Content area
Abstract
This thesis is grounded in my work-based experience as a primary school teacher. I have worked as a full-time teacher, a part-time teacher and a supply teacher, teaching across the primary age range. Whilst working full time, I was made aware of the concerns held by the supply teachers who worked in our school. They were worried that they would be expected to teach the National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies without the benefit of training, which full time teachers are able to access. This brought to light other anomalies, including training provision for supply teachers and funding issues. I suggest that there is a subtle difference between the skills needed to be an effective supply teacher and those regularly practised by class teachers. Therefore, this thesis endeavours to explore the nature of supply teaching and how being a supply teacher may differ from being a primary school class teacher, with responsibility for only one class of children. The data, which includes interviews with head teachers and supply teachers, as well as questionnaire material, guided me towards three key areas, which impacted on supply teachers' work. In addition to the introduction of the National Strategies, professionalisation, globalisation and workforce re-modelling were influencing the way supply teachers were expected to work. There appeared to be a covert attempt to privatise supply teaching provision, with little consultation, that was signposting the future for teaching professionals.
