Classroom London

TV Alert: BBC Schools Season

2010-09-22T11:11:00.006+01:00

Here at Classroom we are all avid tv viewers like many and we wanted to highlight a string of programmes broadcasting amongst all the reality TV and Soaps which might be of interest to our fellow education professionals!

The BBC Schools season is currently underway. Some of you may have caught last nights drama "Excluded" about a newly qualified teacher and his relationship with a difficult student in a struggling school! It received rave reviews (check out the schools season link for info on its repeat schedule or watch it anytime on the BBC I Player). There looks to be some really interesting programmes coming up too.

One highlight looks to be "The Classroom Experiment" which sees education professional Dylan Wiliam take on a typical Year 8 Secondary school class and pit education theory and practice against each other as he attempts to use simple ideas to improve the quality of education and the results are meant to be pretty outstanding. It's a two part programme starting next Monday (see link for full schedule) and we'll be reviewing the programme when its finished and will be welcoming opinion!

Classroom launches all NEW website

2010-09-20T13:41:00.005+01:00

Well it's been a long time in the planning but Classroom is finally delighted to announce that it's new website has launched today.

We think it's a lot more user friendly and easy on the eye than our last one and we have worked really hard to ensure it has all the information our supply staff are going to need. For example - you will no longer need to call up and request a timesheet faxing to you - simply log on to the web and download the timesheet easily. If you have other payroll or tax queries - check out the resources section of the website and you might find links to help you.

We are also busy updating our Job Search link to enable you all to search for our most current positions and apply (should you wish) via the web.

If you are particularly keen to develop your Classroom resources and lesson plans further (the more prepared - the better your day will be!) then you will find a myriad of links in our Resource section - just click on Useful Links!

It is also our hope that the under construction News page will, in time, advise you of all of our latest offers, get togethers, training sessions as well as all the latest education news issues of the moment.

If there is anything you think we have missed then please do let us know - we are always keen to improve and upgrade whenever we can!

In the meantime why not have a look at our new improved site now by clicking on the link:

www.classroomteachers.co.uk

Enjoy!

Classroom Job Alert

2010-03-26T17:18:00.008Z

SECONDARY TEACHING VACANCIES

Maths Teacher

A high achieving school in NW London is looking to appoint a teacher of Mathematics for a term’s contract initially. The contract could be extended for the correct candidate. You will be required to teach KS3 & 4 Maths. The Maths department achieves excellent results and you will be supported by a very supportive and approachable head of department.

Both UK and overseas trained teachers are welcome to apply but please note you need to hold a formal teaching qualification in order to apply.

Science Teacher
A popular, oversubscribed, mixed comprehensive in North West London is on the search for a Science teacher. Chemistry, Physics or Biology teachers are encouraged to apply. The school is classified as a GOOD school by Ofsted and the Science department in particular has achieved very good results in the past.

Both UK and overseas trained teachers are welcome to apply but please note you need to hold a formal teaching qualification in order to apply

Start Date: 19 April

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHING VACANCIES

Teacher of the Hearing Impaired

The position is in a mainstream primary School in South London with a Hearing impaired unit. This particular position will be spread across the School with a few days in the HI unit and the rest of the week doing PPA cover in the main School. The successful candidate will have experience with Hearing Impaired students. British Sign Language level 2 is also desirable as is knowledge of the Primary curriculum.

SLD Teacher

Classroom has a great opportunity for a qualified teacher to teach in an SLD School in East London. The School has recently been refurbished and has great facilities and resources. The staff are all extremely friendly and there is a wonderful sense of enthusiasm about the school which makes it a great place to work. The school is looking for a teacher who shares the rest of the staff’s enthusiasm for supporting students with special needs. Previous experience is not essential however the right attitude is! They require a teacher who can really get involved with the activities and interact well with the students in the School

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

Teaching Assistant

Classroom Ltd are looking for a Teaching Assistant to work after Easter to work one to one with a year 3 girl who is new to the country and the school. She is non verbal and is in a wheelchair as she has severe cerebral palsy and a curved spine. The TA must have manual handling, be able to use a hoist and do changing. It would be beneficial if you are able to travel to Middlesex.

Please only send your CV if you have the relevant experience and the following:

Valid CRB check – within the last 2 years

You’re able to provide 2 reference the cover the last two years of your employment – one needs to be child related

The right to work in the UK 6 months

Experience of working as a Teaching Assistant within a school/academic environment.

Teaching Assistant - Higher Level

Classroom Ltd is looking for a High Level Teaching Assistant to work in a Mainstream school in West London- (the individual must have least Level 6 experience).

The position starts on 17th May to cover a maternity leave. Interviews w/c 26th April.

Nursery Nurse for Mainstream School

Classroom Ltd are looking for a Nursery Nurse to work in a Mainstream school in East LondonThe candidate must be NVQ Level 3 qualified in early years.

The position is to start after Easter for the summer term.

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

PRIMARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Year 4 Teacher

Year 4 Teacher is required for a school in the London Borough of Hackney for the summer term. This is a good school and very close to transport links. You should have some knowledge of the KS2 curriculum and must have teaching experience here in the UK. The school will not consider newly qualified teachers without any long term teaching experience. This school is extremely supportive and rewards its teaching staff with very attractive pay rates. The school is more than happy to financially reward the right candidate.

Please forward an up to date CV as soon as possible.

Reception Teacher

Experienced Foundation stage teacher required for a Reception class in this two form entry Primary school in the heart of Catford. The school are seeking an energetic teacher with a solid working knowledge of the Early Years Curriculum to start after Easter for the duration of the Summer term. The ideal candidate will be au fait with catering for a wide range of ability within one classroom, although TA support will also be at hand. Excellent support from the senior management team and a great working environment are on offer for the approriate candidate.

If you are a qualified teacher with the relevant experience and a current CRB, we'd love to hear from you!

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Classroom Job Alert

2010-03-19T10:34:00.020Z

PRIMARY TEACHING VACANCIES

Reception Teacher

A Reception teacher is required in a Hackney Primary school for the summer term. You should be foundation stage trained or have plenty of experience of teaching in Early years. Knowledge of the foundation stage curriculum is essential. The students in this school can prove challenging and so good behaviour management skills are important although this Reception class are meant to be quite stable. Please forward your CV as soon as possible.

Year 5 Teacher

A school in the Edgware area of North London requires a Year 5 teacher for the summer term to cover a long term sickness. This is a fairly nice settled class and an opportunity to work in a school which offers lots of support as well as a young vibrant staff - a mix of British and overseas trained teachers. If you have a good knowledge of the KS2 curriculum and have some long term experience already in upper KS2 - you could be the person for this great role. Please forward your CV.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT VACANCIES

Nursery Assistants

Classroom Ltd requires candidates who are available on a daily and long-term basis to work in nursery and reception classes within mainstream primary schools. You will need to have previous experience working with children aged 3-5 years olds within in a school, nursery or early years centre. Working with young children you may be asked to help change and take them to the toilet. The positions that we have are in East and South London.

Special Needs Classroom Assistant

Classroom currently have a high volume of daily and long-term placements to work in Severe Learning Difficulty Schools in East and South London. The positions do require candidates to have previous experience working with students, who have severe autism, and students who have profound and multiple learning difficulties. The majority of the placements is to work with secondary aged students but if you have primary aged experience this would also be suitable.

Working in an SLD School requires Classroom Assistants to be proactive, enthusiastic and have an outgoing personality. In SLD Schools you will be required to help with personal care such as changing and feeding the students. It would be an advantage to have personal care experience and also have used hoists before but this is not essential.

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

SECONDARY TEACHING VACANCIES

Maths Teacher

A high achieving school in NW London is looking to appoint a teacher of Mathematics for a term’s contract initially. The contract could be extended for the correct candidate. In this post you will be required to teach KS3 & 4 Maths. The Maths department achieves very good results and you will be supported by a very supportive and approachable head of department.

Both UK and overseas trained teachers are welcome to apply.

General Science Teachers

We have a number of schools on the lookout for good General Science teachers to start after the Easter break - schools across the Greater London Area.

Our schools are happy to pay top rates for strong Science teachers, specialising in Biology, Chemistry or Physics.

We have several immediate start posts and are currently receiving jobs for april 2010 so get in touch ASAP to secure the best positions!!

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

Experienced MLD (Moderate Learning Difficulties) Teacher

Are you a qualified teacher experienced with special needs students? Looking for a position that will challenge and reward you professionally? Classroom could have the perfect position for you.

We currently have a vacancy in South London at a primary MLD school starting immediately.
The school supports students with moderate learning difficulties at both Primary and Secondary levels. They are currently looking for a teacher for a year 3 class in the school. The position starts in April and is long term until the end of the academic year.

Experience with students with special needs is definitely an advantage for this post and knowledge of PECS, Makaton and other communication techniques is also desirable. Teachers must also be familiar with IEPs and annual reviews.

Centre Manager for EBD Intervention Centre

Classroom has a fantastic opportunity to work as a Centre Manager at a small KS3 Intervention Centre in Bromley.

The Centre supports students who have been temporarily excluded from their mainstream schools. On average there are about 8 students at one time in the Centre and the aim is to reintegrate the students at the end of each 10 week session.

The ideal candidate will be experienced working with EBD, intervention and have held a prior management position within an educational setting. The duties of the Centre Manager will be to manage the smooth running of the Centre, liaise with parents, schools and outside agencies; support and manage the small teaching team, devise appropriate schemes of work and monitor these throughout each progaramme and deal with any daily disciplinary issues.

This would be a fantastic opportunity for a dynamic Senior Teacher, Deputy, SENCO or previous Centre Manager.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Classroom Job Alert

2010-02-26T17:18:00.005Z

Its Friday, which means it's Classroom's job posting day. Half term is out of the way and although it's a smaller selection of vacancies this week - this will all change over the next few weeks as the vacancies start to roll in for the summer term.

As ever - for all teaching positions you must hold a recognised teaching qualification and for Classroom Assistant vacancies experience of working with children in some form is also a requirement.

Primary Teaching Vacancies

Year 6 Teacher

A Year 6 teacher is required for a school in the borough of Barking and Dagenham, East London. You should have knowledge of the upper KS2 curriculum and have the confidence to complete the SATS assessments which will take place during the term. This school offers small class sizes (around 22) and good support exists within the school. This is an improving school and someone with firm behaviour management skills is requested.

The successful applicant is looking at an excellent daily rate earning up to £165 per day dependent upon experience. Please apply with a CV. You should only apply if you have the relevant UK teaching experience.

Year 3 Teacher

A school in South East London requires a Year 3 teacher to take over a class as soon as possible. This is a class that has suffered some disruption over the academic year so far and therefore the school are looking for a hard working committed individual to take the class through to July. Because of the disruption - the class are needing someone who has good behaviour management skills and can hit the ground running,

You should posess good knowledge of the lower KS2 curriculum and have excellent planning and preparation skills.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Classroom Assistant & Support Vacancies

Teaching Assistants - General

We are currently looking for Teaching Assistants with a range of experience working in mainstream schools with children that have a variety of special needs, including Autism and Emotional Behavioral difficulties. We would currently only like to register candidates that are available to work five days a week and are looking for long term work. Please only contact us if you match these criteria and you have the relevant experience.

Nursery Nurses

Classroom Ltd has positions in South-East London to work in mainstream primary schools working as a qualified Nursery Nurse. You will be working in between the nursery and reception class helping children with their play, learning, educational and social development. If you have experience working with early years children but don’t have the qualification, please do still send through your CV. Nursery Nurses need to hold a relevant child care qualifications such as:

* CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education
* BTEC National Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development
* NVQ Level 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

SEN Teaching Vacancies

MLD Teacher

We currently have a vacancy in North London at a primary MLD school starting immediately.
The school supports students with moderate learning difficulties at both Primary and Secondary levels. They are currently looking for a teacher for a year 3 class in the school. The position starts immediately and is long term until the end of the academic year. The majority of students in the class will be on the autistic spectrum however other needs include dyspraxia, Down’s syndrome and other complex needs.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Classroom Job Alert

2010-02-05T17:28:00.005Z

Its Friday, which means it's Classroom's job posting day. As ever - for all teaching positions you must hold a recognised teaching qualification and for Classroom Assistant vacancies experience of working with children in some form is also a requirement.

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive we can only respond to those applicants who are successful.

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

SLD Teacher

Classroom is looking for an experienced teacher for a position in an SLD School in South London. The School supports students at Primary and Secondary level with Special needs. Many of the children in the school are non verbal, exhibit challenging behaviour and also have medical needs. The successful candidate will have experience working with students with severe learning difficulties and be familiar with many of the techniques used to support them. They should have knowledge of PECS, Makaton and other forms of communication used with SEN students and also have a working knowledge of P levels

MLD Teacher

A qualified teacher is needed for a lovely SEN school in South London. The School supports students with moderate learning difficulties. The position is to work with year 7,8 and 9 students with moderate learning difficulties and complex needs. The ideal candidate will have experience supporting students with special needs and be enthusiastic about working within SEN. Previous experience teaching science in the UK is also desirable.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

EAL Learning Support Assistant

Classroom Ltd is looking to recruit a Learning Support Assistant who has experience working with secondary aged students who speak English as an additional language. The position is to work in a large secondary school in North London on a daily basis. It would be an advantage if you speak Turkish or Polish but this is not essential.

Nursery Nurses

* CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education

* BTEC National Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development

* NVQ Level 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

PRIMARY TEACHING VACANCIES

Year 4 Class Teacher

A school in East London requires a Year 4 teacher starting after half term. This is a very supportive school but you must have experience of teaching within KS2 preferably in the UK. You will have a full time Teaching Assistant in the class and the school offers excellent training. Please forward your CV as soon as possible.

Nursery Teacher

The Senior Management of a well run Southwark Primary are currently seeking an experienced Nursery Teacher to take on a full time Nursery Class from the end of February through to July. The suitable candidate will have a minimum of three years experience in the Foundation stage and be Early Years trained ideally with leadership skills. Overseas trained teachers are welcome to apply but QTS is absolutely essential for a successful application.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Fighting the annual winter teacher shortage

2010-01-25T14:43:00.008Z

Well it's that time of year again - the annual winter teacher shortage is upon us. It might seem like only a short time ago that there appeared to be a job shortage for teachers (especially those teachers at the Secondary level) but January is upon us and as always happens there has been a major shift - with school's once again in desperate need and demand is exceeding supply.

