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Supply Teacher Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

Edited by Indeed Employer Content Team
Last updated 5 November 2025
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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7 min read

A Supply Teacher, or Substitute Teacher, covers the role of a permanent Teacher. Their primary duties include carrying out the absent Teacher’s lesson plan, consulting with parents and maintaining records of student progress.

Supply Teacher duties and responsibilities

Supply Teachers can work with a range of different age groups, and many specialise in supply teaching for elementary, middle and secondary classes. The class’s subject, the grade level and how long the Supply Teacher serves in a given class may affect their duties. Some of their specific duties and responsibilities include:

  • Collaborating with Lead Teachers, Assistant Teachers and School Administrators to make sure students are safe
  • Promoting in-class engagement and good behaviour
  • Proctoring examinations and quizzes
  • Assigning and collecting assignments and keeping it organised for when the permanent Teacher returns
  • Leading lessons using presentations, textbooks and other learning materials
  • Following lesson plans from the permanent Teacher
  • Supervising students in class and during recess, lunch and detention periods

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Supply Teacher Job Description Examples:

Example 1

Phase:Primary/Secondary
Hours:Monday-Friday, 8:30-15:30
Contract:Temporary - short term/long term
Daily rate:£120-180 a day

We are currently hiring supply teachers to work with our client schools in Surrey from September.

We can offer a range of contracts: day-to-day, short-term, and long-term contracts according to the needs of the schools.

As a cover teacher, you will have the following responsibilities:

  • Hold high standards of classroom management ensure student work is completed to the expectations of the school
  • Create strong relationships with the pupils to ensure they succeed
  • Leave a small handover for the class teacher in regards to anything they must know
  • Familiarise yourself with school policies and procedures

What we can offer you:

  • No planning or marking involved as a supply teacher
  • You can work as and when YOUwant
  • Term-time work, Monday to Friday - latest daily finish is 16:00
  • Pay rates between £120-180, depending on qualifications and experience
  • You decide how far your commute is and the schools you would like to work in
  • A dedicated consultant

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Salary: £120.00-£180.00 per day

Schedule:
  • Day shift
  • Monday to Friday
  • No weekends

Work Location: In ID: SPL39

Example 2

3D Recruit are currently recruiting for primary school supply teachers for day-to-day cover in Hawkhurst and surrounding villages. We have a high demand for primary school teachers to work in a variety of schools in the local area.

If you are looking for full time teaching, we have a guaranteed work scheme available, please contact us for more information. If you are looking for part time, we will work with you to ensure you get teaching on the days you are available.

If you are looking to gain experience in different schools, or if you would like to get to know the local schools, we are the agency for you.

Benefits the Job:

  • Choose which days you are available and which areas you would like to work
  • You decide which year groups you'd like to teach
  • Guaranteed work scheme available
  • Local agency based in Battle, East Sussex
  • Day to day and long term supply opportunities
  • Competitive rates of pay

Requirements:

  • Qualified Teacher Status
  • DBS certificate or be willing to complete an application
  • Satisfactory references
  • Right to work in the UK

How to apply:

Now you are interested in the job, you can easily submit your CV via this advert. If you have been shortlisted, we will be in touch within 48 hours to arrange a chat to discuss the role and others in more depth.

If you are not ready to apply now, do contact us to ask any questions or to refer a friend for a referral bonus.

3D Recruit is committed to safer recruitment and adheres to APSCo Compliance+ standards. All candidates who apply for locum or supply contracts will be met face-face and will undertake an interview with an experienced consultant, where documents and references are verified.

3D Recruit is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children, and young people, and expects all staff to share this commitment.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Salary: £110.00-£120.00 per day

Benefits:
  • Referral programme
Schedule:
  • Day shift

Work Location: One ID: 768876KC

Example 3

Phoenix Recruitment Solutions are hiring a range of supply teachers who are dedicated and engaged educators, who enjoys sharing his or her knowledge and skills with students. The successful candidate will be knowledgeable about the subject he or she is teaching, and interested in sharing that passion and enthusiasm with the students.

