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Celebrate International Women's Day 2023 with insight from Headteacher and WomenEd Network Leader, Shanaz Hussain.

Gaining QTS can seem daunting, but we're here to help!

Here are three reasons why some schools are getting ahead by advertising vacancies now to broaden their reach and secure talent for the next academic year.

What is emotion coaching, and how could you incorporate it into your practices?

Headteacher Patrick Ottley-O'Connor talks wellbeing, the importance of self-care, and his pet tortoise Hurricane.

Stepping into the top job? Read one Headteacher’s advice on how to prepare for the challenges ahead.

Great leadership ‘cannot be reduced to a matter of technique or style’. Rather, it comes from the very identity and integrity of every individual who has chosen to take on the mantle of leadership.

A rundown of 7 great books for teachers' development.

Start off on the right foot with these 10 tips!

We speak with Headteacher Deborah Brown about supporting children with grief and loss.

Dr Kristy Turner offers a unique insight into supporting STEM students, from her professional Chemistry teaching and lecturing experience in both school and university. She outlines challenges and raises questions for school leaders supporting learners with their journey into higher education.

How can we recognise neglect in children, and make the all-important call on intervention?

Play is not a luxury or an afterthought.

If we want NQTs to last in the profession, it's important to consider what they need from their schools and how we can support them through the challenges ahead.

Becoming a supply teacher: from the qualifications you'll need, to finding roles.

We are incredibly fortunate to work with a remarkable group of people striving to do good each day. The community built through Zen is diversely passionate about the cause that brought us all together, and one that looks out for each other along the way.

LEYF CEO June O'Sullivan joins us to discuss the recruitment crisis currently facing Early Years education.

Greg, a Zen registered Teaching Assistant, shares three helpful tips for making a positive impression in schools.

We've listened to feedback from school leaders to design this simple, helpful and intuitive new feature.

We return to teacher workload with Headteachers Liz Whetham MBE and David Lowbridge-Ellis.

Dylan, Teaching Assistant with Zen Educate, found his love of teaching through his passion for Ultimate Frisbee. In this article, he shares top tips for introducing this sport to children, and how supply work allows him to carry out two passions in one!

In light of the updated SEND and AP green paper, we invited 4 expert guests to help explore the future of inclusion.

Looking for a flexible way to balance a career in education with other things? Teaching supply might be the perfect job for you.

A comprehensive introduction to British Sign Language! 👋

For this episode of 10 with Zen, we invited Lisa Cherry, whose research and books cover children and young people's experiences of care.

For International Women’s Day, join us in combating hygiene poverty by supporting The Hygiene Bank, an impactful community-based charity.

For International Women's Day 2022, we asked our Zen team to highlight any women who deserve some recognition. Whether that's for supporting within the workplace, doing something outside of work, or just a genuine compliment for being a ray of sunshine. Take a read to see what we were sent!

We’ve been speaking to teachers about what resources and tools they use to support behaviour and control within their classrooms.

As part of our Wellbeing January, we hosted our I’m Shattered! webinar, exploring professional wellbeing support for school leaders.

Watch back our event about managing behaviour in the classroom!

For this episode, Helen speaks with Maria Brosnan, founder of Pursuit Wellbeing and author of The Pursuit of Sleep, exploring school leader stress, sleep rituals and the practice of gratitude along the way.

For this episode, we had the pleasure of inviting Nick Bennett, CEO of Fika. Nick spoke with Helen about mental wellbeing in schools, the origins of Fika, and the way in which modern society perceives mental and physical fitness.

For this episode, Helen Woodward welcomes Jonathan Coy, CEO of HeadteacherChat. They discuss the competitive nature of education, the role of the Headteacher, and creating supportive communities on Twitter.

Earlier in December, we hosted our Outstanding Curricula webinar in collaboration with Cornerstones Education. Here is a summary of some of the points made by our panel.

Beckie, a supply teacher, children’s well-being mentor and forest school practitioner, shares a fun activity for National Tree Week 2021.

An interactive workshop to help you deliver high quality lessons in Phonics.

Why we're limiting our carbon footprint at Zen.

An interactive workshop to help teachers and teaching assistants deliver high quality lessons in Reading Comprehension.

