In the ever-evolving landscape of UK education, Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) have become prominent players, shaping the experiences of teachers and students alike.
As one of the UK’s leading supply teacher recruitment agencies, we’ve had many opportunities to observe the inner workings of MATs, witnessing both their strengths and areas ripe for improvement.
Read on for insights into what to expect from working within a MAT as a supply teacher with Zest Education.
The Bright Side
If you’re a supply teacher navigating the education system, being placed within a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) by Zest Education can bring a host of benefits.
From consistent policies and shared resources to access to high-quality professional development, MATs can offer a more structured and supportive environment than standalone schools.
Here we explore the positive impact MATs can have on a teacher’s day-to-day experience, especially for those on supply:
- Standardised Practices Across Schools
MATs often implement unified policies and curricula across their schools, which can be great for supply teachers.
Being familiar with teaching materials and behavioural policies can ease the move between schools within the same trust, giving you more opportunities for supply work as you develop your relationship with the MAT through your work with Zest Education.
- Professional Development and Support
Many MATs invest in the professional growth of their staff.
For instance, ATLP (Arthur Terry Learning Partnership) expects supply teachers on long-term placements to be fully involved in all mandatory training, paying you to be with the full-time staff on training days and integrating you into their professional development systems.
- Experience Different Environments
Embedding yourself as a supply teacher within a Multi-Academy Trust can be really rewarding, because you get to experience multiple different teaching environments, all within a close vicinity of one another.
Schools within MATs are usually located in and around the same area, meaning that you won’t have to travel far to work in a number of different learning environments.
The Flip Side
As with any profession, supply teaching isn’t all smooth sailing.
While MATs bring standardisation and scale, as a relatively new format in the world of education, they also face ongoing scrutiny.
For supply teachers especially, we know that working across different schools within a trust can sometimes feel inconsistent.
In this section, we’ll discuss the challenges that we know exist and give you tips on how to avoid any issues:
- Financial Strains
A 2024 report revealed that nearly half of MATs in England were operating at a deficit, with rising energy bills and full-time staff costs cited as primary factors. These financial pressures can lead to staffing cuts and increased workloads for remaining staff, even those on supply.
So be prepared to pull your weight if you’re going into a MAT as a supply teacher – it doesn’t mean you’re going to get an “easy” day!
- Inconsistent Support & Integration
You might have found threads during your research highlighting a range of different experiences, both positive and negative, when it comes to the support given to supply teachers within MATs.
The main cause of issues seems to be the absence of established relationships with students and staff, which are crucial for effective teaching and classroom control, and a lack of support in establishing the authority of the supply teacher by full-time staff.
Issues such as this underscore the need for strong support systems for supply staff – something that we are proud to have in place here at Zest Education.
We’re always here to help if you ever feel a lack of support, unclear on the expectations of you, or experience difficulties with classroom management.
- Expectation vs. Reality
Sometimes, what we expect doesn’t match up to the reality.
With MATs we expect brilliance, standardisation and ease – but we’re all human, and staffing issues can often mean inconsistency, even in the best run MATs.
So if you’re expecting everything to be smooth sailing and policies to be in place and implemented exactly the same across every school that you work in as a supply teacher, you may well experience a different reality! Remember, everyone is trying their best.
Final Thoughts
Working within MATs offers a mixed bag of experiences for supply teachers.
While the potential for professional growth and resource access is significant, challenges related to financial management, accountability, and staff support persist.
It’s therefore crucial for supply teachers to choose the best recruitment agency possible, where the team know you personally and professionally, to ensure the right support systems are there to help you find the best fit for you.
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Zest Education is an award winning recruitment agency specialising in education recruitment, supplying teaching and support staff to educational settings across London, Staffordshire and the West Midlands.
Since 2014 Zest Education has been using their vast experience to build genuine relationships, making perfect matches for candidates and schools and ensuring the best results for everyone.
For further information on how Zest Education Ltd. can support your school, please visit www.zesteducation.co.uk
