Education · CV Template
Supply Teacher CV Template & Example
A supply teacher CV has to convince an agency and a head of department that you can teach effectively from day one with no handover. Schools value flexibility across subjects and key stages, strong behaviour management, and an up-to-date DBS, so make your adaptability and clearances obvious.
Supply Teacher CV professional summary example
Open with two or three lines covering what you do, how long you have done it, and one measurable result.
Qualified supply teacher with QTS covering secondary English and humanities, sustaining lesson pace across 30+ schools with consistently positive end-of-cover feedback.
Core skills for a Supply Teacher CV
The skills worth naming in your skills section. Different from the ATS keywords below, which are the terms a parser scans for.
- Behaviour management
- Cross-curricular cover
- Cover lesson delivery
- Quick rapport building
- Key Stage 3-4 teaching
- Safeguarding awareness
How to write a standout Supply Teacher CV
Three things hiring managers and applicant tracking systems look for — get these right and you clear the first screen.
Put QTS and DBS up front
Agencies filter on qualified teacher status and a current enhanced DBS on the update service. State both clearly near the top alongside the subjects you can cover.
Sell your flexibility
Day-to-day supply means teaching anything. List the subjects and key stages you can confidently cover and any phase experience from primary to post-16.
Lead with behaviour management
Cover classes test even strong teachers. Show how you establish authority quickly and keep a class on task, referencing any reduction in disruption or positive head-of-year feedback.
ATS keywords for Supply Teacher CVs
Applicant tracking systems scan for role-specific terms before a human reads your CV. Weave the ones that genuinely apply to you into your summary, skills, and bullets.
Supply Teacher CV bullet point examples
Achievement-led bullets that show impact with numbers — concrete beats vague. Adapt them to your own results.
- Provided day-to-day and short-term cover across 30+ secondary schools while maintaining lesson objectives set by absent staff.
- Held a 4-month long-term cover post teaching GCSE English, where 78% of the class achieved a grade 4 or above.
- Established consistent behaviour routines in challenging Key Stage 3 classes, cutting on-call referrals during cover lessons.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about writing a Supply Teacher CV.
What should a supply teacher CV emphasise?
Flexibility across subjects and key stages, strong behaviour management, QTS, and a current enhanced DBS. Agencies and schools want proof you can teach effectively with no preparation time.
Do I need QTS for supply teaching?
Many supply roles require qualified teacher status, though some cover supervisor and unqualified roles do not. State your exact status clearly so agencies place you correctly.
How do I handle gaps from supply work on a CV?
Frame supply as continuous professional experience by listing the agency and the range of schools and subjects covered, rather than itemising every short placement.
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