Watch our free workshop to learn how to land more your favourite jobs.

For this extended episode of 10 with Zen, Helen Woodward welcomes Dame Alison Peacock.

For this extended episode of 10 with Zen, host Helen Woodward talks with Gulwali Passarlay, an Afghan political refugee living in the UK, about his experience of arriving in England, how education in Bolton brought hope and opportunity, and praised the teachers who made small but meaningful gestures that left a powerful, lasting impression.

Earlier in October, Zen Educate hosted our Education Recovery: what you need to know & how to get involved webinar, looking to answer school leaders’ questions about the Department for Education’s newest education recovery package, how it works and what it means for schools.

As part of our Black History Month celebrations, Helen chatted with Ros Norford, a Manchester-based Creative Practitioner and creator/director of Aleiah’s Adventure.

In June, the Department for Education announced its £1.4 billion recovery package to help schools catch up students’ learning after the knock-on effects of the pandemic. As this funding is a combination of different schemes, we wanted to summarise and demystify the structure!

We begin Series 2 with Juliette Alban-Metcalfe in discussion with Helen Woodward on what makes for good leadership.

We are pleased to announce that Zen Educate is an Approved Tuition Partner of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) for the 2021/22 academic year!

The Zen Educate team are thrilled to announce that we’ve reached another milestone!

Prepare for the new academic year with three workshops from our September Success Programme

Now that the September 2021 update to the Department for Education’s guidance for keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) has been published, we want to ensure that everyone who works in education is informed on the changes.

Some key insights from our webinar hosted in collaboration with Cornerstones Education. We explored sensible approaches to supporting effective catch up and discussed how we can ensure all children’s needs are met.

You can now add personal pronouns to your Zen profile.

n this episode of 10 with Zen, Helen Woodward talks with Sameena Choudry, founder of Equitable Education, co-founder of #WomenEd, and author of Equitable Education. They discuss intersectionality, closing the attainment gap, and giving students the support they need.

Sean shares his journey from Engineer to Teaching Assistant. He has a few tips for people eager to make a career change!

What do schools and teachers need to know about the 2-year Early Career Framework? In our podcast, Helen Woodward talked with Professor Sam Twiselton OBE and Lynsey Hunter from Sheffield Hallam University about building a community of practice, and how we can measure success over the next few years.

In preparation of Year 6s moving on to secondary school after summer, host Helen Woodward sat down with Chris Foley (Headteacher at St. Monica’s Roman Catholic High School and CEO Designate of the St. Teresa’s of Calcutta Catholic Academy Trust) to talk about how schools can help transitioning children feel more comfortable in their new environment.

We recently hosted a webinar based around COVID catch-up funding, as we’re keen to explore what we’re all learning about children’s current needs following 18 months of disrupted education.

Robert has 8 years of teaching experience and has a few tips to share with supply teachers heading into new classrooms.

Earlier this month, we hosted our Behaviour for Learning webinar, intending to shed light on the research behind best practices for behaviour management in the classroom.

Ahead of 2021’s Great Science Share for Schools on the 15th of June, we wanted to dig deep into science and technology education in schools, and find out how we can all inspire and encourage children to explore their interest in STEM early on.

On Tuesday 27th April, we hosted our What Really Works With Staff Wellbeing? webinar to find out how school leaders can support staff wellbeing.

Helen Woodward talked with Nancy Hey, Executive Director of What Works Wellbeing, about the definition of 'wellbeing', and what it means for schools.

For episode 5 of our podcast series 10 with Zen, we talked with Hayley Cameron (Education Safeguarding Manager) and Jo Cassey (Managing Director) from Cognus about safeguarding during the pandemic.

Resources and effective strategies for supporting children with autism from our workshop on April 8th, 2021

Why choose work in a special school? Olivia, our SEND Lead and former SEND Support Worker, discusses opportunities to upskill and develop experience in the special needs sector.

Amifa, a Supply Teaching Assistant with Zen Educate, describes how her school role was changed by having children.

Last week, as part of our International Women’s Day celebrations, we hosted a podcast on Teacher Training in Bhutan with the brilliant Dr. Phuntsho Dolma, a national leader of teacher training in Bhutan and Associate Professor at The Royal University of Bhutan.

