Trainee Teacher - Cover Supervisor Role

Are you a graduate looking to become a qualified secondary school teacher while earning a salary and gaining valuable classroom experience?

Grad2Teach is recruiting an aspiring Trainee Teacher to join a supportive secondary school in Reading, Berkshire, initially working as a Cover Supervisor while completing Phase One of our salaried teacher training programme.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop your classroom confidence, behaviour management and teaching skills before progressing into Phase Two, where you can take on greater teaching responsibility and work towards Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

About the Role

As a Phase One Trainee Teacher, you will be employed within the secondary school as a Cover Supervisor, giving you the opportunity to build substantial classroom experience without immediately taking responsibility for a full teaching timetable.

Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Supervising classes when teachers are absent and ensuring pupils remain engaged with the work provided.
• Developing strong classroom and behaviour management skills.
• Supporting pupils across different subjects and year groups.
• Building positive professional relationships with students and colleagues.
• Observing experienced teachers and learning from effective classroom practice.
• Gradually developing your planning, assessment and teaching skills.
• Completing structured Grad2Teach training alongside your school-based role.
• Building the knowledge, confidence and evidence required to progress into Phase Two.

Phase One combines salaried, in-school experience with structured training and an NCFE-accredited Level 4 customised qualification. Grad2Teach's Phase One training is designed to develop confident educators through practical experience, reflection and professional development.

About You

We are looking for a motivated graduate who is serious about developing a long-term career in secondary education.

You could be a recent graduate exploring teacher training, a Cover Supervisor or Teaching Assistant ready to progress, or a career changer looking for a rewarding new profession.

The successful graduate trainee will ideally:

• Hold a degree or be on track to complete one.
• Have a genuine interest in becoming a secondary school teacher.
• Be confident communicating with young people.
• Demonstrate reliability, professionalism and resilience.
• Be willing to learn from experienced teachers and respond positively to feedback.
• Have the confidence to lead a secondary classroom as a Cover Supervisor.
• Be committed to progressing through Grad2Teach's teacher training programme.

Previous school experience is beneficial, but your potential, attitude and commitment to developing as a future teacher are equally important.

Phase One – Build Your Classroom Experience

Phase One is designed to prepare you properly for the responsibilities of teaching.

Rather than moving immediately onto a full teaching timetable, you will gain practical experience within the school while developing your professional knowledge and classroom practice.

Your training will focus on key areas of effective teaching practice and the Teachers' Standards, alongside the principles covered by the Core Content Framework (CCF). Grad2Teach's training model combines classroom experience with structured development outside teaching hours.

During Phase One, you will complete a Level 4 qualification, develop a professional portfolio and receive structured support as you prepare for the next stage of your teacher training journey.

Progression to Phase Two

Once you have demonstrated that you are ready to progress, you can move into Phase Two of the Grad2Teach programme.

This is where your responsibilities increase significantly. You will progress from your initial Cover Supervisor role towards becoming an independent classroom teacher with your own teaching timetable.

Grad2Teach supports trainees into recognised Initial Teacher Training pathways during Phase Two, including the PGCE with QTS through Coventry University's National Institute of Teaching and Education (NITE). The PGCE route can lead to QTS, a PGCE and 60 credits towards a Master's degree following successful completion.

This two-phase approach means you have time to develop your classroom confidence and practical teaching skills before taking on the responsibility of independent teaching.

Phase One: Cover Supervisor + Level 4 qualification + structured teacher training.

Phase Two: Increased teaching responsibility + formal Initial Teacher Training + route towards PGCE and QTS.

Why Train with Grad2Teach?

Grad2Teach offers a different route into teaching for graduates who want to earn while they train.

You will gain meaningful classroom experience from the beginning, rather than completing all of your training away from school. The programme is designed around salaried, school-based development, allowing aspiring teachers to build their skills progressively and become confident, capable classroom practitioners.

You will benefit from:

• A salaried, school-based teacher training route.
• A structured Phase One development programme.
• An NCFE-accredited Level 4 qualification.
• Real secondary classroom experience as a Cover Supervisor.
• Training aligned with the Teachers' Standards and CCF.
• Support, observations and professional development throughout your training.
• A clear pathway into Phase Two and formal Initial Teacher Training.
• The opportunity to work towards PGCE and QTS.