We are hiring across the East of England in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridge and London areas. In both subject specific roles and general supply roles.

Responsibilities:
  • Help students to understand the materials presented in class and teach them how to use this information.
  • Teach students how to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
  • Help students to get along with other people.
  • Maintain student discipline in the classroom.
  • Be well respected by other teachers, administration, and students.
  • Contribute to the provision of a safe, secure learning environment.
  • Maintain a professional standard of dress and behaviour.
  • Implement and maintain the discipline and behaviour policy of the school.
  • Carry out any reasonable requests from the head teacher during your bookings ie lunchtime duties, exam invigilation.
  • Carry out the duties of the ‘regular’ teacher as much as possible ie covering form classes, taking class registers, attending school assemblies, enforcing school rules.
  • Observe school policy and ethos during your bookings

To Phoenix Recruitment Solutions:
  • Call regularly to update your availability
  • Return timesheets every week duly signed by school representative (Monday at the latest) confirming days worked in the previous week so your pay can be processed
  • Update your consultant with regards to any changes in your personal details
  • Update your consultant if you are unable to attend a booking or if you are going to be late to arrive at a booking.
  • Keep up to date on educational changes, developments and initiatives that affect your specialist subject area through attending agency CPD courses, forums and personal study.

Qualifications

A supply teacher will need to have all the same qualifications as a teacher working in a permanent role.
  • You will need to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or equivalent .
  • A degree
  • At least a GCSE grade C/4 in English and Mathematics.
  • Up-to-date safeguarding and prevent training.
  • Complete a declaration of health questionnaire.
  • Declare any previous convictions and undergo a criminal records check.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Salary: £90.00-£150.00 per day

Schedule:
  • Monday to Friday
  • No weekends

Ability to commute/relocate:
  • Norwich, Norfolk: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)

Experience:
  • Teaching: 1 year (preferred)
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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What does a Supply Teacher do?

A Supply Teacher is an independent contractor who temporarily replaces a permanent Teacher. Their teaching assignments may last from one day to a year and work is usually sporadic. However, Supply Teachers may work more often if they apply for a supply teaching position in several schools. Once the Supply Teachers are placed on a school’s roster, they may be called in to teach any grade level, usually on very short notice. Depending on the situation, Supply Teachers may perform the absent Teacher’s lesson plan or create their own. Supply Teachers are employed by private and public schools throughout the United Kingdom.

Supply Teacher skills and qualifications

A Supply Teacher needs a range of skills and qualifications to perform their duties effectively. These skills and qualifications include:

  • Ability to teach multi-grade classes
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Patience, flexibility and good with children
  • Creativity and organisation skills
  • Networking skills
  • Empathy and compassion
  • Time management skills

Supply Teacher experience requirements

Supply Teachers must have a classroom experience. Many schools in the UK accept candidates who have worked as a volunteer Teacher. Some schools require candidates to have experience with children outside of the classroom, like through mentoring, tutoring, youth clubs, summer camps, play schemes or sports, as this shows candidates have passion for teaching or working with children. Supply Teachers must also be familiar with the national curriculum in order to teach effectively.

Supply Teacher education and training requirements

Supply Teachers must have a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a BA/BSc with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) for Wales and England, or Teaching Qualification (TQ) in Scotland. If they already have a degree, they will need to complete a postgraduate teacher training course, which leads to TQ in Scotland and QTS in Wales and England. If the candidates’ undergraduate degree doesn’t grant them QTS, they are required to obtain a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or a Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) if they study in Scotland. All Supply Teachers in the UK must pass a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before they can work in schools.

Supply Teacher salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary of a Supply Teacher in the United Kingdom is £119 per day. Their actual salary varies depending on several factors, including their level of experience, geographical location and the specific school.

Job Description samples for similar positions

If a Supply Teacher is not quite what you’re looking for, here are other job description samples that may fit your needs:

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Supply Teacher job description FAQs

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