Rakhee made the switch from full-time teacher to supply teacher when she found Zen Educate.

Why should you refine your professional profile? We hosted a workshop to explore why it matters, how to develop your CV and suggest effective frameworks to take forward.

On the 2nd of March 2021, Zen Educate hosted a webinar on Effective Children's Safeguarding During Covid-19. Here is a summary of some of the insights given by our expert panel.

Beckie, founder of Bhumi Yoga and supply teacher with 20 years of school experience, shares yoga-inspired activities which help with behaviour management.

A recap on 'The 4 R’s Approach to Coping with Stress' from our webinar: Towards Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing.

For this episode, Helen Woodward talks with Rob Caudwell, Leader of Oasis Innovation Teaching School and Co-founder of Penrose Education. Rob touches on the learning that’s informed his decisions on teacher training since COVID-19 began, as well as supporting ITT trainees, assessing trainees as they teach online, and why schools “need mentors now more than ever”.

Who uses Makaton, how can I learn it, and how can I introduce it in my classroom?

Some key insights from our Catch Up Funding - How to Use it Effectively webinar from the 3rd February 2021.

Are you finding time for fitness right now? The Zen team has lockdown fitness ideas to share with teachers and anyone working remotely.

Robert, an experienced London supply teacher, shares ways to succeed on your first day of primary supply teaching. A helpful guide if you’re wondering what to bring to school.

For this episode, Helen chatted with Angela Holdsworth. As well as being CEO of the Seaview Trust in North West England, Angela is a Regional Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Leader for nasen (National Association for Special Educational Needs), and a Teaching Schools Council Regional Representative. Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and more.

In light of the pandemic and its affects on mental health, Zen Educate hosted a Towards Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing webinar. Read our summary of the topics discussed.

A series of 10-minute podcasts exploring education sector issues and topics

Earlier this week, Zen Educate hosted a joint webinar with Prestolee Multi-Academy Trust, discussing the ECF (Early Career Framework) and how to develop effective career development for Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs).

Having a strong friendship group can be a huge factor in protecting children against bullying. As part of Anti-Bullying Week 2020, Zen’s SEN lead, Olivia, suggests some ways TAs can help support children with SEND.

It’s Anti-Bullying Week, which is a great opportunity to emphasise the collective responsibility of students to end bullying and respect each other. With powerful illustrations and encouraging messages, picture books are an ideal way to help children understand and celebrate their differences.

Supporting diversity in teaching and school leadership positions is a challenge for the education sector, but also an opportunity to deliver better representation for children in schools. In our webinar, we welcomed three passionate leaders to share valuable insight into inclusive education recruitment practices.

Robert, a supply teacher working with Zen Educate, shares his insight into how teaching supply can provide the flexibility, extra time and experience to start your own business.

Help your school systematically reduce unconscious bias from recruitment and supply decisions with our new Anonymise feature.

Here we share 4 tips for teaching assistants returning to work in September

An insight into how schools can effectively handle Daily Supply needs as they re-open

This article outlines some of the key insights shared by three school leaders during our webinar on remote interviewing.

At Zen Educate, we stand united in the efforts to challenge racial injustice in all forms.

A collection of books and online courses for any teaching staff to explore during the lockdown

Some useful insight on how to best deal with the transition of SEN students back to school

Lynne Bianchi, of The Great Science Share for Schools, shares how you can get involved with your teachers and students in an interview with Helen Woodward.

I’ve written this post to share some ideas to support early years reading at home.

This the third and final part of a series of posts that Janet Green, Forest School Practitioner, has delivered on the benefits of Outdoor Learning.

Easter is just around the corner and while schools are closed and people are indoors, there are many creative ways to be engaged and have fun whilst learning outdoors.

At Zen we’ve been talking with Janet Green, Forest School Practitioner, and this is the first of a series of posts exploring outdoor learning and play

3 fun and engaging activities for children with Autism from our SEN specialist, Olivia Sheppard, in honour of World Autism Day

4 free resources for both teachers and parents to help students learn while schools are closed

The Principal of British International School of Tbilisi, shares the struggles, opportunities and silver lining of remote learning in an interview with Helen Woodward, Zen Educate Adviser.

