Students on supply cover

escott16: What is the general feeling about schools using students to cover teachers’ absences. I’m a postgrad student and was asked to cover (without planning or support) several times. I was lucky the class were lovely and helpful, so I gained experience and confidence. Is this done in a lot of schools, and if so, how ethicallegal is that?

Si N. Tiffick: I think it’s not allowed as you are nominally under the supervision of a teacher. However, when I did my PGDE six years ago, I was left covering the P7 class for the final four weeks of my placement to free the teacher for school show rehearsals. It did me the power of good but I was aware that the school was taking a lend of me!

lelseydramaqueen: It is not allowed. You are not fully qualified or GTC registered. You should not even be covering classes for anyone while doing probation.

airy: You can cover as a probationer as long as it doesn’t take you over your 0.8. Students can “cover” the lesson but should have a qualified teacher available at all times (ie not off teaching another class or miles away).

halfajack: This practice is exploitative to student teachers, who will most likely feel unable to refuse, and undermining to the profession. It’s a terrible position to put a student teacher in.

www.tes.co.ukscotland.