Whilst it's great news for teachers wanting regular work, it's a more bleak outlook for schools who sometimes find that with the increase in demand, the quality of supply teachers can suffer. Here at Classroom we fight very hard to ensure that this does not happen. As well as continuing to welcome teachers from our overseas offices in Canada and the antipodes, Classroom have stepped up their recruitment advertising in the UK and have relaunched their Introduce a Friend scheme which will run until the end of this current term initially. For those of you who do not know what the Introduce a Friend scheme is, see below:

Introduce a Friend

We want more teachers like you! Classroom would like to reward those teachers who promote Classroom on a regular basis to other teachers. All you have to do is introduce your teacher friend to Classroom and once they have taught just 20 days with us, we will reward you with a £100 bonus. The teacher you have introduced will also benefit and they will receive £50 once their 20 days of teaching has been completed. This scheme is for all Primary, Secondary and Special Needs teachers but does not include Classroom assistants or support staff.

As ever in the world of supply teaching at this time of year it is the Primary schools in particular who are crying out for enthusiastic and flexible supply staff. Here at Classroom we often talk to Secondary trained teachers about trying something different and using their very transferrable skills in a Primary school environment. Some of you feel confident to try this and others, whilst keen, do not feel so comfortable without the necessary training. Classroom is always keen to help and is currently considering offering Secondary to Primary Cross training sessions. If you are a qualified teacher but not Primary trained and would be keen to sign up for such training please email us directly at:

matthew@classroomteachers.co.uk

The winter months are a challenging time for schools and agencies alike but teachers should rest safe in the knowledge that for them it's a busy and lucrative time for those of you who are teaching in London! It is also worth noting that although we haven't really focussed on the demand for Classroom Assistants - here at Classroom we are as ever always keen to hear from individuals who have experience of working with children. Please contact:

classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

Classroom Job Alert

2010-01-22T17:04:00.006Z

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive we can only respond to those applicants who are successful.

SECONDARY TEACHER POSITIONS

A Level Economics Teacher - Mixed Independent Boarding School

We are currently recruiting for an independent mixed school in South London that is looking for an A level Economics teacher.

OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS DO NOT COME ALONG VERY OFTEN – APPLY TODAY TO AVOID MISSING OUT

This school is outstanding and we really mean it when we say opportunities like this don’t come up very often!! If you are someone that would like to work in an academic and high achieving environment with receptive students and beautiful school grounds, this is the job for you.

The school is described as being a happy and vibrant environment in which both boys and girls have an abundance of fantastic opportunities. Although the school is academically ambitious they are also academically sensitive and respect the talents of each and every individual.

General Science Teacher - All Girls Independent School

This independent school in North London has outstanding academic standards and is looking for someone to join their highly successful staff. This is an opportunity worth considering as jobs at this type of school do not come along very often.

They are looking for a General Science teacher to teach Key Stage 3 and 4 Science initially with the possibility of teaching A level work after Easter. The school aims to provide a broad and balanced curriculum and strives to develop each child to the limits of potential. Each and every student’s talents are valued and by offering an excellent supportive staff as well as extensive onsite facilities. You can only imagine how popular the school is with teachers. They have a strict selection process and would like to start looking at CV’s as soon as possible.

PE Teacher - Central London

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a PE teacher to teach KS3 and KS4 PE at this high achieving school. The school is very proud of their successful PE department. The position is starts at Easter time with the potential to go permanent in September. The school would like to interview during the first few weeks in February. The school has Sports status and offers great facilities and equipment. You will be supported by a strong Senior Management Team.

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Special Needs Teaching Positions

Various Posts

Classroom are currently looking for teacher close to the London Bridge area who have experience with SEN students. We have a number of positions in SLD and MLD schools in the Greater London area and are looking for teachers who are enthusiastic and skilled in supporting students with special needs. The ideal candidates will be confident in their abilities and be able to utilise support staff effectively to create the best environment for the students.

Autism Teacher

At Classroom we are looking for someone who is a qualified and experienced teacher to work in an autistic unit in Central London.

This is a rewarding opportunity to work in the ASD unit of a lovely little primary school. You should be enthusiastic about working with SEN pupils and have an understanding of Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

PRIMARY TEACHING VACANCIES

Year 6 Boosters Teacher

A small Southwark Primary school are seeking an experienced KS2 teacher to take on a Y6 Booster role starting after the February half-term. As part of an intervention programme for struggling students, the school are looking to provide individual and group support outside of the classroom to a number of Y6 students who need particular assistance with numeracy and literacy. The suitable candidate will have solid KS2 experience, with a patient yet firm attitude and the aspiration to motivate, encourage and guide these students towards academic improvement. Previous experience as a Booster teacher would be preferable but not essential.

Nursery Class Teacher

A superb Nursery school in the borough of Camden requires an Early years trained teacher to work in their specialist Nursery. You must have experience of working with Nursery aged children and enjoy being in a Nursery school setting as opposed to a Primary school environment. This post starts at the beginning of March and runs until the summer. Please register your interest with the Primary team.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT POSITIONS

Teaching Assistant/Interpreter

Classroom Ltd is looking to recruit a TA / interpreter to work in one of our special needs schools in East London. The school caters for a range of special needs but the particular position we have is to work in a class where the class teacher is hearing impaired. Due to the teacher being HI you will need to help to interpret for the rest of the class. It is essential that you have BSL Level 2 and a lip speaking qualification.

This position is to begin straightaway pending on reference checking etc and will be a long-term post. The school is a large school very well managed.

Half day Learning Support Assistant

We currently have positions that require an LSA to work mornings only – 8:30am till 12noon. The positions are to either work on a one-to-one basis with a student in a nursery class who has autism or to work as a general support assistant in a nursery.

These positions are in East and South London and are on a long-term basis. We also do have daily work which is half days so please still send you CV in if you’re not able to commit to a long-term position.

Learning Support Assistant

We currently have a position to work as a Learning Support Assistant within a mainstream secondary school in Bromley. You will be working on a one-to-one basis with a year 8 student who is very vulnerable and is currently in transition to the school.

The position requires someone to help her throughout the day making sure she is ok and to general support her in class. It requires someone who has a patient and caring personality. You will need to have experience working in a school environment and it would be beneficial if you’ve worked on a one-to-one basis previously.

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

New Year - same old story!

2010-01-13T13:58:00.013Z

It's 2010 and the country is in the grip of a big freeze! Yet again today a number of our dedicated Classroom supply teachers and support staff made the difficult journey to school in tough circumstances only to find that their school was closed with some schools only making the decision to shut at 9am. Utterly frustrating we know and unfortunately one of the down sides to supply teaching.

Today, January 13th, is traditionally the coldest day of the year in the UK and the cold snap has certainly returned with a vengeance. Schools over the last week have been closing in their thousands and for those of you teaching in London who originate from colder climates it must seem like a lot of fuss about nothing! Why does this country seemingly grind to a halt during adverse weather episodes?! Should schools really be closing? Councillors in Manchester have suggested that perhaps the closures are unnecessary . Are we risking the safety of students and staff if schools remain open? I certainly think that safety must be a priority - but for fear of sounding like my parents - "It wasn't like this is my day"! Schools were open for those staff and students that could make it in and we coped! But times have changed and health and safety is often the foundation of many current educational issues.

The result of all this is of course our supply teachers facing cancelled school days which is frustrating and a burden on finances. On top of that is the utter frustration when arriving at school after a long and torturous journey to find it closed. The only advice that we can give at Classroom as the freeze continues is if you are in any doubt as to whether or not your school is open is to check the schools website first, then call your contact at the school if you have one or your agency. Keep your mobile phone close in case your agency or school is contacting you with an update and keep your school or agency up to date with your delays getting to school! It's not fool proof as has been proved over the last week - but its probably your best option!

On the brighter side - warmer weather is predicted. The snow will melt and in a few months the media will be announcing record high temperatures and air conditioning units across the country will be unable to cope. London and the UK is a great place to gain invaluable teaching experience but when it comes to the weather we cannot cope with either extremes. I guess we have to accept this and get on with things!

Happy new year from everyone at Classroom

Happy Christmas from Classroom

2009-12-21T10:58:00.006Z

Well its finally Christmas week. The majority of schools have now closed and for many the celebrations have begun.

Classroom continues to operate through the Christmas period, albeit with a skeleton staff. For all of us at Classroom this is also our opportunity to take a well earned break!

The office will be open at the following times:

Monday December 21st - 10 - 4pm

Tuesday December 22nd - 10 - 4pm

Wednesday December 23rd - 10 - 4pm

Tuesday December 29th - 10 - 2pm

Wednesday December 30th - 10 - 2pm

We re open as normal at 7am on Monday January 4th and this blog will return during the first week of the new term.

In the meantime on behalf of everyone here at Classroom, thank you for all of your hard work and we look forward to working with you again in 2010.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Guest Blog: An invitation to a Special Needs school's Christmas performance

2009-12-17T14:39:00.007Z

Today's guest blogger is Eleanor Esson, a consultant in the Special Needs division of Classroom. At this time of year many of the consultants at Classroom are lucky enough to receive invitations to various schools' Christmas productions. Eleanor relates her experience at one such performance below:

On Wednesday, a colleague and I had the privilege to be invited to a lovely SLD (Severe Learning Difficulties) school in Croydon to watch their annual Christmas concert. As a relatively new consultant at Classroom I was not sure what to expect at an SEN concert.

Pupils at this school have a range of Needs, some more severe than others. The pupil’s disabilities in this school would include Severe Autism, Global Delay and Down Syndrome. This would mean that some students may be non-verbal and some may have physical and medical conditions.

Upon arrival at the school we were warmly greeted by very friendly staff, and had coffee with parents. The atmosphere was buzzing as the parents excitedly awaited their children’s performances. This was my first realisation how much more this play would mean to the parents of children with disabilities. Our own lives can seem so far removed from the difficulties that occur in day to day life for not only SEN pupil’s but also their families.

We took our seats behind post-16 pupils who all eagerly anticipated the arrival of their their fellow students. With a burst of music, lights and clapping; we were treated to spectacular performances from each class including music from the 70’s, high school musical and many Christmas songs.

The performance though that I was most struck by, was a wonderful rendition of Michael Jackson's Thriller. The pupils wore fabulous zombie costumes that each pupil had made by hand. Their movements and timing through-out were fantastic. The efforts of the students and their dance teacher had certainly paid off as we all sat captivated by what really was a stunning performance.

After the show I observed one boy proudly showing his older brother all the work he had done that term. This experience really showed me that with the support and guidance of dedicated family and school staff, so much can be achieved by pupils with SEN. The true spirit of Christmas had really shone - The staff and pupils in this school are true inspiration to us all.

Thank's Eleanor. Have any of our other readers been moved by a school Christmas production? Its definitely a highlight of the Consultant's year at Classroom!

Guest Blogger: Bryn the Brit on TA's Versus LSA's!

2009-12-14T12:27:00.005Z

Our Guest blogger today is Bryn Morin who is currently working as a Learning Support Assistant with Classroom. She is an avid blogger herself and I cannot recommend her Bryn the Brit postings more highly.

Bryn hails from Canada like many of our wonderful teachers and support staff who are here teaching in London and she has kindly allowed me to repost her recent blog where she talks about the differences between Teaching Assistants and Learning Support Assistants. It's a superb post and well worth taking the time to read:

In the short time I've been here, my job title has shifted from Teaching Assistant to Learning Support Assistant. These terms can sometimes be used more or less interchangeably, but at my school, it's an important distinction.

Every classroom has a TA. TAs assist in teaching and controlling the whole class. LSAs, on the other hand, are assigned to specific pupils who have been identified as requiring one-to-one support. There is some overlap, of course... I do help out with other things, but my assigned student is usually my first priority.

The required qualifications (having experience working with children) are technically the same for both roles, but I think most people are probably better suited to one or the other. I, for example, am definitely better off working as an LSA. I just like it better. But during my interview, the Head Teacher told me that there's no way she'd be able to stand working with the same pupil day in and day out. Different personality types, I guess.

So what does it take to be a great Learning Support Assistant?

Patience

When you're working with a child who has Special Educational Needs (SEN), learning and progress are bound to be part of a gradual process. Patience, understanding, and the love of a good challenge in this regard are absolutely vital.

Adaptability

Often, children with SEN require information to be presented to them in a variety of ways, and you may find yourself having to think up many new tricks on the fly. A solid understanding of pedagogy, as well as knowledge the child's individual needs, will help with this. Depending on what their needs are, their behaviour may also be unpredictable and you must be equipped to deal with that.

Ability to multitask

Your official role may revolve around one particular child, but that child does not exist in a vacuum. You will find yourself having to get involved in classroom management, administrative tasks, and teaching or assisting other pupils. You may also have to work in small groups with children who all have wildly different needs. Rarely will you find a moment when you don't have 5 or 6 children all trying to get your attention at the same time. You must be able to manage all of this at once, while still ensuring that your assigned pupil's needs are being met.

All of those qualities could be applied to being a TA, as well. But there's one more magical ingredient that's difficult to put into words.

What I love best about being an LSA is forming a bond with my student and watching her grow. It is a very personal experience and, for me, a very rewarding one. There have been days when I've gone home absolutely glowing, all because she successfully spelled a word, remembering to put the letters in the correct order. She and I celebrate many small victories together. She's rewarded with praise and stickers; I'm rewarded with big toothy grins.

To be a really great LSA, I think, you need to believe there's nothing better in the world than that.

Thanks Bryn - a great blog and a great description of what is needed to be a superb Learning Support Assistant. What do other readers think? Are there any other important qualities a person may need to indeed be a truly effective LSA?

Classroom Job Alert

2009-12-11T17:05:00.010Z

Secondary Job Vacancies

English Teacher - Jan 2010

One of our better schools in Central London are recruiting an English teacher from January 2010 until the end of the academic year in the first instance. This is an all-girls school with an excellent reputation in the borough, with fabulous staff and fantastic facilities. You would need to have had at least one years experience teaching English in the UK up to GCSE level with excellent references.

Maths NQT

January start, interviews to be conducted immediately

• The school is looking for a fully qualified Maths teacher and is very encouraging towards employing an NQT

• The staff at the school are highly committed to their students success• The school boasts outstanding facilities and a dedicated staff to help students shine in and out of the classroom

• You will be required to teach Maths to KS3 & 4 and the successful candidate will be fortunate enough to work alongside a very supportive Head of Maths – the perfect opportunity for an NQT that is looking to further their teaching career with the guidance of a very supportive and experienced department.

