Moving from secondary to primary supply advice please!

Hi, I have decided to make myself available for primary supply as there is hardly any work available in the secondary sector for day-to-day work (am in Leeds area). I am a secondary trained science teacher and am doing supply to fit around my family.
Does anyone have any tips on how to quickly familiarise myself with the primary curriculum, books etc? I have done some 1-to-1 maths with Y5 last year. I would be looking to work with KS2 .

Any help gratefully received! Thanks

 

Hi, I have decided to make myself available for primary supply as there is hardly any work available in the secondary sector for day-to-day work (am in Leeds area). I am a secondary trained science teacher and am doing supply to fit around my family.
Does anyone have any tips on how to quickly familiarise myself with the primary curriculum, books etc? I have done some 1-to-1 maths with Y5 last year. I would be looking to work with KS2 .

Any help gratefully received! Thanks

 

Have you got children of your own? I found rthis a really invaluable way to gain insight intoany changes or initiatives in the Primary curriculm.

 

Hi, I hate to put a downer on things but my agency and many others I have heard of are full of primary teachers that are struggling to get day to day supply work too, they also only call on secondary teachers if they are really desperate and a lot the schools I supply have asked them not to send secondary supply teachers. I personally agree with this ethos and find it quite hypocritical that so many posters on here bang on about unqualified staff and cover supervisors teaching classes but its fine for people with no experience in a certain key stage to teach it. I'm sure there are some teachers/tas etc that are good beyond their training but I haven't seen many. Its not just the subject knowledge/curriculum either...its the style of teaching/behaviour management thats completely different.Sorry.

 

I used to be a secondary science teacher but now do primary supply. Been at it for 3 years. It's GREAT!. I started off with just years 4/5/6 as I felt any younger would be too different for me. I am now happy doing year 2 upwards but not younger. When I go to schools that know me, they love the fact that I used to be a science teacher and have been known to swap things around just so I can do a practical with year 5/6. Doesn't really help any younger than that. When I first started, I spent HOURS researching on the internet, looking at lesson plans etc. Bought books, pencils, sharpeners, stickers, made worksheets, had stuff on my memory stick etc. How much have I used in 3 years? NONE! Most of the time work is set. As you go on, you remember things that work and web sites to download stuff from or stick up on the IWB. Adapt lessons you have done with worksheets and manage without.... I haven't really had any problems in primary (except when I had to do phonics - MUCH too harrrrrd!) I just stay away from the age groups I feel I cannot do, work hard and the fact that I'm not primary trained has never been an issue. However, I'm really, really lucky. I work in Kent for an excellent agency who manage to get me lots of work. I don't know how long it will last, but for now, I'm happy and would recommend it. Some areas however, are dire, and even good agencies struggle to find teachers work. As you are not established, you might also find yourself at the bottom of the pile with most of the work going to teachers who the schools already know.
P.S. Before I started, I was working part time and spent 1 day a week over 2 terms observing in 2 different primary schools which really helped. Good luck!

 

Ive just started doing Primary supply and i am secondary trained. Ive learnt so much by being in primary! You must remember it is very different to primary, their discipline is very different secondary is a lot harsher and im finding it difficult to adjust to that. Ive picked up things by talking to the TA's and asking them how they do things in the classroom when the teacher is in and i follow the lesson plan as well as i can, its not that bad. This week ive had to teach without a lesson plans, that was a challenge!

 

Go for it. I changed over many years ago ( saw secondary as 'second rate' teacher wise ). Best thing I ever did. Did supply first and received THREE job offers. Regarded the whole thing as a 'two year training course' at first, which helped my mindset. Have now clocked five years up and have reached deputy head status....which was not the plan, still , hay-ho !