[senco-forum] Cover supervision

We are a large comprehensive.
Before the employment of cover supervisors we used some regular supply teachers who were excellent - they knew the school well and actually 'taught' the cover work.
Now we have 4 cover supervisors - 2 initially and then they employed 2 more. They are cheaper than supply teachers.
Not all the school rounds here employ cover supervisors - we are one of the few.
They are only supposed to hand out the cover work and supervise the class.
However, one is being used to 'teach' English as there were 2 people on long term leave - this I think is totally unacceptable - cheap teaching by the back door - unqualified people playing at being teachers.
At first I was approach (as SENCO) to see if I wanted to be in charge of them in some way but I refused because it is against NUT policy.
They are liked by teachers in some ways because they take the burden of cover and exam invigilating from them.
Currently, they seem to spend a lot of time sitting in the staff room checking their e-mails and practising their Italian. I complained to the Head who said they are supposed to be deployed into faculties to do admin work, display etc - but this doesn't often happen. 
I have complained to the Head; when my department is at full stretch trying to give SATS students the readers/scribes they need and there are people, being paid more than 2 of my T.A.s, sitting doing nothing in the staff room and I have made my views known and am not very popular.
One of our deputy heads couldn't understand my feelings - they are educated people he said - they could teach as well as anyone else - So, I replied - I can go into Sainsbury's and say 'Any educated people ere ? COme and teach in my school.' Ridiculous.
So, no, I don't like them - children aren't sure who they are - they seem to give the impression they are teachers - some children run rings around them and whenever they cover my classes (small groups of 10) the children seem to do hardly any work at all.
If you are going to employ them - think hard about it.
Could I use them for T.A. type work - well, yes I suppose I could but it would not be reliable support because they are sometimes used to cover lessons more than at other times.
Obviously other people will have very different views from me.
I have 2 senir T.A.s who took the higher pay scale of H4 and do act as cover supervisors when the teacher is away in a lesson where I deploy them - they know the students, the work and what to do - they work closely with the ICT and maths departments and 'team teach' with those staff. Maybe if cover suprtvisors were attached to a faculty and really got to know what was going on............who knows.
I think I am against them in principle 
Janice Wray
Secondary SENCO Herts

> From: Janrolnick at aol.com> Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2007 17:12:33 -0400> To: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk> Subject: [senco-forum] Cover supervision> > I am interested to know how other people usecover supervisors. Do you employ > them for that role alone or do you use TAs on an as needs basis? What is the > best way to do it?> > > Many thanks> > > Janice Rolnick> > > > 
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