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Classroom Assistant & Support Vacancies

Higher Learning Support Assistant for EBD Centre

Classroom Ltd is looking to recruit a highly experienced Learning Support Assistant to work in an EBD Centre in Bromley. The students are secondary ages and are on the brink of being permanently excluded.

You will need to have experience working either as an unqualified teacher or use to working with small groups of students. This position will be a challenge but you will have a lot of support from the centre manager. The role will be to start in January 2010 and could be through till summer 2010.

Please only send your CV if you have the relevant experience and the following:

· Minimum of 3 months experience working in a school
· The right to work in the UK
· Recent CRB check
· You’re able to provide 2 written references or referee details that cover the last 2 years of your employment – one child related.

Learning Support Assistant for PRU

Classroom Ltd is looking to recruit a Learning Support Assistant to work in a primary PRU in South London. The position is to begin in January and will be through till Spring 2010.

For this position you will need to have some experience working with children who have emotional and behaviour difficulties. It’s not essential that you’ve worked in a PRU before but it is essential that you have worked in a school environment. This position also requires you to go to other schools in the same area as the PRU to help prevent students from being permanently excluded from their school. The PRU is very well managed and everyone works as a team so you will need to be a team player as well as having a good sense of humor.

Please only send your CV if you have the relevant experience and the following:
Minimum of 3 months experience working in a school
The right to work in the UK
Recent CRB check
You’re able to provide 2 written references or referee details – one needs to be child related

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

Various Posts

Are you caring? Sensitive? Dedicated to helping others, with a can do attitude?
Classroom are looking for qualified teachers to teach in Special needs schools in Greenwich and Bexley from January 2010. Special needs schools typically have small class sizes and are well supported by the teaching assistants in the class. The job itself can often yield great rewards as it gives the opportunity to work with the students on a close basis and form good relationships with them. If you think you have what it takes and are interested, speak to someone in the SEN division.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

Primary Teaching Vacancies

Reception Teacher

A successful school in the borough of Greenwich requires a Reception class teacher for the January term. The school requests that you MUST have 2 years experience of teaching in the foundation stage. This post is for two terms until July. If you have a good understanding of the Early Years foundation stage then please contact Classroom ASAP.

Reception Teacher

A very popular school in Southwark requires a Reception class teacher for a new January intake. This is a two form entry school in a modern building with excellent facilities. You must be an energetic and enthusiastic teacher with an understanding of the foundation stage. This post is for one term initially but could be extended.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Classroom Job Alert

2009-12-04T16:43:00.012Z

PRIMARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Reception Class Teacher

A school in South East London requires a Reception class teacher for its January intake for two terms. This is a very supportive school looking for someone with good Foundation stage experience. You must have good curriculum knowledge.

KS2 PPA Teacher

Two schools in the Eastern boroughs of London are looking for a KS2 PPA teacher to cover classes across 2 primary schools which are linked. This is a full time post. You should be an experienced teacher who has knowledge of the UK curriculum (KS2 in particular) and can hit the ground running. You MUST have taught in the UK and be prepared for the flexibility necessary to work alongside two different Primary schools which may have different approaches. The schools have indicated that you should have a bright, outgoing and above all hard working approach. A PPA role is very much a team orientated role and you must be able to work well alngside a variety of personalities.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

Intervention Centre Manager

Classroom has a fantastic opportunity to work as a Centre Manager in an intervention Centre from January 2010 onwards. This is a full time, long term position which would suit someone with a passion for working with EBD students and prior management experience.The centre supports students who are at risk of permanent exclusion from mainstream secondary schools due to their emotional behaviour difficulties. The ideal candidate will be experienced with EBD students and have a background working with challenging students in EBD Schools or PRUs. Prior Head or Deputy Head experience is not essential to this role however experience working in a management/Senior role within a School or Education Centre is. The candidate must be able to relate to both students and staff in order to create a successful learning environment.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

Support Assistants

The support division are currently looking for teaching assistants with a high amount of experience working with children who have Special Educational Needs or Emotional Behavioural Difficulties. This will be for positions working 1-2-1 or with small groups of children in Mainstream Schools. The main area of special needs you will be supporting will be Autism. The position will be to assist the children throughout the day in all classroom activities. Please only apply if you have a current CRB and at least one child related reference from within the last two years.

Nursery Nurses

Classroom Teachers have positions in South-East London to work in mainstream primary schools working as a qualified Nursery Nurse. You will be working in between the nursery and reception class helping children with their play, learning, educational and social development. If you have experience working with early years children but don’t have the qualification, please do still send through your CV.
Nursery Nurses need to hold a relevant child care qualifications such as:

* CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education
* BTEC National Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development
* NVQ Level 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

SECONDARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

English/Drama Teacher - KS3 (South London)

A fantastic mixed school, with a brand new building, are looking for a teacher of English who would be happy to teach some Drama classes as well. You would only be required to teach KS3 classes. The school is based in South London (Zone 2 ) with easy links into Central London. The post starts in January 2010 and the duration of the post is one term in the first instance.

Maths Teacher - KS3 & 4 (NE London)

One of our biggest clients are looking for a Newly Qualified teacher of Mathematics to start in January 2010. This post will run for one term on a trial basis with the possibility of it leading into a permanent contract for the right candidate. You would be required to teach KS3 and 4 Maths with the chance of A Level teaching for suitable candidates. This is a fantastic opportunity for young teachers, UK trained and Overseas trained, to work in a modern, forward thinking educational environment.

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Teachers TV - A day in the life of a Cover Supervisor

2009-11-30T17:33:00.006Z

I have talked in previous blogs about the changes in the educational supply teaching markets which are affecting not only Classroom but ALL teaching agencies. The biggest change is of course in the Secondary education market. More and more schools are employing Cover Supervisors over qualified teachers which has in turn affected the amount of supply teaching work open to a lot of qualified Secondary school teachers. To counter this we know a lot of Secondary teachers who are here teaching in the UK are working not only in Primary Schools but are taking interim work as Cover Supervisors. But just what does a Cover Supervisor do? The following video from Teachers TV will hopefully shed some light!

Interesting viewing. So what do people think of this whole Cover Supervisor phenomenon? Good thing or not? As ever your views are always welcomed!

Classroom Job Alert

2009-11-27T17:00:00.013Z

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

Classroom are looking for SEN teachers to teach in schools across London over a range of subject areas. We have positions for primary and secondary teachers to teach in a number of SEN schools.

Working with children with Special needs can take many different forms and we are confident we have positions that will challenge and reward every teacher. Whether it’s daily supply you are interested in or something more long term, we have the perfect position for you. We work with Pupil referral Units which support students with Emotional and behaviour difficulties in addition to Severe and Moderate learning difficulty schools whom support students with autism, Down’s syndrome and other complex needs. Please contact a member of the SEN team if you are interested.

TUTORS

We are seeking tutors to work on a 1:1 basis with vulnerable students across London. Many of the students will have a statement of special needs and will be awaiting a suitable school placement. Some may have been excluded from mainstream education or simply unable to attend due to long term sickness or emotional difficulties.

All tutors must be fully qualified teachers with a back ground in SEN. Home tuition is an extremely rewarding experience, but requires an organised dedicated teacher who is able to create interesting resources and lesson plans in line with the relevant curriculum.

The different positions may require a full time or part time tutor depending on how many hours the particular student can access – being flexible and patient are key when undertaking a home tuition position.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

Nursery Nurses (South East London)

Nursery Nurses need to hold a relevant child care qualifications such as:

* CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education

* BTEC National Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development

* NVQ Level 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

PRIMARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Reception Teacher (North West London)

This northwest London based school is seeking an experienced early year’s teacher to take a RECEPTION class from January 2010 for 2 terms. Ideally the school would like a teacher that has had a long-term early years position in a London based primary school. Any teachers interested in this position must have good planning skills, strong bahaviour and classroom management skills and the ability to hit the ground running and take control of this class. If you have the early years experience necessary for this position please contact us.

KS2 PPA Teacher (East London)

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SECONDARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Maths Teacher

An excellent girls' school in SW London are looking for a General Science Teacher to start in January 2010. The duration of this post will be from January to July 2010 in the first instance. They would like to give the right candidate the opportunity to take on a permanent post if all went well after this trial period. You would be required to teach General Science to KS3 and your specialism at GCSE level. There is no 6th Form at this school. This school has excellent facilities in Science with an inspirational HOD to work under.

MUST BE QUALIFIED TO TEACH IN UK SCHOOLS
MUST HAVE RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK
MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE TERM EXPERIENCE IN UK SCHOOLS WITH REFERENCE TO PROVE IT

Science Teacher

FANTASIC Girls' School in Central London are looking for a Maths teacher to join their large, successful Department in January 2010. The duration of this post is until July 2010 in the first instance with the possibility of the right candidate going on Permanent Contract! This is one on the TOP SCHOOLS in the borough boasting excellent results as GCSE and A Level. The Head of Department and staff are very supportive and welcoming - one of the Classroom Consultant has worked at this school and would happily give you the full run-down!

MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE TERMS EXPERIENCE IN A UK SCHOOL WITH GOOD REFERENCES
MUST BE QUALIFIED TO TEACH IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
MUST HAVE RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK - NO SPONSORSHIP POSSIBLE

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Classroom Job Alert

2009-11-20T17:05:00.005Z

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive we can only respond to those applicants who are successful.

SECONDARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

General Science Teacher - Central London

A very popular and oversubscribed Secondary school in Central London are looking for a General Science teacher for a Maternity Cover post starting December 2009 or January 2010. The duration of this post will be 6 months to 1 year.

You would be required to teach general Science to KS3 and GCSE students. The school has not specified a particular specialism but have stressed that they require someone with strong classroom management skills who will be able to get started with minimal support. In return, they offer the highest rates for professional and experienced teachers.

This school also boasts excellent facilities in a brand new building. The staff are known as being very supportive and they have very good training programs in place for Overseas trained teachers and NQT’s.

ICT and Business Studies Teacher - East London

A large, mixed comprehensive school in NE London are looking for a teacher of ICT and Business Studies to teach up to GCSE Level. They ideally require someone trained in ICT with Business Studies teaching experience as most of the timetable covers ICT. The duration of this post is 2 terms in the first instance with the possibility of a permanent post thereafter for the right candidate.

This would be a fantastic opportunity for someone who would like to work in a dynamic, forward thinking environment with supportive management. The school also has excellent facilities with a brand new building.

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

MLD Teacher

We currently have a vacancy in South London at a primary MLD school starting in January. The school supports students with moderate learning difficulties at both primary and secondary levels. They are currently looking for a teacher for a year 3 class in the school. The position starts in January and is long term until the end of the academic year. The majority of students in the class will be on the autistic spectrum however other needs include dyspraxia, Down’s syndrome and other complex needs.

Experience with students with special needs is essential for this post and knowledge of PECS, Makaton and other communication techniques is desirable. Teachers must also be familiar with IEPs and annual reviews.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

Special Needs Support Assistant (East London)

Classroom Teachers are currently looking to recruit experienced Learning Support Assistants who have experience working with students who have severe learning difficulties. You will need to have worked in a school environment or as a carer with special needs adults or child.
We have been inundated with daily and long-term bookings to begin straight away so it is essential that you have a recent CRB check. You will need to also have the following:

TWO WRITTEN REFERENCES OR REFEREE DETAILS. ONE MUST BE CHILD RELATED

THE RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK

EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH CHILDREN OR ADULTS WHO HAVE SEVERE LEARNING DIFFICULTIES

Learning Support Assistant (South East London)

Classroom Teachers are looking to recruit a Learning Support Assistant to begin in Janaury in a mainstream primary school. The position is to work on a one-to-one basis with a boy in year 1 who has quite severe autism. The student is able to learn and communicate but boundaries need to be set to keep him focused. This position is to go through Classroom on timesheets but the school would possibly like to take the right person onto a permanent contract. Please only send your CV if you have the relevant experience and the following:

TWO WRITTEN REFERENCES - ONE CHILD RELATED

THE RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK

EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH AUTISM

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

PRIMARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Reception Class Teacher

An excellent school in East London requires a Reception class teacher to start in January 2010 and teach through till July 2010. You must have foundation teaching experience and you must have experience teaching here in the UK. You'll be a committed team player who is willing to work hard. This is a very supportive school and the successful teacher will enjoy a superb environment to work in.

Year 6 Support Teacher

You will have more than a year's experience of teaching in the UK and you must have upper KS2 teaching experience. This school requests only teachers who have taught their own class previously although this role does not involve your own class. You will be team teaching in Year 6 and taking the PPA classes in YEar 6 and also working with the Year 6 students in small groups to support them during this important academic year. You will be rewarded with an excellent rate of pay. This school is located in East London.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Winter Wonderland - Part One!

2009-11-19T13:33:00.016Z

Our guest bloggers are Deon, Jenna and Angelic from the Secondary school division at Classroom. Sit back and relax as they guide all of the overseas teachers who are reading this blog on how to make the most of winter in London!

This time of the year can be quite an adjustment to make for those of us from the Southern Hemisphere. This is usually the time where our days are spent on the beach or by the pool soaking up the rays. The shorter days and longer nights have been known amongst our friends to create a feeling of melancholy, especially by February when you feel like throwing yourself off Westminster Bridge!

Our groups of friends discuss endlessly the reasons for this melancholic state we are in at this time of the year. Some have even been known to suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) since moving to the UK. This is a type of depression with a seasonal pattern, occurring in the winter months and many dark hours.

After living in the UK for nearly 10 years we have found that keeping positive, fit and busy helps to warm the spirits during the icy months. A group of us antipodeans and South Africans have decided to make a stand and embrace winter this year. We are saying ‘goodbye’ to the winter blues and ‘hello’ to WINTER WONDERLAND! This is to help all of you newly arrived Southerners to enjoy a Northern Hemisphere winter and for the rest of you (our beloved Canadians!) to get some good tips for the festive season. We will be updating WINTER WONDERLAND on a regular basis until February 2010 but for now:

HERE ARE SOME HOT TIPS FOR ENJOYING THE COLDER DAYS:

1. Angelic’s Mulled Wine – now that’s HOT!

This is first on our list and not surprisingly as US Secondary Consultants love a drink any time of the year! This recipe is heavenly and will not fail you on those bitterly cold evenings when you have piles of marking to do:
2 x 75 cl bottles medium to full-bodied red wine
1 orange stuck with cloves
2 oranges, sliced
2 lemons, sliced
6 level tablespoons granulated sugar or honey
2 inch (5 cm) piece cinnamon stick
2 level teaspoons finely grated fresh root ginger or ground ginger
Add the ingredients to the wine and heat in a saucepan then enjoy!

