actively works as a cover supervisor, and is recognised by many local schools.
CPD Courses are provided by our local and national network of training providers. If you would like information about any current courses or you are interested in a specific training course, please get in touch to find out what’s available.
When working in an education setting you are playing an important role for a day, or longer, and have not only a responsibility of keeping children safe, you must also take steps to keep yourself, safe.
Please read the DO’s and DONT’s below as a guide to promote safer working practices as well as keeping yourself safe from any possible allegations.
Sign in at reception when you arrive (this needs to be done every day on long term placements) and take some Photo ID and your DBS certificate with you. If given a lanyard, please keep this on at all times.
Avoid physical contact with children
Be aware of any verbal interaction with children, it might be offensive to them, even if that wasn’t your intention
Report any concerns or unacceptable behaviour
Stay on the premises at all times, (even if you have free time) unless you have been given permission from a senior member of staff
Familiarise yourself and follow all polices and procedures
Be aware that any contact made outside of the working environment as a result of you coming into contact with a child whilst on site, may have an impact on your employment
Be in contact with any children without supervision
Instigate verbal or physical contact with children (both on and off site) unless it is appropriate and part of a reason for your role
Respond to verbal or physical contract from children. If this does occur, or you have any concerns about any behaviour, you must report it immediately to a senior member of staff
Give any personal information to a child, this includes but is not limited to; full name, address, phone number, email or any links to social networking sites
Accept or respond to a child attempting to give you their personal information, this includes but is not limited to; full name, address, phone number, email or any links to social networking sites
Engage with any pupils on social networking sites, do not send or accept ‘friend’ requests from children and if sent, do not respond to messages - this must be reported immediately
Accept physical or verbal abuse from a child. DO NOT respond yourself but DO report it immediately to a senior member of staff
Use any facilities, toilets, changing rooms etc, that you haven’t been given permission to
Use your mobile phone. If you need to have your phone turned on, please ensure it is on silent while you are on site. DO NOT take photos or videos of children - this applies to both on and off site
Use profane or inappropriate language or express prejudicial or extremist views
Vida Education is an owner-managed business that was founded in 2011. Our company directors have over thirty years of experience working in the education sector and have built the company on the simple ethos of:
It’s these basic principles that enable our consultants to find the right person for the right job. By taking the time to understand what each individual candidate and client needs from us, we’re able to continually deliver a first-class service to everyone we work with.
Vida is a professional recruiter, had no issues at all with them. They value good reliable employees, payments are always on time and they are there as support should you need it. I have had as much work as I needed and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.
KIM SHANAB, TEACHING ASSISTANT
Lancashire Branch
Premier House | Premier Way
Poulton-le-Fylde | FY6 8JP
[t] 01253 966170
[e] mail@vidaeducation.co.uk
www.vidaeducation.co.uk
Cumbria Branch
Pacific House Business Centre
Parkhouse | Carlisle | CA3 OLJ
[t] 01228 406449
[e] mail@vidaeducation.co.uk