The team at Smile are immensely proud to play a role in the career journeys of school staff across the UK. We’ve had the honour of welcoming so many talented individuals into their first school role, with the bonus of watching their career flourish over the years.

One such success story is that of Anna Vickers, who started her career as a cover supervisor. Anna is now the Vice Principal at Charlton School in Telford – what an incredible journey!

We recently spoke to Anna about her journey in education and her experience working at Smile.

How did you get into being a Cover Supervisor?

“I was working with young people through theatre on a freelance basis after finishing university. My job was seasonal, and I was looking for something to fill the gaps.

A friend of mine suggested looking into becoming a cover supervisor for a supply agency. I found Smile and arranged to go and meet Katy for a chat. Before I knew it, I was working as a cover supervisor on supply and gaining experience in a variety of schools across Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Telford.”

How did you find your experience working with Smile?

“I found the cover supervisor role really interesting; I got to travel to lots of new schools and places and meet new people. I enjoyed the variety of being at a school for just one or two days or sometimes being placed in the same school for weeks on end.”

What has your career been like since starting as a Cover Supervisor? What have you done since, and what did you learn from the role?

“Since starting as a cover supervisor, I have progressed in my educational career.

As a result of working as a cover supervisor with Smile, I was offered a training programme to become a qualified teacher. Once I had completed this, I worked as a classroom teacher for a few years before progressing to head of department and then training to become a senior leader. I am now a Vice Principal (Deputy Head) in a large secondary school and have found my training and experience in teaching extremely rewarding.

If I hadn’t had the experience of being a cover supervisor with Smile, I would probably not have started this journey. Smile gave me the experience and confidence to pursue a career in education, which no doubt changed the direction of my life.”

What's one piece of advice you'd give to someone just getting started as a Cover Supervisor?

“The kids are great, it’s really rewarding, and every day is different. And you might just find that being a cover supervisor is your first step on the educational career ladder.”

Interested in a Role at a Local School?

Anna’s career journey is a testament to how starting as a cover supervisor can open doors to a long-term and rewarding career in education.

Whether you’re looking to gain classroom experience or considering a bright future in teaching, Smile Education can help you get started.

Contact us today to learn more about cover supervisor roles and other opportunities at local schools!