2. Christmas Markets

This is Jenna’s favorite pastime before Christmas. She says that it is a ‘must’ for everyone to do. Her favorite Christmas Market in London would have to be the Tower Bridge European Christmas Market. The festive atmosphere with stunning London views lifts her spirits. This is also a good place to take visiting parents! She also suggests taking a stroll along the Thames, buying a few Christmas goodies to send home, finishing the evening off with a London Philharmonic Orchestra performance in the Royal Festival Hall and dinner in one of the many restaurants on the South Bank. For further information follow the following links:

http://www.greatrail.com/great-rail-holidays-themes/christmas-markets.aspx?telref=ppc_goo_xm&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=XM_Generic&utm_term=Christmas%20markets

London Christmas Markets

Royal Festival Hall, London

3. Get your skates on!

How many times do we have to say this to teachers in the mornings? Now we really mean it!
Choose from the following London Ice Skating Rinks. None of them will disappoint but you need to book in advance!

Somerset House

Tower of London

Hyde Park
Hampton Court Palace

4. Christmas Day Serpentine Swim – Hyde Park

This is not for the faint hearted! This is compulsory for all you Canadians living in W1 – if the thought of ‘Run with Richard’ was tough, this is your next challenge. We will NOT be joining you on this occasion! (http://www.serpentineswimmingclub.com/)

5. Crisis Christmas

For those of you who would like to assist those less fortunate than us, Angelic recommends ‘Crisis Christmas’. Angelic has been involved in this worthy cause for the past three years and feels there’s no better gift to give than the gift of caring for others when away from your loved ones over Christmas time. Angelic is luckily going home this Christmas but highly recommends this wonderful charity.

6. Boxing Day Football

Boxing Day (December 26th) has always been a very important day on the Football calendar with some classic ‘event’ matches – this would be a fun day out and you cannot live in the UK not having experienced a Football match! Deon highly recommends this but again, you need to book in advance to avoid disappointment!

7. Northern Lights

Deon likes to have a mini-break around Christmas time. ‘I usually pop over to Europe, finding a good deal for a few days to visit Christmas Markets or to go skiing. I recently watched a fantastic documentary on BBC with Joanna Lumley exploring the Northern Lights in Scandinavia. The following clip might wet your appetites and might even inspire you to book a trip to see the Northern Lights’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPvr9d8UDxs

8. Host a Christmas Party

Be in charge of lifting the spirits of your friends this year and host your own Christmas Party. You do not need much – just a good Christmas Carols CD, some drinks and good food. From next week, we will be sharing some good, affordable recipe ideas, the most hip-and-happening Christmas Decoration tips and our favourite cocktail recipes. Watch this space!

9. Ski up a STORM!

Why not kill two birds with one stone and book an exciting skiing holiday in Europe and you’ll come back feeling and looking great after all the exercise on the slopes! Perhaps a good idea to warm up with a few gym sessions prior to your departure…. If there’s no time for that, throw yourselves in deep end and see how you cope with some ‘black ski slopes’….. We want photographic evidence please!
Click here for ideas on where to go:

And Eastern Europe too…. For some great bargains!!

So whether it’s France, Austria, Switzerland or Eastern Europe that you’d like to next visit, now is the time to start doing your research and booking that adventurous week away!

10. Sing Sing Sing!

Nothing gets you in the festive mood like singing your favourite Christmas Carols. We suggest that you head along to one of the many classical music and carol concerts around London this season. Angelic’s favourite venue is St Martins in the Fields on Trafalgar Square. Deon says The Royal Albert Hall experience is a must!

We hope our Winter Wonderland tips have helped you get into the festive mood. We will be updating Winter Wonderland regularly up until February 2010. Please feel free to post any suggestions and tips for our readers to enjoy!

Teachers TV - A video for Teaching Assistant's to help control angry classroom behaviour!

2009-11-17T11:53:00.004Z

To all Teaching Assistants out there working for Classroom and beyond, please watch this excellent video from Teachers TV which gives some extremely useful techniques for coping with a students angry behaviour, whether you work with a child one to one or in a whole class setting.

Are there some useful techniques on here? What strategies do you use in the classroom? Do our teachers who are here teaching in the UK have any ideas to help Teaching Assistants in class - after all its a team effort?!

Classroom Job Alert

2009-11-13T16:19:00.007Z

PRIMARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Year 1 Teacher

A large primary school situated in London borough of Lambeth is seeking an experienced teacher to take a Yr1 class. The post is to start asap and will continue right through to July 2010 for the right person. Ideally this school is looking for a KS1 specialist teacher that has held a long-term KS1 position in a UK based school. For this position you will need to have very good classroom management skills and excellent planning. As this is the first term of a new school year you will need to be able to forge a good relationship with this class quickly and hit the ground running and carry this Yr1class forward to prepare them for Yr2 come September 2010. If you have the experience and necessary skills and abilities to take on such a challenge, we would love to hear from you.

Year 3 Teacher

A great school in the borough of Greenwich is looking for a Year 3 class teacher to start in January through to summer 2010. You should have a good understanding of the lower KS2 curriculum and you MUST have UK teaching experience. This school also places an emphasis on Phonics teaching and so you must be confident with phonics. This is a great school and a great opportunity.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SECONDARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

ICT Teacher

One of our most popular grammar schools is looking for an ICT teacher to start with them in January. They are looking for someone that can ideally commit for two terms and be able to teach ICT up to A level. The school achieves outstanding results and is always popular with our teachers. Supply teachers are well supported and assisted. The school does expect a high standard of teaching to be maintained and your committment and dedication to the school will be rewarded.

UK teaching experience is beneficial however not essential. In order to apply for this job you will need to be a fully Qualified Secondary ICT teacher and hold a current enhanced CRB and updated teaching references. The school will be short listing in the next few days so please send your CV ASAP if you are interested.

Maths KS 3 and KS 4 – January start

A lovely girls’ school in South West London requires a Maths trained teacher with UK curriculum experience to join the maths department in January. This post could be up until the end of the school year.

ICT Teacher (KS3 & 4)

An opportunity for a long term ICT teacher to be part of a large Comprehensive School in South East London. Good curriculum knowledge essential. In return you will be part of a brand new school with excellent resources. This post will commence January for a minimum of one term and could go on longer.

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

MLD Teacher

We currently have a vacancy in South London at a primary MLD school starting in January.

The school supports students with moderate learning difficulties at both primary and secondary levels. They are currently looking for a teacher for a year 3 class in the school. The position starts in January and is long term until the end of the academic year. The majority of students in the class will be on the autistic spectrum however other needs include dyspraxia, Down’s syndrome and other complex needs. Experience with students with special needs is essential for this post and knowledge of PECS, Makaton and other communication techniques is desirable. Teachers must also be familiar with IEPs and annual reviews.

EBD Teacher

Classroom is looking for exceptional teachers who are up for a challenge! We currently have a position for a teacher in an EBD school in South London for a female teacher to work 1:1 with students with learning difficulties and EBD.

The ideal EBD teacher will:

Be able to cope with strong, wilful personalities.
Engage pupils to enable dialogue.
Be active in looking to build on pupils' strengths, skills and personal resources.
Have strong classroom management skills.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

Nursery Assistants - South and East London

Classroom Teachers currently have a high volume of positions to work as a Nursery Assistant within mainstream primary schools. You must have previous experience working with children from 3 years upwards and have knowledge of activities to do with this age group. The hours will be a normal school do from 8.30-3:45, however we also do have some early years centre who have an early and later shift. These positions are long-term and also day-to-day bookings.

Please only send your CV if you have the relevant experience and the following:
* You’re able to provide references that cover the last two years of your employment, one of which needs to be child related
* The right to work in the UK
* Recent CRB check
* Experience working with children in early years

Nursery Nurse - South East London

Classroom Teachers have positions in South-East London to work in mainstream primary schools working as a qualified Nursery Nurse. You will be working in between the nursery and reception class helping children with their play, learning, educational and social development. If you have experience working with early years children but don’t have the qualification, please do still send through your CV.

Nursery Nurses need to hold a relevant child care qualifications such as:
* CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education
* BTEC National Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development
* NVQ Level 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Compulsory Sex Education: Good news?

2009-11-11T11:56:00.007Z

It has recently been in the news that the government have announced a decision to make sex education compulsory for all pupils. To clarify for those of you teaching in the UK either through Classroom or other mediums, sex education will be taught in both Primary and Secondary schools but parents will have the option to opt their child out of these lessons until the age of 15 when all students MUST receive at least one full year of sex and relationship lessons. Any students who might refuse attendance for religious or moral reasons could possibly be punished by the school for non attendance. Until recently, parents have been able to pull their children out of classes which might cover contraception, STD's and homosexuality. This will no longer be possible. As one might imagine, Roman Catholic and Muslim groups are strongly opposing the legislation.

The government have backed up their decision by providing the following statistics: Teenage pregnancies are on the rise and in 2007 there were 41.9 conceptions per 1000 15 - 17 year olds which was up from 40.9 the previous year. Whilst currently all school children must be taught the biological facts of life - the new curriculum will cover marriage including civil partnerships and more relationship issues as well as the sex basics! The governments own research has shown that this new legislation is heavily opposed. Its certainly a sensitive issue.

Sarah Ebner in her superb Times ed blog is certainly on the side of the government in making these sex lessons (covering all aspects of sex AND relationships) mandatory and I am inclined to agree with her thinking. She is quite right in her suggestion that surely all children should "learn about their bodies, relationships, careers and sex education" and that schools "should have some leeway in how these subjects are taught". In fact Ebner goes as far as to suggest that parents will still be able to opt their children out of these lessons up to the age of 15. Her concern is that its the children of parents who opt out who probably need the information the most.

I certainly agree that not knowing about sex is more dangerous than being informed. Surely schools have a right to educate and inform and this should include looking at relationships (both heterosexual and homosexual), boy/girl differences, body image etc? Knowing just the biology of sex isn't always enough and won't necessarily get to the root of the growing teenage pregnancies and failing sexual health of the UK's teenagers. A lot of critics have suggested that it's a parents job to educate on these matters and that's true, but as Ebner points out, not ALL parents will have these conversations with their children and if they do then great, schools will simply be reinforcing what the parents have taught.

Surely the critics need to reassess? At the end of the day the government is not advocating the teaching of "how to have sex" or promoting sex in any way, shape or form. The lessons will form part of a clear curriculum covering not only sex and sexual health but relationships, drugs, bullying and more. Invaluable surely?

Its a contentious issue for sure. What do readers think? Should sex education be mandatory or (given certain religious and ethical issues) should the opt out clause remain in place?

Teachers TV - A video for those new to Primary school supply teaching: SECONDARY teachers take note!

2009-11-09T12:23:00.007Z

I have uploaded this video from Teachers TV for all those supply teachers who are currently beginning their supply teaching career in Primary schools. This video may be covering old ground for a lot of Primary teachers but I know that there are plenty of you who are newly arrived and only just setting out on your supply teaching adventure who should find this very interesting. I am also very aware that with the current slow patch in Secondary - Classroom and surely other agencies too will be supplementing Secondary school supply work with days in Primary schools. If you want to be successful in a Primary school then you will have to adopt a different approach to the one you might take in a Secondary school. Flexibility is always the key to successful supply teaching in the UK and preparation and research will only reinforce your flexibility!

Why not watch this video where you will be given plenty of hints and tips to be an effective Primary supply teacher and while your at it why not check out Teachers TV and its wealth of resources to help you be the best. I have mentioned it before but it really is a great site for teachers from every arena!

What do you think of the video? Are the presenters tips useful? Anything you would add?

Classroom Job Alert

2009-11-06T16:59:00.008Z

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

SLD Teacher

Classroom teaching agency has a maternity cover position in a lovely SLD school in North London. The position is starting in January and is for 2 terms.

The school supports students with severe learning difficulties. Some of the children exhibit challenging behaviour and many of them are non – verbal. The school are looking for an experienced teacher who has worked in SEN schools in the past and is familiar with the needs in the school, IEP’s etc. They should be able to think on their feet and cope well in a stressful environment.

This is a long term position to work in a year 1 and 2 class so experience with this age group is beneficial but not essential.

Please contact the SEN team on 020 7636 0600 or alternatively email us at sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

Special Needs Support Assistant (Bromley area)

We currently have a position to work in a mainstream primary school working with students who have special education needs. You will be working one-to-one with students who may have autism, downs syndrome and emotional and behaviour difficulties. The position requires someone that does have previous experience working with special needs children. We currently have day-to-day and block bookings to fill in this in area.

Please only send your cv if you have the following:

Recent CRB Check
Minimum of 3 months experience of working with children
2 years of references - must be child related
The right to work in the UK

Higher Learning Teaching Assistant (South London)

A mainstream primary school is currently looking for a Higher Learning Teaching Assistant to work in Key Stage one classes. You will be working very closely with the class teacher and working with small groups of students helping to improve their numeracy and literacy skills. The placement requires you to have an extensive amount of experience working as a Classroom Assistant with key stage one or two or have worked as a Higher Learning Teaching Assistant previously. This position is long-term to begin straightaway through till the Spring term 2010.

Please only send your CV if you have the following:

An up to date CRB
At least 3 months experience of working with children
2 years of references - child related
The right to work in the UK

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.c.uk

SECONDARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Science (Central London)

One of our Secondary mixed comprehensives in central London is looking for a Science teacher for a January long term. They are looking for someone that can ideally commit for two terms and be able to teach General Science and Biology to KS4. The school will be short listing in the next few days!

Science (South East London)

All boys Secondary school in SE London is looking for a General Science teacher for January. You will be required to teach Science and also cover ‘general cover’ lessons where required. The school has a very good reputation and has sports status so they are inclined to offer extra coaching responsibilities to teachers that are interested.

Music (Central London)

Large mixed comprehensive with excellent Music department seeks an enthusiastic, motivated Music teacher for January. There is potential for this job to go perm if all goes well. Woodwind and Strings experience would be beneficial!

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

PRIMARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Year 5 Class Teacher

A large primary school in South East London requires a Year 5 class teacher to start in Jan 2010. You should have experience of working in upper KS2, preferably in the UK. A sound knowledge of Phonics is also very important. This position is until the summer term, July 2010.

Reception Class teacher

A small infant school in the borough of Croydon requires an experienced Foundation stage practitioner to take on a Reception class which starts in January. You should have a clear understanding of the UK foundation curriculum and have good behaviour management skills. UK is experience is a MUST.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

That's all for this week and in fact this blog will not return until Monday 2nd November as we are breaking for half term. We hope everyone has a relaxing and rested week!