Whilst the current COVID-19 crisis is putting everyone's life in a period of uncertainty - no one is facing as much unrest as the key workers across the world and the families they support. With a lot of schools remaining open to support the children of these key workers it is important to ask: Will COVID-19 change how we view the classroom? Outdoor learning seems like a prime example of exactly what this change might look like.

We’ve compiled a list of advice on how to help children with Special Needs, specifically around Autism and ADHD, for supply staff coming into a classroom.

From now on, the pressure to get ahead of the recruitment process for the next academic year will only become more imperative.

Losing and replacing a high-quality TA can be expensive, time-consuming and risky for your classroom. These three questions will help.

How to welcome your students back to your classroom and get behaviour on track as quickly as possible

This practical guide shows you exactly how to do 10 of the most useful basic Makaton signs

Much has been written and researched about the impact of mental health issues on the teaching profession. Here we cover practical things your school can do to better support your teachers'.

Every month we pick one hardworking TA and we shout to the rooftops about them. This month it’s all about Marcela.

Flexible working is becoming more mainstream, learn how to implement it in your school and why it is so valuable for your teaching assistants.

What can be done to reduce sick leave as the colder weather arrives? We’ve gathered together some of the best simple solutions from the world of education and put them together for you below:

The summer is over, you’ve enjoyed your holiday, and it’s time to get back to teaching. The start of a new academic term may feel daunting, but following these tips will help you reduce stress and get back into the swing of things.

Worried about how to engage students after a long summer break? One of our supply teachers offers valuable insight into how she keeps students interested once the new academic year starts.

After a long summer holiday off, it can be tough to get back into teaching. Leigh shares her tips on how to re-energise yourself as a supply teacher and get back into the swing of things come the September term.

Teaching supply allows you to work in a variety of contexts. As an experienced secondary school teacher now teaching daily supply, a Zen teacher shares how they have adapted their teaching practices to be effective in a primary setting.

So many pupils today do not seem to value language subjects in the same way that they value the core subjects. As one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to teaching languages in UK schools, it is necessary for teachers to overcome this.

A supply day can be overwhelming if you're not prepared. Consider the advice of Nathanlie, a supply teacher, who shared her tips and tricks for a typical teaching day.

Navigating how to find the right supply agency for you can be an overwhelming process. It’s important to understand the differences between them and what each has to offer. Follow these guidelines to ensure that you find the best agency for you.

Explore the main benefits of supply teaching with one of Zen's best teachers, as she recalls how she became drawn to supply and how she ended up working with Zen.

Supply can offer a lot of benefits for teachers depending on personal needs and wants. Working as a supply teacher with her own business on the side, Gerrie shares some of the advantages of supply.

Mental health, stress and workload are hot topics at the moment. Many schools are raising the profile of wellbeing and making a real commitment to improving the mental health of their staff, children and the wider community.

Each SEN student will have different needs and learning habits. Whilst each child is different, there are a number of things you can do to prepare when taking on a new class with SEN requirements..

One of Zen's best teachers looks back on the earliest days of his teaching career and shares the main things that every new teacher should know.

Mary, a supply teacher with Zen, shares her personal reasons for teaching supply and sheds light on the benefits of supply work.

As an ex-Spanish teacher and talent finder at Zen Educate, Sarah offers advice on one of the hardest parts of finding a role: The trial day.

This week’s podcast recommendation features Sandy Speicher, partner and managing director of education at IDEO, with Tom from Getting Smart, breaking down what design thinking is and why it’s so important for teachers and education leaders right now.

As an experienced supply teacher to many organisations and schools, there are some vital tips to support your practice when working with volunteers, teaching assistants, mentors, higher teaching assistants and one to one support.

It's not just about the classroom; schools now expect teachers to engage in the school and show an interest in extracurricular activities. Mary, a supply teacher, shares various ways for a teacher to integrate themselves into a school community.

Congratulations! You went through a rigorous training programme overseas and are now a qualified teacher. How do you transfer your training and experience to schools in the UK?

Stress management for a teacher can be a difficult task, sometimes seemingly impossible. Whether you are in your first years of teaching or have many years of experience, stress and teaching can often go hand-in-hand. Often times as a teacher, the work doesn’t end once you leave school. Learning management strategies for dealing with anxiety and a significant workload is important not only for your mental health, but for your overall well-being both in and out of the classroom. Consider the following tips to have a little more peace of mind, remembering that the first person you should take care of is yourself.

