Cover Supervisor

Cover Supervisor – Local Secondary Schools

Location: Southwark, Lewisham, Greenwich, Bexley and Bromley
Type: Full-time / Part-time / Flexible Supply
Working Hours: 08:30am – 16:00pm
Salary: £100 – £120 per day

At Engage Education, we’re working with a fantastic range of secondary schools across Southwark, Lewisham, Greenwich, Bexley and Bromley area to recruit enthusiastic and confident Cover Supervisors.

Whether you’re a graduate looking to gain school experience before teacher training, or a non-graduate with experience working with young people, this is a brilliant opportunity to get into education, build valuable classroom experience and work flexibly around your availability.

You can set your own availability each week, so we welcome applications from candidates looking for anything from 1–2 days per week through to full-time work.

About the role

As a Cover Supervisor, you’ll be covering lessons across secondary schools when teachers are absent due to planned or unplanned leave.

You don’t need to be a qualified teacher and you won’t be expected to plan lessons. Work will already be prepared by the school – your job is to confidently lead the classroom, keep students engaged and ensure they complete the work set.

We are particularly interested in:

• Graduates looking to explore teaching or gain experience before a PGCE/teacher training
• Non-graduates with relevant experience working with children or young people
• Youth workers, support workers and mentors
• Sports coaches and activity leaders
• Teaching Assistants looking to take the next step
• Tutors and learning mentors
• Individuals with experience in SEND, care or pastoral support
• Confident career changers who are interested in working within education

Previous Cover Supervisor experience is not essential. What matters most is that you are personable, adaptable, confident and have some experience working with young people.

Behaviour can occasionally be challenging when working on supply, so you’ll need to be able to build rapport quickly, remain calm and adapt to different situations and school environments.

Your Role as a Cover Supervisor

As a Cover Supervisor, you’ll supervise pupils carrying out pre-planned work when teaching staff are absent. Your main responsibility will be to manage the classroom and behaviour while ensuring pupils remain engaged with their learning.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Supervising students and ensuring they complete set tasks
• Managing classroom behaviour positively and confidently
• Assisting pupils when they have questions
• Keeping students engaged and focused throughout lessons
• Following the school’s behaviour and safeguarding policies
• Collecting completed work and passing it to the relevant department
• Providing feedback to teaching staff on the lesson and pupils
• Building positive relationships with students and staff

What Makes a Great Cover Supervisor?

Successful Cover Supervisors bring a combination of enthusiasm, confidence, personality and adaptability to the classroom.

Key attributes include:

• Adaptability and flexibility: The ability to quickly adjust to different schools, classrooms, subjects and groups of students.
• Classroom management: Confidence managing student behaviour and creating a positive environment where pupils can learn.
• Communication: The ability to give clear instructions, engage students and communicate effectively with school staff.
• Patience and empathy: A supportive approach and the ability to build rapport with young people, including those who may display challenging behaviour.
• Professionalism and confidence: A calm, assertive and approachable presence in the classroom.
• Organisation and reliability: Being punctual, organised and dependable, particularly when working across different schools.

Why Become a Cover Supervisor?

If you’re considering a future career in education, Cover Supervisor work is a fantastic way to get your foot in the door and experience school life first-hand.

You’ll have the opportunity to work with different year groups, subjects and schools across Greenwich, Woolwich, Bexley and South East London, while developing valuable skills in classroom management, behaviour management, communication and leadership.

For graduates, it can be excellent preparation before progressing into teacher training or a PGCE.

For non-graduates, it can provide a pathway into Teaching Assistant, pastoral, behaviour, SEND and other school-based positions.

About Us

We are Engage Education, the most trusted education recruitment agency, with professional development and support at our core.

When working with Engage, you’ll benefit from:

• Get paid in line with national scales (AWR compliant)
• Free CPD sessions to help develop your skills
• Your own dedicated consultant
• Flexible work to suit your weekly availability
• Opportunities across a wide range of South East London schools
• Receive a £50 Amazon voucher when you refer friends!
• Wellbeing support, travel discounts and retail offers from our partners

How to Apply

If you’re enthusiastic, confident and enjoy working with young people, we’d love to hear from you.

Whether you’re a graduate considering teaching, already have experience supporting young people, or simply want to explore whether a career in education could be right for you, apply below or get in touch with us directly.

If you are not contacted within 2 working days, unfortunately, you have been unsuccessful in this role.

All applicants must have a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before starting work. Full assistance will be provided.

By applying for this role, you are consenting to Engage Education Ltd storing your details in our fully encrypted database, in line with GDPR requirements.