Tormented by the Under Fives....

2009-11-04T11:58:00.005Z

Can children as young as 3 years old really cause chaos in the classroom? Are there really 3 year old bullies using violence in schools and intimidating teachers and other pupils?

When I first read the article published in The Times by Frank Furedi about toddlers terrorising their teachers I was shocked and more than a little sceptical. How can a very young child threaten an adult? It seems that they can.....

Frank Furedi's article looks at government figures which show that more than 1000 pupils aged 4 or below were suspended from state schools and nurseries in England last year. The figures also reveal that children of the same age group have been expelled for "racist behaviour, sexual misconduct and theft". Going further the figures reveal that 390 children were sent home from school in 2007 for a racist offence and 240 suspended for sexual misconduct.

In his article, Furedi questions if young primary pupils are turning into "sexual predators or racist zealots". One might be tempted to agree until, like Furedi you stop and think about what this means.

Perhaps this is only an opinion but surely children as young as 3 cannot be held accountable for an innapropriate comment or action? Furedi believes that the issue is more about an obsession in society to control children by means other than exercising child authority. In other words - telling children off isn't enough today and neither is explaining to a young child why their remark or action was wrong. Instead, teachers today are relying on the bureacracy of warning letters to parents and school suspensions rather than dealing with the issue directly.

Furedi is correct in pointing out that authority in British schools is struggling. Gaining respect from even very young students is tough. Many teachers can I am sure give examples of occasions where they have felt uncomfortable or even threatened and perhaps the biggest issue facing teachers is the fact that they feel helpless to deal with the situations without fearing they will be accused of stepping over the line either by parents or by colleagues. Furedi points to an example where a teaching assistant was reprimanded at her school for raising her voice and pointing a finger at a child who had just bitten her! Instead of being able to deal with the bad behaviour there and then she was expected to write a report about it. She felt helpless and resented the fact she was not trusted to do her job.

Perhaps the bad behaviour noted in Furedi's research is because of an adults changing response to a situation rather than a epidemic of bad behaviour developing amongst very young children. Furedi points to an example where a 4 year old calls a classmate "gay". Is it right for a teacher to interpret this as homophobia? Is it right to treat young children to the same moral standards as those we impose on an adult society? If we do then perhaps it is easier to understand why 3 and 4 year olds are being expelled for racism and sexual misconduct.

So if the children aren't changing but the way in which we deal with them is - where do we go from here? I for one do not feel qualified to answer this one but it is certainly food for thought.

As professionals who are here teaching in the UK Your views on Frank Furedi's article would we welcomed.

How to enjoy Guy Fawkes night - At school and beyond!

2009-11-02T13:18:00.023Z

Remember remember - the 5th November! Yes its that time of year already. Thursday will see firework and bonfire displays up and down the country as the UK celebrates the plot to kill King James the first in 1605. Click here to read the history of Guy Fawkes!

Lots of Primary schools up and down the country will be incorporating the excitement of Guy Fawkes in to the curriculum this Thursday. For those of you keen to do the same and perhaps new to teaching in the UK I have a fantastic link that will give you everything you need to know from literacy lesson ideas, Art and design classes and IT online activities. If you dont want to hand over the whole day to the event then maybe just pick one activity and if you are a daily supply teacher - you should still be able to incorporate something Guy Fawkes related in to your day!

Click here to plan your Guy Fawkes day.

Obviously Guy Fawkes night isn't just for the children! For those of you who might want to join in the celebrations, my colleagues at Classroom and I have located some of the best Firework displays in London -either this Thursday evening on Nov 5th or on Sat 7th.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 5th:

Clapham common

Starts: 7.30pm

Tube: Clapham Common

Price: FREE

Matt says " I have been to the Clapham display and its great. The fireworks were great and there are so many people there on the common - its a great atmosphere and best of all, it's free"!

Southwark Park

Starts: 7pm

Tube: Canada Water

Price: Free

Jenna says "I went to Southwark Park last year and it was so much fun. Great fireworks and although cold - I loved it"!

Roundwood Park

Starts: 8pm

Tube: Willesden Junction

Price: Free

Jason Says "I will be taking my son to Roundwood Park on Thursday night. Apparently there are some great fireworks lined up"!

SATURDAY 7th November

Battersea Park

Starts: 8pm

Train: Battersea Park

Tube: Pimlico

Price: £6

Nicole says "This is one of the biggest and most spectacular displays in London. I really think the £6 price tag is worth it"!

Blackheath Common

Starts: 8pm

Train: Blackheath

Price: FREE

Matt says "This is possibly the biggest firework display that London puts on. Not only that its free and Blackheath common is such a lovely location".

Alexandra Palace

Starts: 7.30pm

Train: Alexandra Palace

Price: £4

Deon says "Alexandra Palace is an amazing venue for fireworks. I have been here before and its such a dazzling display. I thoroughly recommend"!

We hope this has wet your appetite for Thursday and that you will be incorporating the event in to your teaching day and possibly even your own free time! If anyone can recommend any other great fireworks displays or some great lesson plan ideas - do let us know in the usual way.

Classroom Job Alert

2009-10-23T14:34:00.014+01:00

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT AND SUPPORT VACANCIES

Experienced Learning Support Assistant to work with students who have mental health problems

We currently have two long-term positions (South and East London) to work with primary and secondary aged students who have psychological difficulties. You will need to have previous experience working with students who have depression, anorexia, anxiety, autism and behavioural difficulties. Ideally you would have a psychology background but this isn’t essential. Both positions are to start after half-term so you will need to have a recent CRB check. Please only send your CV if you have the relevant experience and the following:

Recent CRB check
Excellent communication skills
At least two references covering the last 2 years of your employment. One must be child related
Relevant experience working with psychological needs

Special Needs Support Assistant to work with PMLD students (South East London)

We are looking to fill a position to work in a primary school which caters for students who have severe learning difficulties. This particular position is to work with a group of students who have profound and multiple learning difficulties. The students will have more than one disability and will have complex health needs. It’s essential that you have previous experience working with students who either have severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties.

This position is long-term but we are always getting similar day-to-day work so please still send your CV if you’re only looking for short-term work.

Please only send your CV if you have the relevant experience and the following:

Recent CRB check
Excellent communication skills
At least two references covering the last 2 years of your employment. One must be child related
Relevant experience working with psychological needs

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.c.uk

SECONDARY TEACHING VACANCIES

Government & Politics and Sociology – A Level – East London

A mixed comprehensive school in East London are looking for a qualified teacher to teach AS and A2 with some KS3/4 Humanities lessons. This is an ideal post for teachers who enjoy working with post-16 students. The post starts in January 2010 until July 2010 with the chance of the right candidate going on permanent contract thereafter.

Mathematics – KS3 &GCSE – SW London

A very well run girls’ school in SW London are looking for a teacher of Mathematics to start in January 2010, perhaps sooner for the right candidate. This is a Maternity cover which would take you up till the end of the academic year in July 2010.

The school is set in a beautiful, leafy, SW London suburb with fabulous grounds and facilities. The results are above average and the staff are dynamic and very supportive of new staff members. The school has excellent training for Newly Qualified and Overseas Trained teachers in place.

English – KS3, 4 and 5 – NE London

One of our top schools are looking for a teacher of English to start in January 2010 until the end of the academic year in July 2010. They would like a candidate with at least one terms experience teaching English to at least KS3 and 4 levels.

The school is the top Secondary school in the borough, boasting excellent results, fantastic facilities and brilliant senior management staff who are very supportive of new staff members. The students are a delight to teach – classroom management will never be an issue there!

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHING VACANCIES

SLD (Severe Learning Difficulties) teachers

A small and supportive Special Needs school in South East London are looking for a confident and versatile teacher to cover in a number of classes. The school caters for Primary and Secondary students with severe learning difficulties, many of the students will have physical difficulties, may be in wheelchairs and have medical needs. The right teacher must have experience working with children with severe needs, the confidence to lead and coordinate a small team of support assistants and the ability to deliver an appropriate curriculum based on the needs of the students. The class sizes in the school are small with no more than 7 students in each, you will also benefit from experienced teaching assistants and a great team atmosphere.

EBD (Emotional and Behavioural Learning Difficulties) teachers

Classroom's SEN division is looking for exceptional teachers who are up for a challenge! Whether you are Primary or Secondary trained we have opportunities available across London in PRU’s. Working in EBD/PRU schools with pupils with emotional or behavioural difficulties is a demanding yet rewarding role for any teaching professional. It gives teachers the opportunity to support students with a number of Educational needs in small groups of 6-8 pupils which can often be more personal and yield even greater benefits.

PRIMARY TEACHING VACANCIES

Year 2 Teacher

A top school in the area of Highgate, Islington is looking for a strong Year 2 teacher to start soon after half term. Year 2 is important as its the SATS year and you must therefore have sufficient knowledge of the UK keystage 1 curriculum. The headteacher maintains very high standards and this is a high achieving school. You must be prepared to work hard to maintain such standards. You should definitely have long term teaching experience in the UK in a relevant year group. Overseas trained teachers will be considered.

Year 3 Teacher (Nov start)

A church of England Primary School in West London is seeking a teacher with long-term lower KS2 experience to take on a Y3 class from mid November through to July next year for a maternity cover. The ideal teacher will have a minimum of one academic year in a class teacher role and will be familiar with the curriculum at this level of KS2. This is a great opportunity for a teacher with enthusiasm and a sense of humour to take on a lovely class in a well supported school with a very positive ethos and genuinely friendly team. The school is well placed for public transport links, and is within a few minutes of Central London.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

That's all for this week and in fact this blog will not return until Monday 2nd November as we are breaking for half term. We hope everyone has a relaxing and rested week!

A day in the life of a Classroom Consultant

2009-10-21T13:10:00.010+01:00

Just what does a Consultant at Classroom do I hear you ask?! Whenever you call - we always claim to be busy - but busy doing what? Take a look at a typical day in our lives at the Regent Street offices:

6.45am - For those of us on the early shift we must drag ourselves out of bed at a time when most people are still dreaming sweet dreams! Arriving at work in the dark and wiping the sleep out of our eyes we check the answerphone for messages. Most days there will be messages - more often than not from our poorly teachers or support staff who (bless them) have called at 3am to say they won't be going in to school today.

7am - The onslaught begins. Our available teachers begin calling in their masses (at our request of course!) to remind us that they are still available for work. At the same time, the schools begin to call. Most of them are stressed out about the fact they need a supply teacher and they need them quick smart! Our job is to fulfill their requests in the quickest time possible. We must match their requests to the right teacher with the right skills who is living in the location most accessible to the school which might mean we can't always offer the work to the teacher who might need it the most if they are not living in the most suitable location. Sometimes the school ask for a particular person and so the race begins to try and track down that teacher and find out if they are actually still available. Amongst all the mayhem - we have to input all the bookings on to our computerised system, organise journey plans and act as guide when our teachers get lost en route. Its a two hour period during which time we have no idea if we will be busy or not - and if its manic - we thrive on the stress!

9am - Breakfast run. After 2hrs at our desks the stomachs need sustenance - we just have to hope that when we are out ordering tea and hot toast that we don't receive any late late bookings from schools..... it happens!

10am - 3pm The late shift arrives for work. The teams meet for a debrief of the mornings events and to discuss the days timetable. No day is ever the same for a consultant at Classroom! Perhaps we will have a string of interviews with new teachers and support staff. We might possibly have arrivals from one of our overseas offices which means we might have some very nervous and exhausted people who need our help, guidance and reassurance. Our job is to support, induct and prepare these brave individuals for the British education system and its so rewarding when things work out well for them! We might find ourselves anywhere in London visiting one of our schools. We visit all schools that we send our staff to. Its important for us to check out the environment into which we will be sending our staff and to meet the education professionals whom they will be working alongside. No one visit is ever the same. Last week for example, I visited a wonderful Primary school and met the most extraordinary Year 6 boy who gave me a tour of the building. He felt it was important for me to see where "gold class line up and indigo class line up and where magenta class line up - because the supply teacher ALWAYS gets it wrong"!! Come 3pm - the early shift at Classroom are meant to go home - but it doesn't always work out that way - bookings are coming in for the following day and teachers need to be spoken to, debriefing with them on how their day has gone and ironing out any possible issues that have arisen.

3pm - 6pm - The late shift. If we are not busy organising teachers for schools the following day, then perhaps we are busy working on longer term positions which might have come in. We search the computer systems to match the right candidates with the skill set required by the school. Perhaps we have to work with the candidate on updating their CV to ensure they are promoting themselves as the best person for the job. We might need to advertise for the job (cue online ad design) or we might need to organise interviews for candidates. If we aren't working on a particular vacancy then perhaps we are engrossed in a big marketing campaign to attract new schools for our teachers or to attract new candidates to Classroom. Amongst all this - we must call around all of our teachers and support staff to confirm their availability for work the following day and/or week. That's a lot of telephone calling, and that is without any major drama's occurring for our teachers who will need our comfort, support and most importantly, our time.

6pm - If we are lucky we can leave on time! If its been a stressful day then we might have a glass of wine en route to our homes and if its been a successful day (we celebrate just like you do if you've secured a longed for job!) we might just do the same, just like the rest of you I am sure! Our days are varied and we love what we do. We all feel a sense of triumph when we see how well our teachers and support staff are doing and a day doesn't pass without the sound of laughter filling Classroom's offices!

Still don't understand what we do or what you need to do to make sure you are making the most of your agency? Don't hesitate to give us a call for a chat!

When should children start learning?

2009-10-19T18:59:00.004+01:00

Nicole Morgan, Primary consultant at Classroom returns with her second blog examining the recent debate in the media about delaying the age at which Primary school children begin formal learning:

"The education columns have seen some animated debate over the last week upon the release of the Cambridge Primary Review, a document that has made some controversial suggestions about the direction in which the education of our youngsters should be heading.

Six years of research and several hundred pages of report later, the review is largely centred around the concept that our nation’s children should be starting formal schooling later than they presently are, and thus benefitting from a further year’s worth of play-based learning as currently taught in our Nurseries. This change in policy would bring us in line with many European and Antipodean countries where serious and structured education begins at age 6 or 7, not to mention our Welsh neighbours who have already extended the Foundation stage to the age of 7.

On publication of the review, opinions have been bandied around left right and centre, with the government instantly rejecting the report on several counts. In the meantime however discussion amongst journalists, parents and many currently working in education suggest that there could be many who are pro the initiative, perhaps those who place great value on the extra time children would have to learn to play, socialise and generally adapt to the way of a classroom in a Nursery setting.

