20 Mar 2019

Why Do People Supply Teach?

Slava Kremerman, Zen Educate Co-founder

3

min read

Nearly every headteacher we speak to has one question that keeps coming up: why do people supply teach? We ask all our supply teachers and teaching assistants why they do supply, so we ran the numbers for both teachers and teaching assistants to find out for ourselves. It turns out there are some common misconceptions about why teachers choose to go into supply teaching. Here we put the record straight with the real reasons teachers and teaching assistants teach supply.

The reasons qualified teachers choose to supply teach

The top reason teachers choose to do daily or long-term supply work, with nearly a third of responses, is really transitional: they are interested in permanent, full-time teaching jobs and teaching supply helps them find the right school, gain experience in different environments and get paid while finding the job that suits them best.

This is closely followed, with almost a quarter of responses, by teaching supply helping to support another career or further studies.

The reasons teaching assistants choose to supply teach

For teaching assistants the reasons are more varied with 23% being graduates gaining experience with the intention of becoming a teacher, followed by 20% choosing to work in supply while they try to find the right permanent teaching assistant job.

The remaining significant reasons are teaching assistants with experience overseas moving to the UK (18%), supporting another career or further studies (16%), and using supply as it provides some flexibility around childcare (14%).





Search blog posts …

Search

Useful to Read

12 May 2025

Supporting Educators During Mental Health Awareness Week 2025

12 May 2025

Supporting Educators During Mental Health Awareness Week 2025

12 May 2025

Supporting Educators During Mental Health Awareness Week 2025

Recent Articles

Related Posts

Related Posts

24 Jul 2025

UK School System: Comparing UK and Australian Schools

24 Jul 2025

UK School System: Comparing UK and Australian Schools

24 Jul 2025

Applying for the best teaching jobs in the UK: Interview before you arrive

24 Jul 2025

Applying for the best teaching jobs in the UK: Interview before you arrive

17 Jul 2025

Your Complete Guide to Teaching in the UK: A Teacher's Roadmap from Australia

17 Jul 2025

Your Complete Guide to Teaching in the UK: A Teacher's Roadmap from Australia

24 Jul 2025

UK School System: Comparing UK and Australian Schools

24 Jul 2025

Applying for the best teaching jobs in the UK: Interview before you arrive

Zen Educate Limited is registered in England and Wales.

Office address: Unit 2.01 Canterbury Court, 1–3 Brixton Road, London SW9 6DE

Registered Office 9th Floor, 107 Cheapside, London, EC2V 6DN

Company number 10382721 · VAT No. GB262602523

Zen Educate Limited is registered in England and Wales.

Office address: Unit 2.01 Canterbury Court, 1–3 Brixton Road, London SW9 6DE

Registered Office 9th Floor, 107 Cheapside, London, EC2V 6DN

Company number 10382721 · VAT No. GB262602523

Zen Educate Limited is registered in England and Wales.

Office address: Unit 2.01 Canterbury Court, 1–3 Brixton Road, London SW9 6DE

Registered Office 9th Floor, 107 Cheapside, London, EC2V 6DN

Company number 10382721 · VAT No. GB262602523