It is a hard adjustment from classroom teacher to supply teacher. There are substantial differences to the job both within and outside the school. It is important to be prepared for these changes so that you can make the most of your experience as a supply teacher.

Coming back into supply teaching after leaving a full time teacher position after 5 years was a daunting prospect. I was familiar with the same school and the set procedures on a day to day basis. The children knew what I expected of them and were aware of the consequences of not following instructions or school rules. There are certain steps you can take to eliminate the "substitute teacher effect" and have a successful supply day.

Safeguarding refers to the processes and policies in place used to protect children from abuse, including physical, mental, neglect, and bullying. It is designed in the best interest of the child in order to promote their own health and safety. As educators, it is imperative to understand how to handle a potential crisis situation and be able to offer the right kind of help.

Last week we were thrilled to hit a milestone £500k of savings in agency fees — these savings go straight to schools and back into teacher’s pay

Charlie Taylor (former CEO of the NCTL) sat down with education specialist Tara Elie from Pivotal Education to record a podcast on integrating supply teachers.

As a follow-up to her first interview, we sat down with Sarah from our Teacher Success Team. Read our conversation about her experience teaching Spanish at secondary state schools in Birmingham and London.

We are very happy to announce that we have joined the Hounslow Education Partnership as an accredited supplier.

One school that has ensured literacy and reading is widely encouraged is Devonshire Hill Primary in Tottenham and Zen Educate agreed to join in the fun on World Book Day and visited Devonshire Hill Primary School to hand out some prizes

We sat down with education expert Dr. Hilary Macaulay to discuss the teacher recruitment and retention crisis facing UK schools in 2019.

Get to know the Zen team a little better with our new article series. This week we sat down with the lovely Sarah.

An overview of Tom Bennett’s relatable, humorous and no-nonsense guide to behaviour management.

See how the Department for Education intends to support teachers entering the profession and assist those already established in their career.

Ever decided to take the leap before realising you don’t quite feel prepared for what’s to come? Read Zen’s guidelines for how to find a new role that suits you.

How to tackle teacher recruitment and retention when also working to improve your school’s OFSTED score.

We asked our teachers and TAs what drew them to supply work. The results may surprise you.

New to supply work? An experienced supply teacher shares her top tips for having a great day.

Changing jobs may be an easy decision for some. For others, it may cause more stress than excitement. If that’s the case, here are some things to consider before making your choice.

Here at Zen, we're revolutionising supply teaching. Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what one of our teachers had to say about her experience with us.

Supply teaching brings with it a number of new, exciting experiences. If you find yourself having to cover an unknown subject, there are certain things you can do to prepare.

Saving schools money is what we’re all about, and we have helped schools across Greater London save vital resources on supply staff. We want to do as much as we can for schools all across the UK, however, which is why we are excited to announce our expansion to Manchester!

Managing disruptive behaviour in a class where the students do not know you may seem like a daunting prospect. Read ahead for some valuable tips that will boost your confidence when working with a new class.

Teaching children in Key Stage 2 can be quite the challenge. One of our experienced teachers shared their top tips to improve your experience and boost your confidence.

Starting out as a teacher after working as an HLTA can feel like quite a leap. One maths teacher shares their advice when making the transition with a PGCE.

With cuts to education and healthcare a distressing reality, the challenges faced by SEND students and their teachers are increasing. One secondary school teacher’s experiences shed light on the necessity of proper funding for SEND students.

Zen Educate is on a mission to challenge the traditional agencies that provide poor value to schools.

A well-resourced PE department can make a world of difference to your students. Save up to £16,500 a year to reinvest in your school, via our technology-based approach to supply.

Vulnerable children are often those left most at risk by constant funding cuts, and high agency fees merely exacerbate this issue.

Marking work as a supply teacher can be difficult, but it doesn't have to take hours. One of our teachers has shared her top tips to help you mark efficiently after a day of supply.

New to teaching in the UK? Here is one teacher's advice to help you find your feet.

Moving to teach in the UK? Here's how to make the transition as smooth as possible.