Dame Gillian Pugh who acted on the advisory board for the review claims ‘If you introduce a child to too formal a curriculum before they are ready, you are not taking into account where they are in terms of their learning and their capacity to develop’. With such a push in recent years on the numeracy and literacy strategies, the review argues that where play-based learning ceases too early, formal education could actually become ‘counterproductive’.

Philip Collins, Times Online columnist suggests perhaps we should be following the example of our Scandinavian counterparts in an attempt to raise the standards of our children’s education over the long-term;-

‘Finnish kids don’t’ start until 7 either and they are the brainiest in the world at 11’

Incredibly, within a few days of the Cambridge Review being published we have also been privy to a debate that would reinforce the views of those in Government such as Chris Woodhead, former Chief Inspector of Schools who has voiced concerns that a delayed start to formal education would result in lower standards overall.

In its frightening account of the basic levels of language and communication with which some children are entering school, the Times outlines a grave situation that Ms Gross, former director of the Primary National Strategy calls a ‘ticking timebomb’. With some students beginning their education with a speaking age of just 18 months and 18 % of children aged 5 failing to meet the anticipated level of speech for their age, a further delay in formally educating our little ones would surely only exacerbate this issue?

So, what do you think? For many of you who were educated and trained overseas, does a later start in Primary education make for a positive or a negative effect on a child’s education? Does that extra year allow for important development both short and long-term, or should our focus lie on pushing the levels of language and communication forward, so that Foundation stage children start their formal education with solid bricks on which to build"?

Classroom Job Alert

2009-10-16T11:42:00.013+01:00

SECONDARY TEACHING POSITIONS

Drama Teacher

One of our regular clients is soon to be looking for a Drama teacher for a two month cover booking. This school is centrally located in the borough of Camden and will need a Drama specialist to start with them after the half term break. They would like to look at CV’s ASAP so if you are a drama specialist looking for a long term role (could be for a month or possibly extend to two months) forward your CV as soon as possible.

Head of Maths in fantastic independent school

We have supplied teachers to this school for over five years now and can honestly say that this is a fantastic teaching environment in which to work. Teachers love working there it can be a very rewarding experience. Students are well behaved and work to a very high standard. Emphasis will be on keeping achievement levels high and keeping the children actively involved. If you are a teacher with lots of energy and a passion for teaching then this is the ideal job for you. They require a new Head of Maths to start in January. There is a strong possibility that it will be a perm post and this will be discussed at interview stage. Although the start is in January they would like to see CV’s as soon as possible. You will need to be a fully qualified Secondary Maths teacher with head of department experience in order to apply for this job. Experience within the independent sector would be beneficial but it's by no means essential.

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHING POSITIONS

Home Tuition

We are looking for people who are interested in becoming home tutors; to work with children in South-East London who are not able to receive education in school. These pupils have varying needs and circumstances. Some pupils may have come from disadvantaged backgrounds and present challenging behaviour. Other pupils may have Learning Difficulties or be on the Autistic Spectrum. We need teachers who can help these pupil’s re-build their confidence, allowing them to take a positive attitude towards the educational environment. For this role we are looking for people who are compassionate, flexible and self-motivated.

SLD (Severe Learning Difficulties) Teaching post

This East London School supports students at Primary level with Special needs. Many of the children in the school are non verbal, exhibit challenging behaviour and also have medical needs. The successful candidate will have experience working with students with severe learning difficulties and be familiar with many of the techniques used to support them. They should have knowledge of PECS, Makaton and other forms of communication used with SEN students and also have a working knowledge of P levels.

Please contact the Special Needs team on 020 7636 0600 or email: sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

PRIMARY TEACHING POSITIONS

Year 3 post - November start

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

One to One Suppost Assistant

We currently have long-term and block bookings in South London Primary Schools working one-to-one with students who may have autism, emotional and behavioural difficulties or mental health difficulties. The positions require someone with a patient and calm disposition with previous experience working with students who have special educational needs. You will need to be able to work using your own initiative as well as responding to instructions and guidance.

Experienced Support Assistant for Pupil Referral Unit (PRU)

A Secondary PRU in East London requires an experienced support assistant to work with students who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. The position is to work with a group of boys in Key stage 3 supporting them with sporting activities. It would be an advantage to have a sporting background but this isn’t essential. However, you do need to have previous experience either in a Pupil Referral Unit or working with students who have Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. The school needs someone who can be flexible as you may be working as a general Learning Support Assistant but also doing some one-to-one work with students.

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.c.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Ten things to do in the half term break (as suggested by Classroom's consultants!)

2009-10-14T12:30:00.018+01:00

Its hard to believe but from Monday October 26th it is half term week - a full 5 days off for our weary teachers and support staff. With London and its surrounding area being a positive cornucopia of opportunity - just what do Classroom's consultants suggest to keep yourselves entertained when money is tight? Read on....

Nicole suggests "No trip to Trafalgar Square is complete without a visit to the imposing St Martins in the Field Church situated on the North East side of Trafalgar Square. This stunning Eighteenth Century landmark boasts a spire taller than Nelson’s Column, and has been witness to many a royal Christening throughout history including that of Charles II. Upholding one of the finest musical reputations of churches across the world, St Martins in the Field hosts an incredible repertoire of music performed and recorded on a daily basis at the church which is also famed for its incredible acoustics and (fairly pricey) candlelit concerts. Our advice? Get in before the evening crowds and don’t pay a penny! Every Monday, Tuesday and Friday at 1pm grab yourself a pew, sit back and relax to a free lunchtime recital in one of the city’s most serene settings".

Lucy suggests "A lazy Thursday or Friday morning and then a trip to the Borough Market (open from 11am on Thur and 12pm Fri), soak up the atmosphere whilst perusing the vast array of stalls, grab a delicious bite (so much to choose from) but don’t leave without the world famous brownie! Then wander down along the Southbank – if it’s wet escape into the Market Porter pub– my perfect afternoon"

Eleanor suggests "The Battersea Art Centre is great. It has a month long festival with lots of play over the half term. Some only £5. Check it out"!
Louise suggests "Why not treat yourselves to a wonderful meal at a top London restaurant during the half term break but for half the price it would normally cost. TopTable is a restaurant website that has offers on some of London’s finest restaurants where you will find amazing deals such as 50% off the bill or 2 for 1 offers at some of the most exclusive restaurants in London. You get to check out the menu beforehand and customers have rated the restaurants on food/ atmosphere/service etc so you can do your research before deciding which one to go for. I have used TopTable many times and have never been disappointed".

Deon suggests "I recommend visiting my local area, The Chiltern Hills. Only a few miles north west of London is this wonderful area of outstanding natural beauty which couldn't seem further away from London! Rolling hills and charming villages. Hop on a train from Marylebone and you can be there before you know it. Check out the website for walking guides etc! Or even better - call me and get the inside scoop"!
Matt suggests "A visit to the Chislehurst caves in my neck of the woods is a great trip on the outskirts of London. 20 mins on the train from Charing Cross and you can be exploring 20 mile labyrinths and passageways of Saxon, Druid and Roman descent. The caves are often used as a tv and film locations - Doctor Who and more recently Merlin have been filmed here. Its a cheap entry price and the area around the caves is lovely - why not pop in to one of the local pubs nearby for a typically english ploughmans lunch? Much needed after your exhausting explorations"!

Jenna suggests "How about a day out near where I live! Bushy Park & Hampton Court Palace – also close to Kingston if you want to incorporate some shopping and/or lunch on the river into your day out! Hampton Court Palace in particular is great! If you cannot afford the entry in to the palace itself - why not explore the vast gardens (a much cheaper alternative!) and try to escape from the very confusing maze"!

Nicole's second suggestion: "The Old Bailey has dealt with some of the most publicised criminal cases in London's history. Amongst those to have stood trial here are Oscar Wilde in 1895, Dr Crippin in 1910 and Peter Sutcliffe in 1981. Today, when the courts are in session the public are admitted to watch trials. There are 19 courts and the oldest courts. one, two and three, usually hold the most interesting trials. The public galleries at the Old Bailey are open daily from Monday to Friday 10am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm for members of the public to watch trials in session".
Deon says "For you Pizza lovers, I have discovered a little place in Brixton who make the BEST pizzas in town! This little restaurant goes back to the pizza making basics with well-sourced, quality ingredients (many are organic) , a fire oven imported from Naples and a cheese maker flown in from Sorrento, teaching their Somerset suppliers the art of mozzarella making. The toppings are absolutely delicious and the prices are CHEAP! A perfect way to spend a hungry hour on a rainy half-term day"!

Jason says "One of my wife's favourite things to do is a daytrip to Bicester village, a heavily discounted outlet mall in a lovely setting - west of London. A short train ride from Marylebone will get you there! Break for lunch in one of their exclusive but affordable eateries. Its bargain city - on our last visit I managed to buy 2 pairs of Ralph Lauren chino's for just £4!! Its the perfect place to buy gifts for Christmas"!

So what do other readers recommend? We would love to hear your ideas!

Being the best and beating the rest!

2009-10-12T12:43:00.018+01:00

It's been a rather rocky start to the new academic year for supply teachers. The first six weeks of the September term are always a scary, unpredictable time for supply teachers and this year has seemed harder than ever; like all teaching agencies in London, Classroom has certainly not been imune. For whatever reasons (and there are many - not least the current economic climate) both Primary and Secondary supply work has been slower than normal, and whilst Primary seems to be clawing its way back to its usual healthy state, it is still proving to be a tough time for Secondary school teachers. So how can you all ensure you are the one being selected for the supply day over all the other teachers waiting just as patiently as you for the work?

Well, there are plenty of things you can be doing to help your chances. Its all about being the best you can be! Take a look at the checklist below. Can you lay claim to fulfilling everything on the list?

KEEPING IN TOUCH

The most obvious is keeping in touch with your agency. Its seems so obvious and easy and yet not everyone does! Always keep your mobile phone close, always check for messages (text or voicemail) and don't ever think you are being a pain by calling your agency and telling them you are still free to teach! If you have called at 3.3o pm on a Monday afternoon to tell your agency contact that you are free the following day, still call them at 7am and re-iterate this information. Feel free to call in your lunch hr too if you have a moment. The more you call - the more likely you are to get a call...!

ATTITUDE

Believe it or not, your agency will want you to work as often as you do. The first six weeks of the academic year are never easy for us either, and it can be frustrating knowing that we may not have enough work for everyone. When you are competing against so many it is so important that you have the right positive attitude, both with your agency as well as with any schools in which you do teach. Always be honest but polite. If you have had a tough day, your agency will sympathise but don't express this feeling at school either to other teachers, office staff or teaching assistants. It will inevitably filter through to the schools supply contact who will more often than not inform the agency that you are not welcome back and this information will certainly make an agency think twice before offering you further teaching work. In contrast, always report any incidents however insignificant they may appear to your school contact. Attitude is also linked to presentation (a scruffy teacher will never be a hit!) and reliability; for any advanced bookings - your timekeeping is SO important - get up early and get to school early - if you are at school before the permanent teachers you can't help but impress!

SELF PROMOTION

I always remind my supply teachers that self promotion is one of the most important things to remember. Earlier I said that you should NEVER give negative feedback directly to schools you teach in (tell your agency however!) but for positive days, the polar opposite is true. Always make sure you speak to someone in authority at school if you have had a great day, if you have had a successful day and if its a school you would dearly like to return to. Schools deal with so much negativity that to hear a supply teacher offer praise will be remembered. And you will be! Our busiest supply teachers are those whom schools personally request back time and time again. Most have made it known to the school that they want to return and several will have asked to have their names remembered should a suitable long term post arise. It's simple to do, and it works.

PLANNING AND PREPARATION

Don't ever assume you wont need to deliver some of your own plans on any given supply teaching day, especially if you are a Primary teacher. Know your subject and have resources prepared in advance. Always take plans to school, regardless of whether or not you have been told that work is set. There is always a possibility that you will have to fill gaps in the timetable or plan whole lessons and it goes without saying that the more prepared you are ,the better your class will run, the better the behaviour of your students will be, the better your day will be and therefore the better the feedback from the school, meaning more work coming your way. In the same vein, get clued up on the national curriculum for your subject or teaching level. It really is worth the advanced effort! If you need guidance on resources, contact your Classroom agent.

FLEXIBILITY

If you can teach more than one thing, make sure your agency knows this! There are many Secondary school teachers out there who can teach Primary, especially upper Primary. If you have some experience make sure your agency knows this. The more you can do, the more chances to teach. You may be a Primary teacher with subject specialism in PE, French or maybe even Music. This may mean you can teach the subject at secondary school level. It might certainly be worth investigating this. In the same vein, if you have Special Needs teaching experience let your agency know. If you are unsure if your SEN experience is enough, then why not phone and speak to someone in SEN? It does no harm.

Supply teaching is getting busier, but the nature of supply is its unreliability. If you follow these steps to make sure you are part of the "cream of the supply crop" then you give yourself the best chance of staying busy. Classroom is always understanding of the worries and concerns and are keen to support you, but you do need to approach the role with a professionalism and positive attitude. If any readers wish to discuss their own supply situation with a member of Classroom, please don't hesitate to contact us as we are always here for you.

2009-10-09T16:40:00.008+01:00

Its Friday already and time for Classroom to post a selection of some of their best or more immediate vacancies. As ever - for all teaching positions you must hold a recognised teaching qualification and for Classroom Assistant vacancies experience of working with children in some form is also a requirement.

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive we can only respond to those applicants who are successful.

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

Part time English Teacher

An English teacher needed to work every Wednesday and Friday in a small Secondary Pupil Referral Unit in North London. The position is on-going until Christmas. The unit require a teacher with a good knowledge of the English KS3 and KS4 curriculum. In addition the right teacher must have experience working with challenging behaviour and excellent behaviour management. The class sizes are very small with good support, an ideal position for a innovative team player.

Language and Communication Teacher

A fantastic primary school in Islington is looking for a teacher to work in their Language and Communication resource unit. The teacher will be required to take responsibility for the literacy and numeracy progression of pupil’s within the unit, working along-side other members of the speech and language team. The school are looking for someone who has QTS, 2 years SEN experience, knowledge of language development, and someone with excellent team leading skills.

