We believe that contractors should be encouraged and rewarded in their career.
Where would schools be without teachers prepared to sit by their phone on a Monday morning? Or those who can give their heart and soul to a school for just one term?
The education system depends so heavily on supply teachers to cover illness, maternity leave, training courses and other short-term staff shortages. We have so much admiration for the people who step up to fill these gaps, ready to hit the ground running and armed with a lesson plan for every Key Stage.
Teachers choose supply work because it gives them flexibility – to travel, to look after their children, to care for family members, to pursue hobbies and creative sidelines, to build up a tonne of experience while they look for their ‘forever school’. They know that schools and kids depend on them, which is rewarding.
But supply teaching brings some uncertainty and isolation too. When a contractor can’t benefit from using their own limited company, they actually end up disadvantaged when compared to their permanent counterparts – no limited company benefits, but no employment rights either. This has never seemed fair to us.
So, that’s why we do what we do. We’ve been supporting contractors since 2003.