Cover Supervisor

Full Job Description

We put wellbeing first by giving our teams more time to recharge.

Job Title: Cover Supervisor

Location: Smallbrook School, Shrewsbury, SY4 3HE

Hours: 37.5 per week | Monday to Friday | 8.45am – 4.20pm

Salary: £26,000.00 per annum (not pro rata)

Contract: Permanent | Term Time Only

Start: September 2026

UK applicants only – no sponsorship available

No two days are the same in this rewarding and varied role. As a Cover Supervisor, you'll be at the heart of school life, ensuring that learning continues seamlessly when teachers are absent. From leading lessons and supporting individual pupils to coordinating exams and contributing to the wider school community, you'll play a vital role in helping young people thrive. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is confident, adaptable, and passionate about making a difference in the lives of pupils, particularly within a supportive and nurturing educational environment.

• Support and supervise vocational learning programmes, ensuring pupils remain engaged and motivated
• Leading engaging, pre-planned lessons and keeping learning on track in the absence of teaching staff
• Supporting pupils across the school through whole‑class supervision, small group work, and 1:1 support
• Encouraging pupils to stay motivated, focused, and confident in their learning
• Creating a calm, positive, and structured classroom environment where pupils can succeed
• Delivering targeted intervention and catch‑up programmes to help pupils achieve their potential
• Working collaboratively with teachers, leaders, and support staff to ensure the smooth running of the school day
• Bringing flexibility, initiative, and a proactive approach to every challenge and opportunity

• A confident and engaging classroom presence
• Excellent communication, organisational, and teamwork skills
• A calm, resilient, and patient approach, even in challenging situations
• The ability to adapt quickly and think on your feet
• Experience working within a SEND or SEMH setting (desirable)
• An understanding of, or willingness to embrace, trauma‑informed and relationship‑based practice
• A genuine belief that every young person can succeed with the right support and encouragement

This is more than a cover role - it's an opportunity to become a valued member of a dedicated team, helping to shape positive outcomes for young people every day. If you're passionate about education, thrive on variety, and want a role where your contribution truly matters, we'd love to hear from you.

Smallbrook School is currently increasing capacity from 50 students to 80 and has a large investment in our school site developing KS2 and sixth‑form provision. We are a co‑educational day school catering for pupils aged 7‑18 with a range of complex needs, including social, emotional and mental health needs and also pupils who have been diagnosed with autism or demonstrate behaviours associated with autism.

You will contribute to making Smallbrook School an outstanding provision for our young people and their families. We provide a therapeutic, supportive and inclusive learning environment and are committed to raising achievement and enabling pupils to recognise their potential and supporting them through a personalised, engaging curriculum. Our priority is to develop the foundation knowledge and skills required to make a manageable and smooth transition to the next life stage.

Our School is based halfway between Shrewsbury and Wem in Shropshire. Acorn Education offers rewarding careers and meaningful challenges while making a real difference in young people’s lives. As a leading UK provider of specialist education for children and young people with special educational needs, and part of Outcomes First Group, we deliver innovative, evidence‑based approaches that support measurable progress and lasting impact.

We are really proud to say that in 2025 Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the sixth year running.

We place pupils and vulnerable young adults at the heart of everything we do, so every day brings the satisfaction of making a real…