Please contact the Special Needs team on 020 7636 0600 or email: sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

Special Needs Support Assistant

We are looking for long-term and day-to-day Special Needs Support Assistants to work in special needs schools for students who have severe and moderate learning difficulties. The position requires someone who has previous experience, to be patient and can be flexible to work with a range of needs. Ages range from primary and secondary and the needs are complex learning difficulties and also physical needs. Working in an SLD school will require you to help with feeding, changing and hoisting. The schools are very well managed and have a great working environment with friendly staff.

Experienced Support Assistant

A mainstream primary school in South London requires an experienced Learning Support Assistant to help students with their numeracy and literacy.You must have previous experience working with students in key stage one or two. The position requires someone with a minimum of 3 months experience working in a school and to be flexible as you will be working with different age groups. Excellent communication skills are essential as is a valid CRB check. This position is a long-term post but we also have regular daily bookings that are similar to this position.

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.c.uk

SECONDARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Part time ICT Teacher

A large comprehensive school in South East London Requires a part time ICT secondary school teacher To start a soon as possible. You will join and be part of a brand new school with top of the art resources. It really is a great environment to work in. This school pays competitive rates of pay for the right individual.

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

PRIMARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Year 6 Booster Class Teacher

A great post for an experienced KS2 teacher has arisen in one of East London's largest and best run Primary schools.The school are seeking a Y6 SATS Booster Teacher with experience in a similar role and/or long-term upper KS2 experience to start immediately. In depth knowledge of the Y6 curriculum is essential as the selected candidate will be working with small groups of children to provide additional support in Literacy, Numeracy and Science in preparation for the 2010 SATS tests. This school has an incredibly strong senior management team who provide great support and a positive working environment. If you are in possession of a valid teaching qualification, current CRB and relevant experience, please email your CV asap.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

What does it take to be a special needs teacher?

2009-10-07T11:11:00.017+01:00

So, you're a mainstream teacher and you want to broaden your horizons. You've often thought about Special Needs teaching but it's not an option as you don't hold any SEN qualifications - right?

Well, not necessarily is the initial answer! When we register teachers with Classroom one of the questions we will inevitably ask is "do you have any interest in working in special needs"? The response we get is more often than not the same - "I am very interested but I am not qualified". It's a popular misconception that you can ONLY work with special needs students if you posess the correct certificates and certainly if you hold qualifications then you stand a great chance of securing an SEN post. But its also true that many teachers who started out in the mainstream have successfully made the transition in to certain areas within the special needs arena without any specialist qualifications.

It goes without saying that certain SEN posts DO require particular qualifications or training. For example, Eleanor in our Special Needs team is currently looking for a teacher of the deaf and for this role you most certainly do need to be qualified. In the same vein, most teaching roles with Non verbal students (eg Autism) will require you to communicate using Maketon and PECS. As our own specialist SEN team will testify - there are a multitude of jobs which require specialist skills when working in SEN and if you wish to explore these options then you could find yourself with a very rewarding new direction to your teaching.

At the same time - there are SEN jobs out there which dont require specialist training. As Lucy, manager of Classroom's SEN team discusses, they also look at the mainstream experience that a teacher has had, particularly since inclusion has become the norm. What about the pupil in your Year 6 class who had learning difficulties? Or the partially sighted student whom you supported during your Chemistry lesson? All valuable teaching experience which you can bring to a specific SEN environment. Of particular interest is Lucy's revelation that they often place teachers in to an EBD (Emotional and behavioural difficulties) post who have little or no specific EBD unit experience. What those of you who have taught in London or various other inner city schools might not realise is that you have probably developed great behavioural management tools that you can transfer into an EBD environment and our SEN team are always keen to tap in to these skills.

Of course not everyone reading this will feel that the teaching experience they have gained will give them sufficient insight in to working specifically with SEN students. Lucy has spoken with plenty of teachers in this situation and her number one piece of advice is to consider developing your SEN skills via the Teaching Assistant route. Classroom has a very large support division and has regularly placed teachers in to SEN settings as a teaching assistant in order to become familiar with the environment and start to develop the skills necessary to cope in an SEN post. In asking her to sum up the qualities she feels are best suited to teaching in the SEN sector, Lucy recommends that teachers with empathetic personalities will do well. Traits such as patience, resilience and versatility are also highly valued. A lot of teachers transferring from the mainstream come to SEN expecting a very rigid structure and whilst rules and expectations are always present - an SEN environment is ever changing. As Lucy suggests - "expect the unexpected"!

For those teachers with a keen interest in Special needs teaching but with little practical experience - the following websites might be worth a browse. Alternatively - if you fancy chatting to someone about SEN then Classroom's specialist team of Lucy, Julie and Eleanor are always very happy to address any of your concerns!

Guest Blog: In Defence of Teaching Assistants

2009-10-05T10:32:00.009+01:00

Today's guest blogger is Lisa Ors, one of Classroom's highly valued Teaching Assistants. Lisa has decided to write in defence of Classroom assistants having read an article in The Independent which describes a major study released which suggests that "children are worse off with classroom assistants".

The Independent newspaper recently reported that studies had found “children do worse in test and exams the more time they spend with classroom assistants”. This rather damning statement came as a surprise to me as during my five years working as a teaching assistant my experience contradicts this statement.

In many schools, teaching assistants are not only a bonus but essential. Within the majority of special schools, classes would be unable to take place with the teacher alone, where individual or small group support is necessary and where personal care is required. During my time I have worked in both special and mainstream schools with all age groups. Roles have included one to one support, learning mentor, small inclusion groups and general teaching assistant work. Times where it has been easier to monitor direct impact have been both when I have worked with with pupils that require one to one support as well as facilitating SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) preparation groups. There has been clear evidence through exam results, academic and personal progress that the support of a TA is conducive to supporting a pupils learning and social development.

The report does however explore some reasons why the initial claim may be the case. One reason given was the fact that many teachers are not trained to manage teaching assistants. Indeed I have found that where the teacher does not give clear instruction, information and targets to their TA, it minimises the impact that the role can have. Or, where the teacher expects their support staff to take on some of the teacher’s responsibilities, this (clearly) too does not maximise the potential of all classroom staff and therefore the pupils. Where good management is in place the role of the TA can be very successful in supporting the pupils in their learning thus creating a more rewarding experience for all involved.

The valuable role that TA's play in supporting schools should not be undermined, and with good management and team work they can only be seen as a beneficial contribution to the schools in which they work.

So what do you think? Lisa clearly raises some important points. As ever, your comments are always welcomed.

Classroom Job Alert

2009-10-02T12:41:00.015+01:00

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

Experienced SLD (Severe learning difficulties) Learning support Asst

Two of our regular user schools in East and South London are looking for long-term LSA’s to work with students who have severe learning difficulties such as autism and down syndrome. These roles require candidates to have previous experience working with special needs students and personal care such as changing and feeding. The roles are very rewarding but at the same time can be challenging.

Nursery Assistants

We require experienced Classroom Assistants to work with children in nurseries attached to primary schools and also reception classes. You must feel confident in being able to interact with children as young as 3 years old in helping them with play and working alongside the nursery nurse. You may also be required to help change the students. Classroom has day-to-day and long-term positions for Nursery Assistants.

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.c.uk

SEN TEACHING VACANCIES

Teacher of the Deaf

An excellent opportunity for a qualified Teacher of the Deaf to work in an interesting and varied role. This is a peripatetic teaching post and you will be visiting both Secondary and Primary schools in the borough of Southwark. You must be a qualified teacher with experience working with hearing impaired students. An excellent understanding of the complexities of language and speech development is essential.

Special Needs Teacher

We currently have a vacancy in South London at an MLD school starting after the October half term. The school supports students with moderate learning difficulties at both primary and secondary levels. They are currently looking for a teacher for a year 6 class in the school. The majority of students in the class will be on the autistic spectrum however other needs include dyspraxia, Down’s syndrome, global delay and other complex needs. Experience with these types of students is essential.

Please contact the Special Needs team on 020 7636 0600 or email: sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

PRIMARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

2 PPA Long term teachers

Classroom are seeking 2 PPA (Preparation, Planning and Assessment) teachers to start from January 2010 for 2 terms to cover KS1 and KS2 classes in a large Lambeth Primary school. Ideally this school is seeking someone that has long-term teaching experience in the UK, either as a class teacher or as a PPA cover teacher. The school has class sizes of 20 – 25 children per class. You will need to posses very good classroom management skills for this position as the school pays extra attention to maintaining good behaviour from their pupils. There is no planning involved for this PPA posts as all the work will be set, however expectations are high to deliver the planned work effectively and to mark the work thoroughly.

Early Years teacher

A children's centre in Lewisham requires an Early years teacher to start as soon as possible. You must have at least 3 years experience teaching in Early years with a firm knowledge of the UK foundation stage curriculum. This post is for one term initially with the possibility that it may continue. You should be an excellent team player who has a real dedication to early years teaching.

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SECONDARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

ICT Teachers: (West London)

Classroom are still recruiting ICT teachers for 2 schools on West London - both positions to start as soon as possible. Our clients require candidates with experience teaching ICT to A Level or the equivalent if you are an Overseas Trained Teacher. Both posts involve teaching across all secondary key stages and are happy to consider NQT's for the roles.

Both schools will pay highly competitive rates for teachers with experience!

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Can a teachers private life be private?

2009-09-30T10:09:00.013+01:00

The behaviour of teachers has long been of public interest. This was again proven when Music teacher Helen Goddard was sentenced for her relationship with an under age pupil. It's not the first time the press has run such a story, and it no doubt won't be the last though in the scheme of things, it has to be said that incidents such as these are pretty rare. What happens however if the focus shifts to a teachers more general behaviour? Should a teacher maintain a certain level of decorum in their private lives or should a teacher's private life be just that - private?

The General Teaching Council (GTC) will in October be launching its new code of practice for teachers. It is already proving quite controversial, in particular because one part of the code suggests that teachers should ‘Maintain reasonable standards in their own behaviour that enable them to maintain an effective learning environment and also to uphold public trust and confidence in the profession.’ What exactly does this mean? Some critics have suggested that a teacher might not be able to drink or smoke in public for fear of bringing teaching in to disrepute! Will a teacher have to be constantly aware of who is around them in case they are spotted by student or parent? This question is a valid one if critics are correct in suggesting that people will be encouraged to report on "teachers who behave badly"!

I think every reader of this blog would agree that teachers should indeed behave well and have a responsibility to their profession as a public key worker - just as doctors and other key workers are. The question is how far we take this? Should teachers really be expected to maintain higher standards than the rest of us?

The Chief executive of the GTC, Keith Bartley has responded to the critics who say that the new code is too intrusive in to teachers' private lives and has said ‘We are absolutely explicit that the code does not in any way intrude into teachers’ private lives.’ Read the full article here. Here at Classroom we too have a code of conduct for our supply teachers but this refers more to behaviour within the Classroom and on school premises and does not touch on behaviour in public life.

So what do you think? Do pupils see their teachers as role models and therefore should certain levels of behaviour be maintained in public by teachers?

Guest Blog: Is it all in the name?

2009-09-28T13:28:00.019+01:00

Our second guest blogger is Nicole Morgan, a consultant here at Classroom who works in the Primary team. She is taking a look at whether you can judge a student by his or her name! Read on:

New term, new class, new names to learn. September each year inevitably brings with it a fresh bunch of ‘darlings’ still bubbling with the excitement of the summer, some fresh faced and ready to learn, others less so perhaps. So, as you cast your experienced eye over the register of this year’s cohort what images spring to mind? Will you need to watch out for Connor clobbering Callum at morning break? Will this year’s Brandon be as brutal as last years and will Elisabeth be the one educating YOU in Science this afternoon?

A recent online survey by parenting organisation Bounty.com explored the dialogue surrounding school children’s names. Of the 3000 teachers surveyed, nearly half admitted to possessing pre-conceived ideas of the characteristics and behaviour of a student based on their name alone, prior to their stepping foot into the classroom.

Topping the list of the ‘naughty’ names are both Callum and Connor for the boys coupled with Chelsea and Courtney for the girls, whilst the teachers surveyed seem to have agreed that the Alexanders, Adams and Elisabeths of the class tend to exhibit signs of being the brightest students. Of course, as Faye Mingo of Bounty stresses, ‘Teachers are only human and make assumptions like the rest of us’. One teacher, whose thoughts are cited in McDonagh’s times article, Names that mean trouble, reinforces these thoughts; ‘I went through my new class list and mentally circled the ones I thought would be most difficult. I reckon I have a 75% hit rate’

Top Ten Naughtiest Boys & Girls Names

1. Callum & Chelsea
2. Connor & Courtney
3. Jack & Chardonnay
4. Daniel & Aleisha
5. Brandon & Casey
6. Charlie & Crystal
7. Kyle & Jessica
8. Liam & Brooke
9. Jake & Demi
10. Brooklyn & Aisha

There are also perhaps some parallels to the adult world to be drawn here? The caddish characteristics of Callum Best and the wild ways of Courtney Love seem, if past press coverage is anything to go by, to have extended way beyond their childhood classrooms?!

It is perhaps noteworthy that another result of Bounty’s survey shows the overlap between the naughty and the popular; Jack, Daniel, Brooke and Courtney all feature on both top ten lists respectively. 57% of the teachers involved in research confirmed these findings by adding that the naughty children often find it easier to make friends and gain popularity than the their well behaved counterparts.

McDonagh, also notes in her recent Times article, ‘children who are called after places, or characters and actors in soaps and American sitcoms are likely to come from families who not only watch soaps but terrifyingly model themselves on them. Their children behave accordingly.’ A broad statement to make indeed, but could there be some socially founded link between the namers, the names and the behaviours exhibited? Food for thought perhaps…

As those teaching in this years classrooms, we’d love to hear your thoughts on this discussion; does a cheeky Charlie or a brainy Becky feature on your register?

Classroom Job Alert

2009-09-25T11:30:00.013+01:00

PRIMARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Year 1 teacher

A school in Wandsworth requires a Year 1 teacher for a 4 days per week position starting in December and continuing right through to July 2010. This school is seeking a teacher ideally with a minimum of two years long-term teaching experience in the UK, preferably in a KS1 setting. There is a high concentration of EAL children so experience or working with children with EAL is also essential. You should have good classroom management and strong planning skills.

Early Years teacher

Please contact the Primary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SECONDARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Girls PE teacher

Classroom are currently recruiting female PE teachers for a FANTASTIC school in East London. This mixed comprehensive school has been awarded Beacon Status, with excellent facilities, supportive staff and lovely students who behave beautifully! They need female PE teachers to teach Girls' PE with some Swimming. They have insisted on teachers having formal PE training and a certificate for swimming coaching/lifesaving.

The booking commences in October 2009 and the duration is one month in the first instance.

Maths/Science Float teacher

One of our favorite boys' schools in SE London are looking for a Floating Teacher for their Maths and Science Departments. This is an ideal post for teachers who want to have more time after school to ENJOY LONDON and not plan lessons! They ideally want candidates who can teach either Maths or Science (or both!) and can coach any sport. You could also be asked to cover PE lessons if your timetable is light on certain days.

The post starts ASAP and the duration is at least one term, taking you up to Christmas in the first instance.

Please contact the Secondary team on 020 7636 0600 or email us: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SEN SCHOOL VACANCIES

2 SLD (Severe learning difficulties) post

We have two SLD schools (In East and West London) currently looking for maternity cover. Both schools have a very friendly atmosphere, excellent management and extensive facilities. They are looking for enthusiastic and caring teachers to work with children who have a range of special needs including severe autism, sensory impairments, physical disabilities and medical conditions.

Maths Post

A very supportive PRU in Havering require an experienced Maths teacher with an excellent knowledge of the KS3 and KS4 curriculum. The right teacher must have good behaviour management and experience working with challenging behaviour. The class sizes are small with excellent support. This position has the potential to go perm for the right teacher.

Please contact the Special Needs team on 020 7636 0600 or email: sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

Long term Teaching Assistant

If you are looking to take the exciting step of studying for your PGCE or GTP then read on.
One of our schools in Lambeth is looking for a long term teaching assistant who is flexible, reliable and proactive. If you have relevant experience in the last two years and have an up to date CRB then we would love to hear from you!

Teaching Assistants with English or Science degrees

One of our secondary schools based in North London is looking for experienced teaching assistants with either an English or Science degree to cover day to day and long term positions. You must have relevant experience working with children within the last two years. Having an up to date CRB would be a definite advantage.

Please contact the Support team on 020 7636 0600 or email: classroomassistant@classroomteachers.c.uk

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Guest Blog: When Teaching Assistants Take Over...

2009-09-23T08:14:00.020+01:00

Our first guest blogger is Stefanie Moore who currently works as one Classroom's Teaching Assistants and is in the midst of teacher training. We have asked her to look at the issue of Teaching Assistants becoming more involved in the teaching of lessons and what she thinks their role in the Class should be.

My decision to re-train as a teacher came about after spending time in the classroom as a supply teaching assistant. On those many early mornings, there were times when I thought that my allotted teacher was maybe not pulling their weight, but I would never have dreamt of thinking that I could do a better job – without the right training. And the intensity of the PGCE programme that I’m currently battling through confirms this – to learn to be a teacher takes experience, reflection and acquisition of new skills. No mean feat.

So when I read the headlines claiming ‘TAs left in charge for days on end’ through to the more spurious articles which suggest that bouncers and beauty therapists are running schools, I’m as shocked as anyone else. Reading between the lines (and a little deeper than these attention grabbing reports would like), I believe that a) this situation doesn’t happen as often as suggested in the press and b) there are situations where a teaching assistant can be of real benefit as a surrogate teacher in the classroom.

If students are left teacher-less for any length of time, then a familiar TA is privy to more insider knowledge about the class then a supply teacher; he/she will know who’s on which reading level, where to find the pencil sharpeners and how to resolve any ruckus between Danny and Darren. Also, having a familiar face in charge means less disruption to students – and a more peaceful day for everyone.

Lord Adonis wrote that assistants are extremely useful in the classroom and should contribute to the learning ‘if supervised by a qualified teacher’. At first, I thought this was an odd statement – why is the TA teaching if a teacher is in the room? But I think I know what he means. TAs are brilliant at taking small groups in guided reading sessions and working one on one with EAL/SEN learners. If an assistant has a particular skill relevant to the lesson (be it Bollywood dancing, fluent Russian or cross-stitch), then it makes sense that these skills are recognised and that TA becomes teacher.

But these are all situations where the teaching role is embedded in the lesson – the TA should not be expected to take responsibility for the whole class. I enjoyed the experience of teaching stand-alone sessions – but I was working with a small group of students and was already considering the possibility of re-training as a teacher. Not all TAs would relish the opportunity. The media seems to suggest that these poor, put-upon assistants are approached to cover whole lessons single handed and are being made to feel as if they can’t refuse – surely being forced to do something which falls outside your job remit is workplace bullying? Within the classroom, my worry is that teaching assistants would face the same challenges – behaviour management, assessment, personalised learning – but without the training. A chaotic day in the classroom is par for the course; for an inexperienced teaching assistant it would be a serious blow to the confidence. Of course, I have no doubt that many teaching assistants would do a fantastic job at this – but if they do, then they should be remunerated for their efforts. Taking a class and doing it well is above and beyond the call of duty.

In reality, it seems that TAs are used as teachers out of convenience, rather than out of recognition of their particular skills, to keep budgets down at the cost of learning. Teaching Assistants are an invaluable support in the classroom but to give them the responsibility of taking lessons on a regular basis is unfair and misleading. Sadly, if what I heard this morning on the news is more than just gossip, then I fear that we are in for more of the same. If plans go ahead to cut '£2 billion from schools' budgets, then classroom assistants may be called on to cover a little more often than before…..

What do you think about what Stef has to say? How do you think teaching assistants can be best utilised in the classroom? As always your comments are always welcomed.

Resource Focus Part One - TEACHERS TV

2009-09-21T10:16:00.000+01:00

An aim of Classroom's blog is to ensure that we are recommending and advising useful resources to help you in your role as Teacher or Classroom assistant. It is not to be underestimated how useful readily available resources can be to help you deliver the best lessons in your repertoire.

Teachers TV has long been championed by our colleague Victoria who runs Classroom Canada, and rightly so. Teachers TV is a UK channel which broadcasts to help all teachers improve their teaching no matter what their background or level of experience. Its an excellent channel (a satellite channel available via freeview) and indeed website. You may not ever be in the mood to flick through your satellite channels and choose Teachers TV over The X Factor (who would?!) but my recommendation is that you use it as an online resource when you're on your laptop and in 'work mode'! Its simple to navigate and has some superb videos looking at a wide array of topics - for example - behaviour management, lesson planning and all areas of Special Needs. Most are about 15 minutes in length and give you the opportunity to learn in the most interactive way of all - as a viewer!

You can spend a lot of time navigating the Teachers TV website but it will be worth it. I stumbled across this excellent video attached where behavioural expert Sue Cowley observes and comments on a Year 5 Primary lesson which has been suffering from a small handful of disruptive pupils. Watch as she provides support and coaching for the class teacher through a hidden earpiece!

This is the first of many resource recommendations on the Classroom blog. What do you think of Teachers TV? And do you have any better suggestions for classroom resources for teaching in London? Let us know!

Classroom Job Alert

2009-09-18T12:33:00.000+01:00

Its Friday - which means its Classroom's day to post a selection of its best or most immediate job vacancies. It is our intention to post job alerts every Friday - though obviously certain times of the year will have more vacancies than others.

For September - a lot of positions are already filled - however we are still looking for excellent teachers and teaching assistants and below are a selection of jobs which may interest you. Please note that for ALL teaching vacancies you MUST have a valid teaching qualification recognised in the UK:

SECONDARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Science and Maths Teachers - Good School

2 Science teachers and 1 Maths teacher required for a well run mixed comprehensive school in East London. All the posts are Maternity cover, the duration being months to a full academic year.

The Science candidates would be expected to teach General Science to KS3 and focus on their Science specialism (Chemistry, Biology or Physics) at KS4 Level. The Maths post requires a teacher experienced in teaching KS3 and 4 (GCSE) classes.

The start date for the Science and Maths posts is November 2009 (after the 1/2 term break)

ICT Vacancies

We are recruiting ICT teachers for 2 excellent London schools. One is based in Central London and the other based in West London. Both schools ideally require candidates with A Level experience but would also be willing to look at candidates with GCSE experience if they are willing to take the challenge of taking on more responsibility with A Level teaching.

The start date for both schools is November 2009 - after the 1/2 term break.

Please contact the Secondary division on 020 7636 0600 or email: secondary@classroomteachers.co.uk

PRIMARY SCHOOL VACANCIES

Year 3 Teacher

A small one form entry Primary school in Lewisham seeks an experienced teacher to take on a class of 22 children with immediate effect. The school are inviting applications from teachers who have taught specifically in lower KS2 in a London Primary school on a long-term basis; ideally you will have a thorough working curriculum knowledge coupled with an imaginative teaching style that will genuinely engage the class and motivate them to learn. Enthusiasm, character and a sense of independence are a must!

The school is a very multicultural environment with a high proportion of children with English as their second language. Experience in teaching in a similar environment would also be beneficial. The post will commence within the next week and will be for the duration of this academic year.

Year 6 Job Share

A small one form entry school in the borough of Merton are seeking an experienced KS2 teacher for this 3 day Yr 6 job share. The position will run Mondays through to Wednesdays.

Ideally this school is looking for a teacher with KS2 experience in a London school setting on a long-term basis. If you have Yr6 and Yr6 SATS experience then we would especially like to hear from you. This position requires a teacher with superb planning schools and strong classroom management skills.

Please contact the Primary division on 020 7636 0600 or email: primary@classroomteachers.co.uk

SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHING VACANCIES

ICT and English Position

A well-run Pupil Referral Unit in Bexley is looking for an ICT and English teacher. If you have one or both of these as your specialist subjects then this could be the job for you! The position will initially be daily with the possibility of becoming long-term. Working with emotional and behavioural difficulties is challenging and rewarding. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged teenagers.

Maths Post

Teacher of EBD (Emotional and behavioural difficulties)

We require an experienced EBD teacher to work in the borough of Bromley. The position requires the teacher to work 2 days in an intervention Centre supporting 2 members of staff; and 3 days visiting schools in the area assessing the needs of EBD students and offering support and guidance on the best course of action to take. You must be confident and articulate with an excellent working knowledge of EBD, the role requires contact with heads of department and senior management. A fantastic opportunity for an ambitious EBD teacher.

Year 3 and 4 Teacher

A lovely Special needs school in Lambeth is looking for a qualified teacher until the summer term 2010. The position is to work with a year 3 and 4 class with a mix of severe learning difficulties and medical needs. Some of the children will be in wheelchairs and require special medical equipment while others may be non verbal and use PECs and Makaton communication techniques. This is a really nice group of students; however the role does require a teacher who has had prior experience with these needs. This is a long term position with the possibility of being taken on permanently by the school after 2 terms.

Please contact the SEN division on 020 7636 0600 or email: sen@classroomteachers.co.uk

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT & SUPPORT VACANCIES

Qualified Nursery Nurses

Our division are always looking for qualified Nursery Nurses (NVQ Level 3) for day to day and long term bookings across London. If you have experience within the last two years and have an up to date CRB we would love to hear from you.

Classroom Assistants with Special Needs Experience

Our SEN schools based in Lambeth, Southwark and Ealing are looking for day to day and long term teaching assistants with special needs experience. You must have experience within the last two years along with the patience, passion and flexibility for day to day and long term cover.
If you hold an up to date CRB and have the relevant experience then send your CV as soon as possible.

Please send your CV to: support@classroomteachers.co.uk

*Please note that due to the volume of applications for support roles we are unable to respond to all applicants. If you have not heard from us within 7 days please note that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.

Thats all for this week. Remember to keep us up to date with your current availability! We look forward to hearing from you.

Coming Soon - Vetting & Barring Scheme for Teachers & Teaching Assistants in the UK

2009-09-16T12:50:00.001+01:00

Next month sees the launch of the governments new Vetting and Barring scheme which will run as a replacement for the current List 99 checks which we have up until now used to check for those prohibited from working with children in education.

Costing £64 for the check which will be run alongside the enhanced CRB check (which Classroom already processes for all teachers and support staff working with us) this check must be run for anyone working with Children or vulnerable adults in either a paid or voluntary capacity. Those who volunteer will not have to pay and this one off check does last a lifetime. This new check is run by the statutory body called the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) who say on their website that the scheme is designed to "help prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults".

With up to 11 million people likely to be affected by this new legislation it has so far proved controversial in the media. The author Philip Pullman (who frequently visits schools to discuss his books) has been publicised for his criticism of the legislation which he claims is "dispiriting and sinister". Fellow critics suggest the legislation could result in fewer volunteers and youth workers reaching out to younger people in need.

So what do people think? Surely new stricter legislation which helps to protect children and vulnerable adults is a good thing? Or is this new scheme a step too far? Are you comfortable knowing that your personal information will make up part of what will become one of the biggest data bases of its kind in the world?

From Classroom's perspective I can tell you that you will not immediately be affected by this new legislation. From July 2010 - anyone newly registering with Classroom will be liable to the £64 check if they have not already applied for it. For those teachers who are already here and working in schools - you will not be considered priority and so do not expect to be affected until towards the end of 2010. Remember though - this is a one off payment which lasts a lifetime.

Please let us know your views on this subject. Here's one comment we just received:

camefix said...: I am really upset about this.
First, I gossip with permies in the staffroom and I KNOW some of them haven't had a CRB done. I'm a supply and I must be checked and pay for it myself or I can't work.
2nd. When children are abused, the worst abusers are family members. No teacher beats, starves, or murders a child; or goes on holiday leaving kids unsupervised.
What do you think?

Classroom launches its blog!

2009-09-14T11:20:00.001+01:00

Well its a new academic year and here at Classroom we are all feeling positive about the forthcoming months - so what better time than now to launch the Classroom blog?

Classroom is an education agency supplying teachers and support staff to schools throughout London. We are really committed to building strong relationships with our supply staff and this blog (we hope!) will bring us all closer together with the sharing of views, ideas and the latest issues to affect our superb education professionals who are supply teaching in London.

I am personally new to blogging so I can't do this alone! My dear colleagues here in the office are all chomping at the bit to have their say via the blog and I am determined to cajole our wonderful teachers and learning support assistants in to making contributions themselves. In other words a collective blog for us all to have our say!

When will the blog be posted and what will it be about?

MONDAYS & WEDNESDAYS: Issues in Education, Agency news, Relevant hints and tips to make your supply teaching life easier.

FRIDAYS: Job posting day! Every Friday we will be posting the best of our vacancies - be sure to check them out weekly.

It goes without saying we would like as many people as possible to follow this blog so do keep your eyes peeled for our first few blog posts. If there are any burning issues in Education or supply that you think we should look at or you are keen to be a contributor to our blog - do tell us. Everyone is welcome.....